Gran Hamada
Naniwa debuted professionally in 1993 in Michinoku Pro Wrestling as a face. He participated in the 1995 Super J-Cup, managing to get to the quarterfinals, but he was later eliminated by eventual winner Jyushin Thunder Liger. In the late 1990s, Naniwa competed in the United States for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). He wrestled Gran Hamada in January 1998 at the "ECW House Party" event. After this, Naniwa took a brief hiatus for a few years but made his return in 2006, again under his Gran Naniwa ring name, competing in a match for New Japan Pro-Wrestling's now defunct WRESTLE LAND "brand".