Kasugano stable
Tochinohana practised amateur sumo at Meiji University, but unlike many former amateur wrestlers, he still began his professional career at the very bottom of the rankings. He joined Kasugano stable in March 1995 at the age of 22. Initially fighting under his own surname, Yachi, it took him four years to become a "sekitori". Upon reaching the second highest "jūryō" division in January 1999 he adopted the "shikona" Tochinohana.