Tatsunami stable
He left junior high school and joined Tatsunami stable in May 1961 at the age of 14. He made his debut alongside future "sekiwake" Fujinokawa, and future "maegashira" Tochifuji and Wakanoumi. He reached the second highest "juryo" division in November 1965, and in January 1967 he became the first wrestler from Miyazaki Prefecture to reach the top division for 116 years, the previous being Tomozuna Ryosuke in 1851. He won his first (and only) special prize in the January 1969 tournament, for Fighting Spirit.