Sadogatake stable
During the 2005 November tournament, in which, at 37, he was the oldest "rikishi" in his division, he announced his retirement. He took over immediately as stable master of Sadogatake stable, as the previous head, former "yokozuna" Kotozakura, had reached the mandatory retirement age of 65. Kotonowaka had been in line to inherit the stable ever since he had married Kotozakura's daughter in March 1996, and changed his legal name from Mitsuya Konno to Mitsuya Kamatani.