Kaidō Yasuhiro
Career. As a child he played baseball. Kaidō went to Meiji Nakano High School where he was a year senior of Tochiazuma, and he was named the High School Yokozuna in 1990. He was an amateur sumo champion at Chuo University before making his professional debut in March 1998, at the bottom of the third highest "makushita" division as a "makushita tsukedashi" entrant. He initially fought under the "shikona" of Tanaka, before changing to Kaito and then Kaidō (the character "Kai" being a common one in his stable or "heya)." He never made the top "makuuchi" division, but  he spent 11 tournaments in the second highest "jūryō" division, which he first reached in 2003, reaching a high of "jūryō" 4. He was demoted to "makushita" in May 2005 and never made his way back. For many years he was a training partner to Sentoryū, as the two were the second and third most senior members of Tomozuna stable behind longtime "ōzeki" Kaiō. Kaidō served as Kaiō's "tsukebito" or personal assistant when he was in the lower ranks and credited his senior stablemate for encouraging him when he was struggling with injuries. Retirement from sumo. He announced his  retirement on August 18, 2006. He had been injury-prone throughout his career, suffering a number of knee injuries, although diabetes was the major factor in his decision. His "danpatsu-shiki" or official retirement ceremony was held in the Shinagawa Prince hotel in Takanawa, Tokyo on October 15, 2006. In 2007 he began running a "yakiniku" restaurant called "Sakigo" in Ogawamachi, Tokyo. Fighting style. Kaidō's favourite techniques were "hidari-yotsu", a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on the opponent's "mawashi," and "yori-kiri" (force out). He also regularly used "uwate-nage", or overarm throw, and like  Kaiō was keen on arm grabs such as "tottari" and "kote-nage." Career record.