He fought his first bout in March 2002 under his real name. He rose quickly through the divisions, entering the second-highest
jūryō division in May 2004, aged 17 years and 9 months, the second youngest ever
jūryō wrestler after
Takanohana, whom Hagiwara had idolised when he was a boy. Three tournaments later, in November 2004, he entered the top
makuuchi division, again the second youngest (18 years and 3 months) after Takanohana. To mark his entry into the top division his stablemaster gave him the
shikona or ring surname of Kisenosato. Early in his top division career, Kisenosato was involved in some controversial bouts with
yokozuna Asashōryū. He defeated him for the first time in September 2006 and was awarded the Outstanding Performance Prize. Shaken by this, Asashōryū responded in the next tournament by leaping to the side at the
tachi-ai and employing a highly unusual leg-kicking
technique called
ketaguri. Afterwards, Asashōryū was criticised by the
Yokozuna Deliberation Committee for using this rare move. In March 2007 Kisenosato slapped Asashōryū around the face during their match. Asashōryū was so riled by this that he gave Kisenosato a small kick in the back after the bout was over, which prompted much criticism from the Japanese media. (The others were
Gōeidō,
Kotoshōgiku,
Hōmashō,
Toyohibiki,
Toyonoshima and
Tochiōzan). Returning to
komusubi in the March 2008 tournament, Kisenosato lost to Asashōryū on opening day but defeated three out of four
ōzeki and held his rank with an 8–7 score. In May 2008 he scored another win over Asashōryū on opening day, finishing with a strong 10–5 record and a share of the Fighting Spirit prize. Despite this he was not promoted to
sekiwake, only the third time since 15-day tournaments were introduced in 1949 that a
komusubi with ten wins has not moved up the rankings. Kisenosato spent nine tournaments at
komusubi without making
sekiwake, which had only happened to three previous wrestlers,
Dewanishiki,
Fujinishiki and
Takamiyama. Back in the
maegashira ranks for the September 2008 tournament, he was the only man to defeat tournament winner
Hakuhō, earning him his second
kinboshi, but he fell short with six wins against nine losses. In November 2008 Kisenosato scored 11–4, sending him to
komusubi for the fifth time in the January 2009 tournament. He scored eight wins there, and
Aminishiki's losing record meant Kisenosato finally made his long-awaited
sekiwake debut in March 2009, in his tenth tournament at a ''
san'yaku rank. He produced a somewhat disappointing 5–10 record and was demoted to maegashira
4 in May. However, he proved this rank was too low for him by producing a 13–2 record, his best-ever top division score, and winning his third Fighting Spirit prize. This performance returned him immediately to sekiwake
for the July 2009 tournament. He came through with a good 9–6 score there, defeating Asashōryū (for the fourth time) and three ōzeki
. In September he failed on the final day to get kachi-koshi but remained in the san'yaku
ranks at komusubi
for the November 2009 tournament. However, a 6–9 in Kyushu saw him drop back to the maegashira
ranks. He was rewarded with the Outstanding Performance prize and promotion back to sekiwake
. He defeated Hakuhō once again in the following tournament, scoring 10–5 and winning another Outstanding Performance award, his fourth. Japan Sumo Association official Takanohana said after the tournament that Kisenosato would be considered for promotion to ōzeki
if he won at least 13 bouts in the March 2011 honbasho, which would give him 33 wins over three tournaments (the usual minimum requirement for ōzeki''). However, that tournament never took place due to a
match-fixing scandal and in the subsequent 'technical examination' tournament in May, he secured a majority of wins only on the final day.
Promotion to ōzeki After a solid 10–5 score in July, in the September 2011 tournament Kisenosato raced to an 8–0 start, before losing three in a row. However, he then rebounded by beating Hakuhō for the third time in their last five meetings on Day 12. He finished runner-up alongside
Kotoshōgiku on 12–3, his first-ever runner-up performance, and also shared the Outstanding Performance prize. With 22 wins in the last two tournaments, he was once again a candidate for promotion to
ōzeki in November. However, with a record of 10–4 going into his match on the final day, he lost to Kotoshōgiku. This gave him a record of "only" 32 wins in three tournaments, below the Association's loosely defined
ōzeki promotion standard of 33, but the Sumo Association had already indicated before the match took place that he had done enough to earn promotion. He had long been regarded as one of the most promising Japanese sumo wrestlers, but before reaching
ōzeki there had been concern expressed about his seeming inability to hold down a ''san'yaku'' position and a possible lack of fighting spirit. His stablemaster had also criticized him in 2010 for his attitude in training. Kisenosato's promotion was made official on 30 November, following a unanimous vote by the Sumo Association's executive board. Chairman
Hanaregoma commented, "He has been solid through the last several tournaments. I want him to start putting himself in title contention." In the next five tournaments, he produced five double-figure scores, but only just, as they were all 10–5. However, in the May 2013 tournament, he won his first thirteen matches, making a strong case for a possible start at a run for
yokozuna promotion, but he was defeated by Hakuhō on Day 14, and he also lost his final day bout to Kotoshōgiku to finish two wins behind Hakuhō on 13–2. After the November 2013 tournament, in which he was runner-up for the fourth time in a row, Kisenosato was told by the Sumo Association that he would be promoted if he won the championship with at least 13 wins, but he collapsed in the following January
basho and won only seven bouts. He pulled out on the final day, missing the first bout of his career. He maintained his
ōzeki status with a 9–6 result in March 2014 and was never in danger of demotion again. He finished runner-up in May 2014, January 2015, and May 2015. In the second half of 2015, Kisenosato maintained his consistent form: he went 10–5 in July (including a win over
Kakuryū), 11–4 in September, and 10–5 in November (beating
Harumafuji on the final day). After a moderate 9–6 in January 2016, he was back to his best in March, recording 13 wins and finishing runner-up to Hakuhō. He was runner-up for the tenth time in his career in the May 2016 tournament, finishing 13–2 and having been at 12–0 before losing to Hakuhō and Kakuryū on consecutive days. Kisenosato went into the July 2016 tournament with the possibility of being promoted to
yokozuna if he could win the tournament, however, he was unable to clinch a victory and was runner-up for the eleventh time, and the third time in a row. He was criticized by Hideshige Moriya, chair of the
Yokozuna Deliberation Council, for the manner of his defeat to the eventual winner Harumafuji on Day 13, which saw him fall to 10–3: "The way he lost to Harumafuji made him unworthy of recommendation [for promotion]." He finished this tournament with a 12–3 record. His fourth bid for
yokozuna promotion in September failed in two losses in the first three days, to
Okinoumi on the opening day and
Tochinoshin on Day 3, and a final score of 10–5. In the November 2016 tournament, Kisenosato was runner-up for the twelfth time in his career finishing with a 12–3 record including victories over all three
yokozuna (dealing
yokozuna Kakuryū, the victor of the tournament, his only loss). He also won against
ōzeki Gōeidō and
ōzeki Terunofuji. His three losses were against
Endō,
Shōdai, and Tochinoshin. Kisenosato finished out 2016 with the most victories in a calendar year getting 69 wins. Harumafuji had 67 wins, and Hakuhō (who sat out one tournament) had 62 wins. He is the first wrestler in the modern era of sumo to do this without winning a tournament. In 2016 Kisenosato was runner-up four times, and under
yokozuna promotion consideration twice. His first championship came in his 31st tournament as an
ōzeki, longer than any other
ōzeki since the
Shōwa era began in 1926. He defeated
yokozuna Hakuhō on Day 15 to conclude the tournament with a 14–1 record.
Promotion to yokozuna in Tokyo (27 January 2017) Having won his first tournament in January 2017, combined with his overall 2016 record (including four runner-up finishes), Kisenosato was considered for promotion to the
yokozuna rank. The Japan Sumo Association's Yokozuna Deliberation Council met on January 23, 2017, and determined that Kisenosato was a suitable candidate. The Board of Directors accepted the council's recommendation two days later. He was the first wrestler of Japanese descent to be promoted to
yokozuna since
Wakanohana in 1998. As is the tradition for a new
yokozuna, he performed his first
yokozuna dohyō-iri, or ring-entering ceremony, on January 27 at
Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. He chose to use the Unryū style of ring entrance ceremony after studying footage of previous
yokozuna and practicing until late the previous night to master the technique. His stablemate
Takayasu acted as
sword carrier while
Shōhōzan took the role of
dew sweeper. '' (handprint and signature)
Yokozuna career Kisenosato was listed on the west side of the new
banzuke released on February 27, 2017, the first Japanese born wrestler to appear as a
yokozuna on the ranking sheets since
Takanohana retired in January 2003. He told a press conference, "My mission is to always be involved in the championship title race. That is an absolute must." Despite leaving the arena with his arm in a sling, his stablemaster said Kisenosato was not immediately withdrawing from the tournament and would fight on Day 14. However he lost easily to Kakuryū. On the final day of the tournament, Kisenosato defeated
Terunofuji to tie him with a record of 13–2 and force a playoff. In spite of his injured shoulder, Kisenosato won the playoff match beating Terunofuji again to win the tournament, his second in a row. This victory made him the first newly promoted
yokozuna in 22 years to have won his debut tournament. His medical certificate was published by the Japan Sumo Association after the tournament, indicating injuries to his left chest muscle and left upper arm, with a month-long recovery period. He skipped the regional tour in April to allow his injuries to heal. during
setsubun, 2017 He was ranked as the top East Yokozuna on the May 2017
banzuke, the first time a Japanese wrestler held the highest position since Takanohana in July 2001. He withdrew from the tournament on Day 11 having lost four matches, due to his failure to recover from his upper body injuries and inability to use his left arm properly.
Nishiiwa Oyakata, a coach at Tagonoura stable, said that Kisenosato had suffered from a lack of preparation time. "He only had about a week to practice against wrestlers before the meet. You would usually train for about a month after healing from injury, so I wish he had more time. I hope he will be able to live up to fans' expectations at the
Nagoya basho." His stablemaster said, "The pain in his left arm seems to be gone but he hasn't been able to put on good sumo." On September 7 Kisenosato's stablemaster confirmed that he would sit out the tournament, saying "it takes courage to rest, and I hope this break will turn things in the right direction." He returned for the November 2017 tournament in
Kyushu but pulled out on Day 10, having already given away five
kinboshi to
maegashira ranked wrestlers, tying the record for the most conceded in one tournament since 15 day
honbasho were established in 1949. Kisenosato's stablemaster said he was suffering from a contusion in his lower back and a left leg ligament injury. Having received criticism for repeatedly returning to action without healing properly, Kisenosato said that the outcome of the next tournament in which he competes will determine whether or not he continues his career. and his decision not to participate in May meant a failure to complete seven straight tournaments, equalling the longest absence for a
yokozuna since the six tournaments a year system began in 1958. On July 2 Kisenosato faced Hakuhō in a training session held at
Kokonoe stable, the first time the two
yokozuna had met in the practice ring in over a year, but he ultimately decided not to enter the July
basho. Missing his eighth straight tournament, Kisenosato said, "Although I have been trying desperately to be in shape, I decided to withdraw since I haven't made enough progress. I will put everything into competing at the next meet." Kisenosato fully participated in the
Yokozuna Deliberation Council's
sōken or training session shortly before the September 2018 tournament. He said, "I'm fully prepared. I did everything there is to be done," and his stablemaster said Kisenosato was in the best condition since his injury. He finished the tournament with a 10–5 record, the first time he has completed a tournament since March 2017. He met Hakuhō on the 13th day for the 60th time, but the first time as a
yokozuna. Hakuhō defeated Kisenosato but said after the tournament, "I think he did a fine job. He is someone who will propel the sport to greater prosperity." He was the sole
yokozuna to enter the November 2018 tournament, but lost his opening three bouts, and seemed to observers to be still suffering from a lack of power in his left upper body. He became the first
yokozuna to lose his first three matches since
Asahifuji in January 1992. On Day 4 he was defeated by
Tochiōzan, the first
yokozuna since
Miyagiyama in 1931 to lose his first four bouts. He withdrew from the tournament the following day, citing an injury to his right knee suffered on the opening day (unrelated to his previous injury problems). After the tournament he received an "encouragement" from the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, which indicates that his performance is considered to be below that of
yokozuna standard. The council had not previously issued any sort of resolution on the previous occasions in which Kisenosato had withdrawn or abstained from participating in a tournament. Kisenosato pulled out of the winter regional tour, but on December 25 he told reporters he intended to compete in the January 2019 tournament.
Retirement Kisenosato was listed as the top
yokozuna on the January 2019
banzuke, despite not winning a match in November, because the other two
yokozuna had sat out completely. He lost his opening three bouts of the tournament, giving him a sequence of eight straight losses from the last day of the September 2018 tournament (not counting defaults), the worst by a
yokozuna since 15-day tournaments were established in 1949. On the morning of the fourth day of the tournament, stablemaster
Tagonoura announced that Kisenosato had decided to retire from the sport. In a press conference on January 16, 2019, Kisenosato said "I'm retiring as a wrestler in the ongoing tournament and assuming the name of Araiso as a sumo elder." He further went on to say, "Even though it's very regrettable that I wasn't able to live up to everyone's expectations as a yokozuna, I don't regret one bit of my career on the dohyo." When mentioning the injury he suffered in March 2017, he said, "Since the injury, I was confident that I was doing the best I could. I wrestled with everything I had in the world, but I felt for the first time that I was unable to go on." His stablemaster Tagonoura said of the retirement, "I was delighted when he became
yokozuna but when you see him closely, you can tell that he was struggling a lot. These two years went like a flash." Hakuhō on learning of Kisenosato's retirement said, "It's lonely now. I've run out of words to express my appreciation for his efforts." Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yoshihide Suga said during his daily briefing that, "I would like to give honor to what he has achieved and to send hearty cheers to Kisenosato." ==After retirement==