In 1934, with the help of
Tamanishiki who had come as part of a regional sumo exhibition, the future Saganohana joined the now defunct Kumegawa stable and first entered the ring in May of that same year. He would later join Tamanishiki's Nishonoseki stable. He first made it to the top division
makuuchi in the Summer 1939 tournament, and continued to find success. He would defeat then
yokozuna Minanogawa twice for two gold stars or
kinboshi. In the Spring 1941 tournament, he received an 8–7 record at
maegashira 1 and it was expected he would be promoted to the titled ranks, called ''
san'yaku. He was however, left at the same rank for the following tournament, but this allowed him another chance to distinguish himself, as he managed an improved 9–6 record and also had his second kinboshi
victory against yokozuna
Minanogawa. This convincing record finally accorded him promotion to the lowest san'yaku
rank of komusubi for the Summer 1942 tournament. An impressive 11–4 record at this rank allowed his immediate promotion to sekiwake for the next tournament. He would post two more winning record tournaments at sekiwake
, though he would miss his last two bouts of the Summer 1943 tournament due to injury. Though he was demoted to komusubi
for the following Spring 1944 tournament, he excelled, posting a 13–2 record and taking his one and only makuuchi'' championship. He was promoted to
ōzeki due to his performance, but he had already left for a regional exhibition and was informed of his promotion while attending a memorial service for former
yokozuna Tamanishiki, who died of appendicitis while an active wrestler. Before the spirit of the departed, through tears, he announced his promotion to
ōzeki. Through the end of World War II and the aftermath, Saganohana was one of the mainstays of sumo. Unusually, in the Autumn 1948 tournament, after the necessary playoff to determine the top division championship between
ōzeki Azumafuji and
sekiwake Masuiyama, a second playoff to decide the 3rd place was allowed between Saganohana and
maegashira Kōzuzan, which Saganohana won. This was the only time before or since that such a playoff was allowed in sumo history. In the Summer 1949 tournament, even though he only had a 7–8 record, he defeated all four
yokozuna, the first achievement of its like in history. In the Summer 1951 tournament, after seven years as an
ōzeki he was finally demoted. He struggled on for two more tournaments, but upon inheriting Tamanishiki's elder name, he retired before the Spring 1952 tournament to take over management of
Nishonoseki stable. ==Coaching career==