Kotozakura is a current ozeki in Japanese sumo, fighting out of the Sadogatake stable, and is best known as the grandson of the former yokozuna Kotozakura, whose ring name he now carries. He won his first top-division championship at the 2024 Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka with a 14-1 record. He holds West ozeki on the Nagoya 2026 banzuke, announced June 29. This guide explains his lineage, his rise to ozeki, his style, and where he stands today.
Key takeaways
- Kotozakura is a current ozeki, the second-highest rank in sumo, and belongs to the Sadogatake stable.
- He is the grandson of the former yokozuna Kotozakura and fights under the same ring name.
- His father, the former sekiwake Kotonowaka, now heads Sadogatake stable, so the wrestler’s own father is his master.
- He won his first top-division title at the 2024 November (Kyushu) tournament in Fukuoka, finishing 14-1.
- The title was sealed on the final day against fellow ozeki Hoshoryu by hatakikomi, a slap-down.
Lineage and the Koto- name
Kotozakura carries one of the most storied names in modern sumo. His grandfather was the former yokozuna Kotozakura, who held the same ring name, or shikona. The elder Kotozakura began the Sadogatake tradition of giving every wrestler in the stable a ring name that starts with the character “Koto,” and that custom still shapes the stable today.
The family line runs straight through the stable itself. His father is the former sekiwake Kotonowaka, who now serves as the Sadogatake stablemaster. That makes the wrestler’s own father his master in the training hall, a rare arrangement even in a sport built on family ties.
Career and rise
He attended Saitama Sakae, a school known for its sumo program, entering from junior high school and continuing into high school there. He then joined Sadogatake stable and made his ring debut under the shikona Kotokamatani. Early in his career he won the jonokuchi-division championship, the first rung of the long climb through the ranks.
On reaching the juryo division he took the ring name Kotonowaka, the same name his father had carried. He was promoted to ozeki at age 26, the same age at which his grandfather Kotozakura had reached the rank. In his first tournament as a new ozeki he finished 8-7. He competed for one tournament as an ozeki named Kotonowaka, then adopted the Kotozakura name, completing the link back to his grandfather.
First top-division title
Kotozakura won his first top-division championship at the 2024 November (Kyushu) Grand Sumo Tournament, held in Fukuoka, with a record of 14-1. The race came down to the final day, where the two co-leading ozeki, Kotozakura and Hoshoryu, met head-to-head with a single loss each. The winner would take the tournament.
In the deciding bout Hoshoryu charged hard, but suddenly fell when his overarm grip slipped. The winning technique was recorded as hatakikomi, a slap-down. A fuller account of that day, with ringside photography, sits in our report on Kotozakura’s first title.
Current status
Kotozakura competes as an ozeki, the rank just below yokozuna. A championship is the kind of result that opens the conversation about a yokozuna promotion, the summit his grandfather once reached. Readers new to following the sport can start with our guide to how to watch sumo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kotozakura?
Kotozakura is a current ozeki sumo wrestler in the Sadogatake stable. He is the grandson of the former yokozuna Kotozakura and fights under the same ring name.
What rank is Kotozakura?
He is an ozeki, the second-highest rank in sumo, sitting just below yokozuna, the sport’s highest rank.
Is Kotozakura related to a yokozuna?
Yes. His grandfather was the former yokozuna Kotozakura, who carried the same ring name. The elder Kotozakura started the Sadogatake tradition of “Koto-” ring names.
Why did he change his name from Kotonowaka to Kotozakura?
He first fought as Kotonowaka, the name his father had used, and spent one tournament as an ozeki under it. He then took the Kotozakura name, the shikona of his grandfather.
When did Kotozakura win his first championship?
He won his first top-division title at the 2024 November (Kyushu) Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, finishing 14-1. He sealed it on the final day against Hoshoryu by hatakikomi, a slap-down.
What stable does Kotozakura belong to?
He belongs to the Sadogatake stable, which is run by his father, the former sekiwake Kotonowaka, as stablemaster.
