In 1999 he won the yūshō or tournament championship and earned promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki, but he lost the rank in 2001 and, for the most part, remained a maegashira until his retirement in 2009.
Another year in jūryō, ending with his first career yūshō or division championship after a three-way playoff with Kōryū and Tokusegawa, put him back in makuuchi for the second time in January 2010.