He fared much better the second time around, with four straight kachi-koshi or winning records seeing him promoted to the top makuuchi division for the March 1996 tournament, exactly ten years after his professional debut.

He did not manage to win a special prize or a gold star, and he never made san'yaku, his top rank being maegashira 1 which he reached in September 1997.

Yamahibiki served as a councilor of the Japan Sumo Association alongside Minatogawa-oyakata and Ōtake-oyakata for two years from 2014.

His most common winning kimarite were yorikiri (force out) and uwatenage (outer arm throw).

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi