Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

Born in Arikawa, Minamimatsuura District, he made his professional debut in January 1956, and reached sekitori status four years later upon promotion to the jūryō division in March 1960.

[1] Sadanoyama announced his retirement suddenly in March 1968, despite having won the previous two tournaments, two days after a surprise loss to a new maegashira, the Hawaiian born Takamiyama.

As head coach of one of the most powerful heya in sumo, he helped produce a string of top division wrestlers, including yokozuna Mienoumi, sekiwake Dewanohana Yoshitaka and Washūyama, komusubi Ōnishiki, Ryōgoku, Oginishiki and fan's favorite Mainoumi.

[1] As chairman of the association he introduced a certain number of reforms such as the restrictions on foreign wrestlers (in 1992), limited at the time to 40 actives rikishi in total, up to 2 people per heya.

The same year he tried to pass a new reform allowing the association to be the sole administrator of kabu to face the rising speculation around the possession of titles.

[7] Sadanoyama declined his right of doing a Kanreki dohyō-iri after receiving his red tsuna, in the form of taking responsibility for the turmoil during his time as a chairman.

[8] He stood down as an elder in 2003 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty five[7] and gave the kabu of Sakaigawa to his former trainee Ryōgoku.

Sadanoyama's handprint on a Ryōgoku monument