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.