He was born Shiozuka Kyūkichi (塩塚 久吉) in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, but would later change his name to Satō Kitarō (佐藤 喜太郎).

[2] In 1841, a group from Edo-sumo, led by Oitekaze (an active ōzeki who was also a stablemaster), made a tour in Kyūshū to distract people after a period of famine.

[2] As a yokozuna he was not known for his performance but rather his generosity, holding exhibition shows in his hometown and donating the proceeds to shrines, including a torii gate and lanterns.

[2] It is said that it was under his mandate that the first three yokozuna in history (Akashi Shiganosuke, Ayagawa Gorōji and Maruyama Gondazaemon) began to be considered as official wrestlers and no longer as myths of which we did not really know if they had existed.

This was due to sumo scholar Kozo Hikoyama, who without researching properly, labelled Tachiyama's style as being that of Shiranui Kōemon, whereas it was in fact created by Unryū.

[2] It has been determined in later years from nishiki-e and photographs, what styles Unryū and Shiranui actually performed with evidence like a nishiki-e of Unryū performing a yokozuna ring-entering with his arms extended just like the Shiranui-style[6] and a photograph of Shiranui posing in the Unryū-style.

[3] Key:   d=Draw(s) (引分);   h=Hold(s) (預り);   nr=no result recorded Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi *Championships for the best record in a tournament were not recognized or awarded before the 1909 summer tournament and the above unofficial championships are historically conferred.