He started to feel he was reaching his limit in baseball and in high school because of his size he went back to participating in sumo.

After a fairly successful high school career he chose to continue doing sumo at Tokyo University of Agriculture where he majored in forestry in the Faculty of Regional Environmental Science.

Oyanagi won no major titles in his amateur career,[1] being somewhat prone to lapses in concentration and overconfidence against some of his key rivals.

He won his debut basho with a 7–0 championship, he matched this performance the following tournament to win the makushita division.

He returned to the top division in September 2019 and four straight winning records saw him climb to maegashira 1 for the July 2020 tournament, his highest rank to date.

[5] Yutakayama's danpatsu-shiki (retirement ceremony) was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on 25 June 2023, shortly before his former stablemates at Tokitsukaze stable departed for the sumo tournament in Nagoya.

Inspired by Yuki Kawauchi, he also announced his goal of reaching a weight of 90 kg (200 lb) and competing in the Tokyo Marathon in March 2024.

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