Kotonowaka is a graduate of Saitama Sakae Junior and Senior High School. In his third year of high school, he served as the captain of the sumo club and won the national high school team championship.
The spring tournament will open on the 10th of next month at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. Kotonowka will compete in his first tournament as the new Ozeki on March 10th, 2014. He will be competing in his second tournament as an ozeki, which will be held on March 14th, 2015.