# Rare Move! Ozeki Kotozakura holds first external training in a year: "I was surprised myself"; Posts 4-8 record in Sanban-geiko against Yokozuna Onosato at Nishonoseki-beya

Ozeki **Kotozakura** (28, Sadogatake-beya) visited the Nishonoseki stable in Higashiosaka on the 26th for a high-intensity *sanban-geiko* session against Yokozuna **Onosato** (25). Kotozakura finished the session with 4 wins and 8 losses.

While Onosato dominated several bouts with *yorikiri* (force-out), Kotozakura showed flashes of strength, successfully getting his left hand inside for powerful offensive charges. "I was able to stay focused from the very first bout. I wanted to see how well my body is moving," Kotozakura reflected after the session.

### The Motivation
The catalyst for this rare *de-geiko* (external training) was Onosato’s Yokozuna promotion banquet held on the 14th of this month. Kotozakura's master, **Sadogatake-oyakata** (former Sekiwake Kotonowaka), accompanied him to the Nishonoseki stable and explained the move: "They have always come to us in the past. It’s important for us to go to them as well. I wanted him to train with the Yokozuna. During the promotion party, I told the Yokozuna, 'Take care of him for me.'" He added firmly, "There is still one more rank above for him to reach."

### A Year in the Making
Kotozakura’s last external training was exactly one year ago, in February 2024, when he visited Tokitsukaze-beya for two days while preparing for the March tournament as a *kadoban* Ozeki. Regarding the sudden intensity of facing the Yokozuna, Kotozakura admitted, "I was surprised myself."

### Eyeing the March Tournament
In the previous January tournament, Kotozakura started strong with three straight wins but stumbled in the final days, losing to Onosato, Yokozuna Hoshoryu, and Ozeki Aonishiki to finish with a modest 8-7 record for the second consecutive basho. Looking ahead to the March Tournament (*Haru Basho*, starting March 8th at Edion Arena Osaka), he expressed his resolve: "I want to be fastidious about the quality and content of my sumo."

Source: [Sponichi Annex ](https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/24121dac2ed860bc457b3498a25d95c9c8319032/images/000)


Ozeki Kotozakura holds first external training in a year: "I was surprised myself"; Posts 4-8 record in Sanban-geiko against Yokozuna Onosato at Nishonoseki-beya