and ended in Shiranui’s loss.  Jinmaku was said to get especially motivated to face Shiranui as he felt Shiranui put him down when they met while walking on a street.  He sincerely greeted Shiranui but Shiranui laughed at him and ignored him.  In his career, Shiranui was never able to win a bout against Jinmaku; he faced him 15 times and lost 13 with 2 draws.  

In his days Shiranui faced the formidable four rikishi known as the “Awa Four Kings” – Jinmaku, Kimenzan Tanigoro (later yokozuna), Nijigatake Somaemon (later ozeki) and Onaruto Uraemon (later Maegashira 2).  They were all known as “Awa” as they were employed by the lord of Tokushima area (also known as Awa). After long years of struggle and perseverance, in the 1862 March basho Shiranui was finally promoted to ozeki. He was 37 years old and a dozen years had passed since he first arrived in Tokyo. 

During his ozeki debut basho there was a tragic incident at his heya that forced him to withdraw voluntarily from the last four days.  Makuuchi rikishi Koyanagi Heisuki of his heya was disliked vehemently by the heya’s lower ranked rikishi due to his constant rough treatment of them.  One day Shiranui’s two tsukebito had enough of Koyanagi and stabbed him to death.  Shiranui heard of the commotion and grabbed a sword and chased after them.  One of them later reported to the