Kotoshogiku announced his engagement to Yumi Ishida. After a poor tournament in November, he was kadoban – in danger of demotion – but came back strong in January. Both he and Goeido preserved their Ozeki ranking for the March tournament.

The romantic rikishi apparently popped the question with the help of an artist friend. He commissioned his friend to draw a kind of comic detailing his life and the last page had a ring and proposal.