Takanohana III Koji (貴乃花 光司 Takanohana Kōji, born August 12, 1972 as Koji Hanada (花田 光司 Hanada Kōji)) is the younger son of the late Takanohana Kenshi (formerly Ozeki Takanohana II, whose name after retirement was Futagoyama oyakata). August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Takanohana Kenshi 貴ノ花健士 (or Takanohana II, born Hanada Mitsuru; February 19, 1950–May 30, 2005) was a Japanese sumo wrestler. ... Futagoyama is a Sumo champion in Japan, one of the most famous of the Showa Era. ...

He entered sumo in March 1988, at the same time as his elder brother Wakanohana Masaru, and also Akebono Taro. Wakanohana III Masaru (若乃花 勝) (born January 20, 1971 as Hanada Masaru (花田 勝)) is the elder son of Futagoyama oyakata, formerly Ozeki Takanohana II. He is also the nephew of Wakanohana I Kanji, who was a famous Yokozuna of the 1950s. ... Akebono Taro (曙太郎, born May 8, 1969 as Chad Haaheo Rowan) is a former Sumo wrestler. ...

Takanohana had a rapid rise through the ranks, in which he set numerous age related records, including the youngest ever promotion to Juryo, youngest ever promotion to Makuuchi, and becoming the youngest ever to win the top division championship. Although he was also the youngest ever promotion to Ozeki in January 1993, his lack of consistency delayed his promotion to Yokozuna, the highest rank in Sumo, until November 1994. Juryo (十両) is the second highest division in professional sumo wrestling in Japan. ... The Makuuchi, or Makunouchi, is the top division in professional Sumo wrestling in Japan. ... Yokozuna Asashoryu (center) performing the ring-entering ceremony while flanked by a sword bearer on the left and dew sweeper on the right. ... Sumo (相撲 Sumō), or sumo wrestling, is today a competition contact sport wherein two wrestlers or rikishi face off in a circular area. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

He held the Yokozuna rank for about eight years and won a total of 22 championships before his retirement in 2003. After his retirement he became an elder (or member) of the Japan Sumo Association as Takanohana oyakata and took over the operation of his father's Sumo training stable. 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Japan Sumo Association (日本相撲協会 or Nihon Sumo Kyokai) is the body who operate and control professional sumo wrestling in Japan. ...

In the early part of his career, he wrestled under the name Takahanada, being given his father's fighting name on his promotion to Ozeki.