The Kabutoyama stable folded Wednesday with the announcement of the retirement of the stable's three sumo wrestlers and the pending retirement of sumo elder Kabutoyama.
Kabutoyama, whose real name is Tatsumi Yokoyama, will transfer his stock in the Japan Sumo Association to former sekiwake and associate sumo elder Kotonishiki in September, and retire.
The Kabutoyama stable, under the direction of former maegashira Daiyu, became independent of the Michinoku stable in 1989, but in recent years the stable master has been plagued by poor health and has been contemplating retirement.
"I have a number of pleasant memories and I want to thank the three wrestlers who stuck it out with me to the end," the 62-year-old Kabutoyama said.