While wandering around Niigata Prefecture and serving apprenticeships in sake brewers, he showed his great performance in amateur sumo, in 1877, his skill caught the attention of Uragoro TAKASAGO (the first) who were on regional tours (jyungyo) leading "Takasago kaiseigumi", and ODATE joined the stable.
新潟県を放浪、造り酒屋などで奉公しながら、素人相撲で活躍していたが、明治10年（1877年）高砂浦五郎_(初代)「高砂改正組」事件を率いて巡業に来ていた高砂浦五郎(初代)に見出され、再入門する。