After a year or so of being stuck at the "sekiwake" rank, Kiyokuni was finally promoted to "ōzeki" in May 1969 after his second runner-up performance. Although he had scored only 31 wins in the three tournaments prior to his promotion, below the usual threshold of 33, he immediately dispelled any doubts over his worthiness by taking what was to be his only tournament championship or "yūshō" in his "ōzeki" debut. He defeated Taihō for only the third time in 25 meetings on the final day and then beat "maegashira" Fujinokawa in a playoff after both had finished on 12–3. This was to be the last "yūshō" by a member of the Tatsunami-Isegahama "ichimon" or group of stables until "ōzeki" Asahifuji won his first championship in January 1988.