Harumafuji, the winner of November's Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, opened the first day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament with a textbook victory on Sunday.
The Mongolian, who has been inconsistent since his promotion to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, quickly got one hand on Georgian komusubi Tochinoshin's throat before finishing him with an overarm throw in the day's final bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Yokozuna Hakuho began the pursuit of his 36th career championship by surviving a scare when his right heel crossed over the straw ridge but did not brush the surface as he was in the process of spinning komusubi Ikioi down to the surface. Lacking his typical fluid, powerful movement, Hakuho looked vulnerable but survived.