In 2004 he joined Michinoku Pro Wrestling, originally as Michinoku Ranger Gold during the "Michinoku Pro Futuritabi Tag Team Tournament 2004", later changing his name and gimmick to Shanao (遮那王), gaining a major success by feuding with Kagetora.
In 2004 he joined Michinoku Pro Wrestling, originally as Michinoku Ranger Gold during the "Michinoku Pro Futuritabi Tag Team Tournament 2004", under a "super sentai" gimmick. Later, Sugi changed his name and gimmick to Shanao (遮那王), a masked Buddhist monk based in the famous samurai Yoshitsune Minamoto, and gained a major success teaming with Kagetora.