The Nishonoseki stable, to which legendary yokozuna Taiho belonged, will close its doors upon the conclusion of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, a source within the Japan Sumo Association said Wednesday.
The current stablemaster, 64-year-old elder Nishonoseki, fell ill last autumn and has been hospitalized since, making operation of the stable difficult. As no successor has been found to take over the stable, one of the pillars of the sumo world will cease to exist.
In addition to Taiho, who won 32 Emperor's Cups, the stable also raised a young Korean wrestler who went on to become a legend in postwar Japan in professional wrestling, Rikidozan.