Former komusubi Fujinishiki, also known as sumo elder Takasago, died of kidney failure Wednesday evening, his family said Thursday. He was 66.
Fujinishiki, whose real name was Akira Ichimiya, won the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament as a rank-and-file maegashira wrestler in 1964 before ending his career in 1968.
He became the Takasago stablemaster in 1988 and also served as a member of the Japan Sumo Association executive board.