Kazuo Okamura


George Kazuo Okamura was a Japanese-American professional wrestler. Better known by the ring name The Great Togo, he was one of the first wrestling heels of Japanese descent in America after World War II.

Career

Okamura was born to Japanese parents in United States, though there was the theory that he was actually Korean or Chinese in origin. He studied philosophy at Oregon University before starting his wrestling career.
He debuted in professional wrestling in 1949. Like many other wrestlers of Japanese descent at the time, he adopted a foreign heel gimmick and an oriental-sounding ring name, in this case "The Great Togo." He hailed himself as a martial artist with karate skills, prayed in a small Buddhist altar before his matches, and was assisted by a fellow Japanese valet named Hata who burned incense. He became one of the most hated villains of the ring, as well as one of the most feared wrestlers. Despite his technical skill, his matches often ended in disqualifications in order for his opponents to save face.
During the 1950s, he started a long and heated feud with Argentine Rocca. He later introduced his kayfabe brother Tosh Togo, who became his usual tag team partner. Their team would expand with more Japanese family members, Mas Togo and Ko Endo.
From the 50s to the 60s he played as Rikidozan's manager in the Pacific Coast area.
After his retirement, he moved along with his wife to Los Angeles, where he died in 1973 due to a gastric carcinoma.

Championships and accomplishments