Mr . Fuji Harry Fujiwara ( May 4 , 1934 - August 28 , 2016 ) was an American former professional wrestler and manager , best known by his ring name Mr . Fuji . He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers . Although he was billed as Japanese , he is a Japanese - American born in Hawaii . Professional wrestling career . Early career ( 1964 – 1971 ) . Fujiwara made his professional wrestling debut on December 15 , 1965 in his native Hawaii under the ring name Mr . Fujiwara . He won his first championship , the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship , with Curtis Iaukea on January 7 , 1966 . He shortened his ring name to Mr . Fuji and toured many territories , including Don Owen ' s Portland , Oregon based NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling where he won many championships . World Wide Wrestling Federation ( 1972 – 1974 ) . Fuji debuted in Vince McMahon , Sr . ' s World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1972 as a heel . He formed a tag team with Professor Toru Tanaka and the duo were managed by the Grand Wizard . Tanaka provided his physical massive strength and Fuji brought his devious ring psychology to the team , which earned him the nickname " The Devious One " . Fuji used to throw salt in his opponent ' s eyes , which earned him victories . They defeated Sonny King and Chief Jay Strongbow on June 27 , 1972 for their first World Tag Team Championship . They quickly ascended to the main event status , defending the titles against WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino on several occasions , throughout the year . During the feud , Fuji earned a shot at the WWWF title against Morales on August 22 but lost by count - out . They reigned for eleven months , making them the third longest WWWF World Tag Team Champions in history . They would lose the championship to Tony Garea and Haystacks Calhoun on May 30 , 1973 . They continued to feud with Garea and Calhoun for the titles before defeating them on September 11 in a rematch to win their second WWWF World Tag Team Championship . With their title recapture , their feud with Garea and his new partner Dean Ho continued . On November 14 , Fuji and Tanaka lost the titles to Garea and Ho . After failing to recapture the title from Garea and Ho , Fuji and Tanaka left the WWWF in 1974 . Georgia Championship Wrestling ( 1975 ) . Fuji and Tanaka debuted in Georgia Championship Wrestling in August 1975 . On September 19 , 1975 , they participated in a four - team tournament where they defeated former WWWF rivals Tony Garea and Dean Ho in the finals to win the vacant NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship . They would lose the titles to Bob Backlund and Jerry Brisco a month later . Shortly after their title loss , they left GCW and toured other territories and won several titles . Return to the WWWF ( 1977 – 1978 ) . Fuji and Tanaka returned to WWWF in 1977 . They took on Freddie Blassie as their manager . On September 27 , 1977 , they defeated Larry Zbyzsko and longtime rival Tony Garea in the finals of a tag team tournament to win their third WWWF World Tag Team Championship . They wrestled in many six - man and eight - man tag team matches during their third reign . They would eventually lose the titles to Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci on March 14 , 1978 edition of " Championship Wrestling " . Shortly after , they left WWWF again . Touring the territories ( 1979 – 1981 ) . Fuji and Tanaka continued to tour the territories in 1979 where they won titles again . Later that same year , they stopped teaming and began wrestling individually . Fuji had success , winning several singles titles in many promotions including World Wrestling Council , NWA New Zealand and Maple Leaf Wrestling . Return to the WWF ( 1981 – 1996 ) . Teaming with Mr . Saito ( 1981 – 1982 ) . Fuji returned to World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1981 , which had been renamed World Wrestling Federation in March 1979 . He formed a tag team with Mr . Saito , which was managed by Captain Lou Albano . They began a feud with tag champions Tony Garea and Rick Martel , whom they defeated on October 17 , 1981 edition of " Championship Wrestling " to win their first Tag Team Championship , though it was Fuji ' s fourth individual reign . They began feuding with The Strongbows ( Chief Jay and Jules ) in the fall of 1981 . This culminated in a title match on June 28 , 1982 at Madison Square Garden ( MSG ) where the Strongbows won the championship . On July 13 edition of " Championship Wrestling " , they defeated Strongbows in a two out of three falls match for Fuji ' s fifth and Saito ' s second WWF Tag Team Championship . The feud of these two teams ended after Fuji and Saito lost the titles to Strongbows on October 30 edition of " Championship Wrestling " . Fuji teamed briefly with jobber Tiger Chung Lee , but they had little success in the ring . In a brief angle , Fuji turned on Chung Lee and beat him clean in a poorly publicized grudge match . Afterward , Fuji continued to wrestle on his own and Chung Lee remained as a preliminary jobber . Managerial career ( 1985 – 1996 ) . Fuji retired from wrestling in 1985 and became a heel manager . As a manager , Fuji would " blind " his opponents by throwing salt in their eyes . He would carry a little bag of salt in his tights . His first client was George Steele . However , Steele would go on to become a fan favorite and left Fuji . Fuji ' s next client was Don Muraco . They both formed a popular duo and appeared in a video package called " Fuji Vice " , which was a mockery of Miami Vice . Fuji and Muraco then began a feud with Ricky Steamboat , resulting in Steamboat defeating Fuji in several matches during the feud . Fuji briefly managed Jim Neidhart , whose contract he later sold to Jimmy Hart . In 1987 , he bought the contract of Demolition ( Ax and Smash ) from Johnny V . He then managed Demolition to the Tag Team Championship as well as bringing Killer Khan and Sika back to the WWF . At Survivor Series , he turned on Demolition and began managing Demolition ' s rival tag team , the Powers of Pain ( Warlord and Barbarian ) . At WrestleMania V , Fuji teamed with the Powers of Pain in a 3 - on - 2 handicap match against Demolition for their Tag Team Championship . Fuji and Powers were defeated after Ax pinned Fuji . Fuji sold the individual contracts of Powers of Pain to managers Slick and Bobby Heenan and brought The Orient Express ( Pat Tanaka and Akio Sato ) to the WWF . Orient Express got involved in a feud with The Rockers ( Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty ) . Orient Express got involved in Demolition ' s feud with Legion of Doom ( Hawk and Animal ) . Fuji reunited with Demolition ( who by this time had a third member , Crush ) at that point . Demolition was phased out while the Orient Express took on Legion of Doom in matches . Fuji briefly managed The Berzerker from 1991 to 1993 . Fuji ' s greatest success and popularity as a manager came later that same year in November 1992 when he introduced the mammoth Yokozuna to the WWF . Under Fuji ' s tutelage , Yokozuna won the 1993 Royal Rumble match and two WWF World Championships , first from Bret Hart at WrestleMania IX , and again from Hulk Hogan at King of the Ring . Later that year , Fuji was joined by " spokesman " James E . Cornette . In late 1993 , Fuji once again began managing Crush after he turned on Randy Savage . Yokozuna fired Cornette in March 1996 after becoming a fan favorite . Fuji was last seen accompanying Yokozuna as a fan favorite to the ring for a six - man tag team match involving Yokozuna against " Camp Cornette " at WrestleMania 12 . Cornette continued to feud with Yokozuna and his teammates while Fuji left the WWF shortly after . Although Fuji wore a traditional Japanese kimono while managing Yokozuna , he is best known for wearing a tuxedo and bowler hat – akin to the James Bond series character Oddjob – incorporating paint around his eyes during his duration as manager of Demolition . Retirement . After leaving wrestling , Fujiwara retired to the city of Knoxville , Tennessee . In 1997 , he sued the makers of the video game " WCW vs . nWo World Tour " , claiming that the character " Master Fuji " was based on him . Though the base of this character was actually Japanese wrestler " Yoshiaki " Fujiwara , it was actually close enough to Mr . Fuji that the lawsuit was settled in Fujiwara ' s favor . Fujiwara operated a training dojo out of Jefferson City , Tennessee , and Dandridge , Tennessee until 2001 . Mr . Fuji was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31 , 2007 , by his former charge and " Fuji Vice " co - star Don Muraco . Mr . Fuji was in a wheelchair at the time of the induction , due to nine knee operations . Death . Fujiwara died at home in Clarksville , Tennessee , on August 28 , 2016 ; he was 82 years old . No cause of death has been revealed .