is a retired Japanese freestyle wrestler. In 1962, he debuted internationally and retired shortly after the 1964 Olympics. During his brief career Watanabe won all his few hundred bouts. He is considered one of the best wrestlers in Olympic history. In the early 2000s Watanabe resumed competing internationally in the masters category.

References

Japanese male sport wrestlers 1940 births Living people Olympic gold medalists for Japan Olympic wrestlers of Japan Sportspeople from Hokkaido Olympic medalists in wrestling Asian Games medalists in wrestling Wrestlers at the 1962 Asian Games Wrestlers at the 1964 Summer Olympics World Wrestling Champions Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics Asian Games gold medalists for Japan Medalists at the 1962 Asian Games 20th-century Japanese people 21st-century Japanese people {{japan-wrestling-bio-stub