SUMO-USA-JPN

Grand champion, or yokozuna, Asashoryu of Mongolia tosses salt into the air as he enters the ring for the final of the Mayor's Cup against fellow yokozuna Hakuho, also of Mongolia, on the first day of the Grand Sumo Tournament in Hawaii 2007, at the Neil Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii, 09 June 2007. From ancient times, salt has been believed to possess purifying power, with both wrestlers tossing salt into the air as they prepare for their bout, purifying the ring as a sacred place. Asashoryu and Hakuho, who was promoted to the top rank only last week after winning the recent tournament in Tokyo, are two of the many wrestlers visiting Hawaii for a special two-day earthshaking competion - the first time in the US state since 1993 - in a rare opportunity to see the sport outside Japan. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP PHOTO / Gabriel BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)