Japan's women wrestlers fight to win
Forget cherry blossoms and delicate slices of raw fish. The Japan on which Kris Hernandez has pinned her dreams is the thud of body slams, sweat, and garish costumes - the world of professional women's wrestling.
Story
So Hernandez, who lived in San Francisco before coming to Japan, became the first foreigner to train from scratch and work her way up into Japanese women's pro wrestling.
She quit her teaching job and shared a house with women wrestlers, living off savings as she began a tough daily training regime including gymnastic moves.
"I was pretty poor then, but I wanted to become a wrestler so badly."
"I would walk four hours across Tokyo to get to practice, do three-hour training and then get the train back," she said.
"If I saved the train fare one way, it would be all right."
A wrestler holds on to the rope.
Wrestler Kairi Hojo jumps at her opponent Mieko Satomura.
Wrestler Jungle Kyouna is pictured getting choked.
Io Shirai (top) performs a moonsault onto Mayu Iwatani.
People watch women fight.
Wrestlers fight.
Members of the audience watch female wrestlers fight outside of the ring.
Wrestler Io Shirai carries a metal beam that supports the ring after the Stardom female professional wrestling show.
Dancers leave the backstage area before a wrestling show.
The President of the Stardom female professional wrestling promotion Hiroshi "Rossy" Ogawa sells brochures before the start of a wrestling show.
Merchandise material is on display outside a Stardom female professional wrestling show.
A man poses for a picture as he sells high-protein foods outside a Stardom female professional wrestling show.
Kris Wolf meets fans Eiichi Nakazato (right) and Eishi Matsumoto in a restaurant.
Wolf and co-guest Thomas Belfer talk about life in Japan as they record a video for the Huffington Post at its office.
Stardom female professional wrestling guest fighter Chelsea (bottom) trains with a fellow wrestler at a boxing gym.
Wolf greets fans as she enters the arena.
Members of the audience watch female wrestlers fight outside of the ring.
Wrestler Act Yasukawa (right), jumps at Kairi Hojo.
Wrestler Mieko Satomura carries her opponent Kairi Hojo through the audience.
Members of the media take pictures and footage of Holidead.
