Japan's women wrestlers fight to win

Japan's women wrestlers fight to win

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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.

. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

"I fell in love with it - the drama, the excitement," the 31-year-old from the United States said of her first encounter with this unusual side of Japan.

"I was on the edge of my seat with every move, thinking 'Oh my God, how come they are not dead? Can I make a living doing this? Let me try'."

. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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."

. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter
Wolf and Kimura Kyoko carry their fellow fighter Act Yasukawa after her last match before retirement.

She made her debut in August 2014 under the name Kris Wolf, wearing a costume with a wolf's head and tail.

Even in this world, which Hernandez says is harder-hitting than its U.S. counterpart, Japanese rules on hierarchy come into play.

. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

"It's kind of militant - don't talk to the senior unless you are spoken to, clean, stay after until all the seniors leave, then you can leave. Arrive 30 minutes before the seniors," she said.

The money is not huge - she earns $250 for a weekly show - but that's not the point.

"I was doing it because it was cool," said Hernandez, who is now on a break after suffering a concussion.

. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

The brutal reality of the ring is masked by a strong fantasy element that feeds its popularity with fans, most of them men.

But the rough and tumble may also be an outlet for many of the wrestlers in a country where women are usually expected to be demure and cute, Hernandez said.

. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter
Ticker tape confetti rains on wrestler Yasukawa after her last match before retirement.

"Sometimes it's a part of themselves that they cannot normally express," she said.

"I have met so many that are so sweet and shy outside the ring, and then you get into the ring and they explode."

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Slideshow

A wrestler holds on to the rope.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

A wrestler holds on to the rope.

Wrestler Kairi Hojo jumps at her opponent Mieko Satomura.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Wrestler Kairi Hojo jumps at her opponent Mieko Satomura.

Wrestler Jungle Kyouna is pictured getting choked.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Wrestler Jungle Kyouna is pictured getting choked.

Io Shirai (top) performs a moonsault onto Mayu Iwatani.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Io Shirai (top) performs a moonsault onto Mayu Iwatani.

People watch women fight.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

People watch women fight.

Wrestlers fight.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Wrestlers fight.

Members of the audience watch female wrestlers fight outside of the ring.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

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.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Wolf greets fans as she enters the arena.

Members of the audience watch female wrestlers fight outside of the ring.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Members of the audience watch female wrestlers fight outside of the ring.

Wrestler Act Yasukawa (right), jumps at Kairi Hojo.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Wrestler Act Yasukawa (right), jumps at Kairi Hojo.

Wrestler Mieko Satomura carries her opponent Kairi Hojo through the audience.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Wrestler Mieko Satomura carries her opponent Kairi Hojo through the audience.

Members of the media take pictures and footage of Holidead.
. Tokyo, JAPAN. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Members of the media take pictures and footage of Holidead.