
A heavyweight challenge: US Navy personnel take on sumo wrestlers on trip to Tokyo

US naval personnel have been trying their hand at sumo wrestling in Toyko as part of a campaign to boost their wellbeing while they are stationed in Japan.
Members of the service were filmed stepping into the ring to try Japan's national sport during their visit to a restaurant in the Ryogoku district of the city.
In footage released by the Department of Defense, a member of the service can be seen attempting to wrestle their much larger opponents, however they found the task a little difficult.
Described as a "once in a lifetime experience", personnel and their families were invited to watch and dine with the sumo wrestlers.
Donning their sumo suit, a member of the crew can be seen trying - but also failing - to defeat the much larger wrestler.
The experience also provided them with the opportunity to learn more about the tradition of the sport, that dates back thousands of years.

The sumo evening was offered by an organisation called Morale Welfare and Recreation Yokosuka.
The MWR is a network of support and leisure programmes which aims to improve the quality of life of service members and their families.
The event was supported by US Fleet Activities Yokosuka, a naval base that hosts both logistical and recreational services for the US Navy in the country.






