Last October, one Japanese graced the covers of several local newspapers in Huelva, Spain. Taira Nono made headlines in his debut fight by kneeling on the ground and confronting the bull. It was a breathless moment for 2,000 spectators. The newspapers praised the Asian bullfighter's bravado and discussed his odds for success.
That kneeling performance, known as porta gallora, doesn't require sophisticated skill -- only guts and perhaps temporary insanity. One false move when dodging the bull or changing the cape-grabbing position can be fatal. Often displayed by beginner bullfighters, the act is, as Nono himself puts it, "nothing more than desperate self-advertisement."
Porta gallora could easily symbolize the risk-taking lifestyle of the 31-year-old Tokyo native. He is the third Japanese to pursue the dream of becoming a bullfighter. It started after he happened to see a TV documentary about bullfighting when he was 20. He had given up his ballet career due to a back injury. The sport's ballet-like movements, coupled with a dangerous tension, spoke to him. The impulse never faded and finally drove him to Spain eight years later.