The Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific is home to one of the more unusual stables in sumo, Japan's traditional national sport.

With no wrestlers, and marked by a large wooden placard reading Asahiyama-beya, the stable is home to Tevita Vaiola Falevai, 60, one of four Tongan men sent to Japan more than 40 years ago by King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV (1918-2006) in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to make sumo Tonga's second national sport after rugby.

The four, who were among youths who received coaching from the Asahiyama stable during a sumo demonstration in Tonga, flew to Japan and joined the stable in October 1974.