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Sumo Wrestlers Welcome Spring With a Frolic Under the Cherry Blossoms

The Japan Sumo Association headed out to Hitachiōmiya in Ibaraki prefecture to welcome spring, race down the hills in cardboard boxes, and chase one another around. The images were tweeted by the association's official account with comments about how moe the wrestlers antics were.

The international pros include Brazilian sumo wrestler Kaisei Ichirō, Egyptian wrestler Ōsunaarashi Kintarō, Georgian wrestlers Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi and Gagamaru Masaru, Bulgarian wrestler Aoiyama Kōsuke, and Mongolian wrestler Tamawashi Ichirō (note: names are given last name first). The participants posed together for a group photo under the cherry blossoms.

Tamawashi was chased by Ōsunaarashi.

Kaisei went down the hill in a cardboard "sled."

Another wrestler shows off his back-flip abilities.

As fun as it was to see professional sumo wrestlers outside the ring, these guys are still serious competitors.

Source: Iroiro via Hachima Kikō