A poet with a love of Japanese culture was the unlikely catalyst for Bulgaria's growing interest in the ancient sport of sumo.

Lilyana Kaneva overcame initial skepticism to popularize the sport in her homeland. She even broke down gender barriers in Japan where she fell under the spell of sumo while on a visit at the invitation of the publishers of her book of haiku poetry.

"The Japanese publishers were very kind and they wanted to introduce the Japanese people's most cherished things, including sumo, to me," Kaneva said. "So they allowed me (they said I was the first woman to do this) to enter the sumo stable."