Not many people planning their summer holidays from, say, Australia or America would hot-foot it to the travel agent when confronted with a picture of a 270-kg former sumo wrestler in shorts.

It works for the Japanese, though.

Konishiki, who retired in 1998 after 16 years on the "dohyo," has been displaying his impressive girth on television, posters and bumper stickers the length and breadth of the country as part of the "Big Relax, Big Hawai'i" advertising campaign.