Learn Sumo
Kimarite Glossary
The Japan Sumo Association officially recognizes 82 kimarite — winning techniques. Below are the most common ones you'll see called out on every results page, grouped alphabetically.
A
- Abisetaoshi
- Backward force-down — the winner leans in and drives the opponent backward and down.
- Amiuchi
- "Fisherman's throw" — pulling one of the opponent's outstretched arms to throw them forward, evoking the motion of casting a net.
F
- Fusensho
- A default win awarded when the scheduled opponent is absent (kyujo) from the day's competition.
H
- Hansoku
- Win by disqualification — awarded when the opponent commits an illegal move, such as a closed-fist strike or hair-pulling.
- Hatakikomi
- Slap down — sidestepping the opponent's charge and slapping their shoulder or back to send them to the clay.
- Hikiotoshi
- Hand pull down — pulling the opponent forward and down by the arm or shoulder without a belt grip.
- Hikkake
- Arm-grabbing twist down — grabbing and twisting the opponent's wrist or arm to unbalance them.
K
- Kekaeshi
- A minor inner-thigh hooking trip, sweeping the opponent's leg while pushing off-balance.
- Ketaguri
- A pulling ankle sweep performed at the very first charge (tachi-ai), sidestepping and hooking the opponent's ankle.
- Kimedashi
- Arm-barring force out — trapping and locking the opponent's arm(s) while walking them out of the ring.
- Kirikaeshi
- A twisting backward knee trip, dropping the opponent by hooking behind the leg while turning.
- Kotenage
- Armlock throw — winding an arm around the opponent's outstretched limb and throwing them off balance.
- Kubinage
- Headlock throw — throwing the opponent using a lock around the head and neck.
M
- Mitokorozeme
- "Three-point attack" — a rare technique combining a leg trip, a lift, and a push in one motion.
O
- Okuritaoshi
- Rear push down — pushing the opponent down from behind after they have turned or been spun around.
- Oshidashi
- Frontal push out — driving the opponent straight backward and out of the ring using the hands and arms, without a belt grip.
- Oshitaoshi
- Frontal push down — the pushing equivalent of yoritaoshi; the opponent is driven down rather than simply out.
S
- Shitatenage
- Underarm throw — throwing the opponent using an underarm grip on the belt (mawashi).
- Sokubiotoshi
- Neck-twist down — forcing the opponent down by twisting at the neck.
- Sotogake
- Outside leg trip — hooking a leg around the outside of the opponent's leg and pulling them down.
- Sotomuso
- Outer-thigh scooping body drop — scooping under the opponent's outer thigh to drop them.
- Sukuinage
- Beltless arm throw (scoop throw) — throwing the opponent by scooping an arm around their body without a belt grip.
T
- Tottari
- Arm-bar throw — trapping and twisting a single arm to throw the opponent off balance.
- Tsukidashi
- Frontal thrust out — repeated open-handed thrusts to the chest driving the opponent out of the ring.
- Tsukiotoshi
- Thrust down — a single thrust to the side of the opponent's body, toppling them off balance.
- Tsuridashi
- Lift out — lifting the opponent by the belt and carrying them bodily out of the ring.
- Tsuriotoshi
- Lift and slam down — lifting the opponent by the belt and driving them straight down.
U
- Uchigake
- Inside leg trip — hooking a leg around the inside of the opponent's leg to bring them down.
- Uwatedashinage
- Pulling overarm throw — an overarm belt grip used to pull the opponent down and forward in one motion.
- Uwatenage
- Overarm throw — gripping the opponent's belt over their arm and throwing them to the clay. One of the most common winning techniques in the top division.
W
- Watashikomi
- Thigh-grabbing push down — grabbing the opponent's inner thigh to force them down.
Y
- Yorikiri
- Force out — gripping the opponent's belt and walking them straight out of the ring. The single most common kimarite at every level of sumo.
- Yoritaoshi
- Force out and down — like yorikiri, but the winner drives the opponent down to the clay as they cross the ring's edge.
Kimarite are recorded for every bout on Basho Results pages and on each wrestler's profile under Signature Techniques.