Sumo Kimarite: All 82 Winning Techniques Explained

What Is Kimarite?

In professional sumo (ozumo), kimarite (決まり手, literally "deciding hand" or "winning technique") is the official term for the technique used to win a bout. After every match, a referee called the gyoji announces the winner and the kimarite to the arena audience, and the call is displayed on the scoreboard. Commentators, record-keepers, and fans use kimarite to analyze wrestlers' styles, track trends across tournaments, and celebrate spectacular victories.

The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) officially recognizes 82 kimarite plus a handful of special non-technique decisions. These techniques cover pushes, throws, trips, lifts, twists, and more — reflecting the remarkable tactical depth hiding beneath sumo's seemingly simple objective: force your opponent out of the ring or make them touch the ground with anything other than the soles of their feet.

Understanding kimarite transforms the experience of watching sumo. Rather than seeing a chaotic scramble, you begin to recognize the precise moment a wrestler's grip shifts, a hip rotates, or a foot hooks an ankle — and suddenly a seemingly evenly matched bout ends in a single decisive instant.

For a broader introduction to how sumo matches are structured and what the rules are, see our guide on how sumo works.

A Brief History of Kimarite Classification

The formal classification of sumo techniques has evolved over centuries. Traditional sumo texts dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868) catalogued techniques, with some early lists numbering 48 techniques — a figure known as the "48 hands" (shijūhatte). These foundational 48 were themselves grouped into four sets of twelve, covering throws, body drops, twists, and special techniques.

As professional sumo developed through the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras, the list expanded and was periodically revised. The Japan Sumo Association undertook a major overhaul in 2001, formalizing the current system of 82 kimarite. This revision added techniques that had become clearly distinguishable in practice, removed redundancies, and introduced clearer definitions for borderline cases.

Today the JSA's official kimarite list is the authoritative standard, used in every official bout record. Each technique has a precise Japanese name, a formal definition, and an assigned judge responsible for confirming the call when disputed.

The Eight Categories of Kimarite

The 82 official kimarite are organized into eight broad categories based on the primary action used to defeat the opponent. Understanding these categories gives you a mental framework for recognizing techniques in real time.

Push and Thrust Techniques (Oshi/Tsuki)

These are the explosive, no-belt attacking moves. Wrestlers who specialize in these techniques are called oshi-zumo wrestlers. Rather than gripping the mawashi (belt), they drive forward with open-palm thrusts to the chest, shoulders, and neck, or powerful two-hand pushes. These techniques reward exceptional speed and lower-body strength.

Force-Out Techniques (Yori)

Yori techniques involve gaining a belt grip and physically walking, driving, or maneuvering the opponent out of the ring. The most fundamental sumo win — yorikiri — belongs here. These techniques demand grip strength, leg drive, and positional awareness.

Throw Techniques (Nage)

Throw techniques use the momentum of the opponent, rotation of the body, or leverage on a limb or belt to send the opponent to the clay. Throws can be executed with an underarm grip, overarm grip, arm-bar, or head. Spectacular throws that send a wrestler airborne are among the most celebrated moments in sumo.

Hook and Trip Techniques (Kake)

These techniques use the legs to hook, trip, sweep, or lift an opponent's leg, disrupting balance and sending them down. They are often combined with a simultaneous push or throw for devastating effect.

Pull and Pull-Down Techniques (Hiki)

Pull techniques involve evading a charging opponent and redirecting their momentum downward, sideways, or backward. While sometimes criticized as "henka" when used at the tachi-ai (initial charge), pull-downs are legitimate kimarite requiring excellent timing and awareness of the dohyo edge.

The Most Common Winning Techniques

While 82 techniques are officially recognized, sumo bouts are dominated by a relatively small number of highly effective moves. The following are the most frequently seen kimarite in top-division (Makuuchi) competition.

Yorikiri — The Signature Sumo Win

Yorikiri (寄り切り) is the quintessential sumo technique and the single most common way to win a bout. The winner grips the opponent's mawashi — typically with at least one hand on the belt — and drives forward, forcing the opponent across the straw bales (tawara) and out of the ring while remaining on their feet. The key distinction from yoritaoshi is that in yorikiri, the loser steps or is pushed over the tawara and out, whereas in yoritaoshi, both wrestlers tumble over with the loser hitting the ground first.

Yorikiri rewards a strong belt grip, low center of gravity, and powerful leg drive. Yokozuna (grand champions) who excel at yorikiri — such as the legendary Hakuho — have used it to win the majority of their championship bouts. Learn more about how yokozuna and other ranks are structured in our sumo ranks guide.

Oshidashi — The Pusher's Victory

Oshidashi (押し出し) is the push-out win, the domain of the hard-charging oshi style wrestlers. Without touching the belt, the winner pushes the opponent backward and out of the ring. Distinguished from tsukidashi (thrust-out) primarily by the continuous nature of the push versus discrete thrusting strikes.

Hatakikomi — The Slap Down

Hatakikomi (叩き込み) is performed by slapping down on the back of the opponent's neck, shoulder, or upper body as they charge forward, redirecting them face-first to the clay. Often deployed in response to an overly aggressive charge, hatakikomi is controversial when executed immediately from the tachi-ai (opening charge), as it can appear unsporting — but it is entirely legal and frequently effective.

Rare and Spectacular Techniques

Some kimarite are so rarely seen that their appearance in a tournament bout draws gasps from even experienced sumo fans. These techniques often require precise timing, an unusual body position, or an unexpected chain of events.

Non-Technique Decisions: Beyond the 82

In addition to the 82 kimarite, there are several special winning circumstances that are not classified as techniques per se, but are officially recorded outcomes:

• Isamiashi (勇み足) — The winner accidentally steps out of the ring while pushing the opponent, but the opponent touches the ground or steps out first; can refer to the loser stepping out due to their own forward momentum.
• Fumidashi (踏み出し) — The loser steps out sideways, often as a result of a technique applied to their side.
• Kainahineri — A wrist or arm twist causing the opponent to fall.
• Okuriashi (送り足) — Rear foot push-out, where the loser is shoved from behind.
• Hansoku (反則) — Disqualification for rule violations such as deliberately targeting the topknot (mage), eye-gouging, or striking with a closed fist.
• Kachikoshi/Makekoshi — Used when a wrestler withdraws or is unable to compete, affecting tournament records but not kimarite classification.

These decisions ensure that every bout outcome — however unusual — is properly recorded and classified in the official records maintained by the Japan Sumo Association.

Full List of All 82 Official Kimarite

Below is the complete list of officially recognized kimarite, organized by category. Note that some techniques are closely related and differ only in subtle positional details (such as whether the belt grip is overarm or underarm, or which leg performs the trip).

Yori (Force-Out) Techniques

• Yorikiri — Frontal force-out
• Yoritaoshi — Frontal force-down
• Okuriyori — Rear force-out
• Okuritaoshi — Rear force-down
• Tsuriotoshi — Lift and drop

Oshi/Tsuki (Push and Thrust) Techniques

• Oshidashi — Frontal push-out
• Oshitaoshi — Frontal push-down
• Tsukidashi — Frontal thrust-out
• Tsukitaoshi — Frontal thrust-down
• Okurioshi — Rear push-out
• Okuritsuki — Rear thrust-out

Nage (Throw) Techniques

• Uwatenage — Overarm throw
• Shitatenage — Underarm throw
• Uwatedashinage — Pulling overarm throw
• Shitatedashinage — Pulling underarm throw
• Kotenage — Arm bar throw
• Ipponzeoi — One-arm shoulder throw
• Nichonage — Two-step throw
• Tsuridashi — Frontal lift-out
• Yaguranage — Inner thigh throw
• Kakenage — Hook throw
• Makiotoshi — Arm entwining drop
• Sukuinage — Beltless arm throw
• Kubinage — Head lock throw
• Koshinage — Hip throw
• Tottari — Arm bar force-down
• Sakatottari — Reverse arm bar force-down
• Uchigake — Inner leg trip (throw variant)

Kake (Hook and Trip) Techniques

• Sotogake — Outside leg trip
• Uchigake — Inside leg trip
• Kirikaeshi — Knee trip counter
• Kawazugake — Leg entangle throw
• Mitokorozeme — Triple attack force-out
• Chongake — Heel hook trip
• Ashitori — Leg pick
• Kekaeshi — Foot sweep
• Sotokomata — Outside thigh scoop
• Uchimuso — Inside thigh scoop
• Nimaigeri — Two-legged kick

Hiki (Pull and Pull-Down) Techniques

• Hatakikomi — Slap down
• Hikiotoshi — Hand pull-down
• Harimanage — Over-the-back throw
• Sotomuso — Outside thigh pull-down
• Okurihatakikomi — Rear slap-down
• Okurihikiotoshi — Rear pull-down

Shitate/Uwate Belt Techniques

• Uwatehineri — Overarm twist-down
• Shitatehineri — Underarm twist-down
• Uwatenage — (See throws above)
• Tokkurinage — Backward belt throw

Special and Rare (Tokushū) Techniques

• Zubuneri — Twisting head lock down
• Watashikomi — Thigh grabbing force-down
• Komatasukui — Thigh scooping
• Tasukizori — Rear bending throw
• Izori — Back arch carry-down
• Kakezori — Rear leg bending throw
• Shumokuzori — T-bar throw
• Yobimodoshi — Pulling back in
• Amiuchi — Fisherman's net throw
• Kainahineri — Arm twist-down
• Tsuridashi — Frontal belt lift-out
• Waridashi — Thigh splitter
• Kimedashi — Arm-lock force-out
• Kimewaza — Arm-lock force-down
• Kozumatori — Ankle pick
• Hansoku — Disqualification (rule violation)

Note: Some techniques appear in multiple categories because the JSA classification groups them by primary mechanism. The complete official list with precise definitions is maintained by the Japan Sumo Association.

How Kimarite Is Announced and Recorded

After each bout, the gyoji immediately raises his fan (gunbai) toward the winner's side of the ring. He then announces the winner's name and the kimarite used. If the kimarite is disputed — for example, if the winning technique happened simultaneously with the loser stepping out — the five ringside judges (shimpan) may confer to clarify the official call.

The announced kimarite is entered into the JSA's official records, where it joins an extensive historical database tracking every technique used in professional sumo going back many decades. This database allows researchers, journalists, and fans to analyze patterns — for instance, tracking how frequently hatakikomi is used at different ranks, or which yokozuna relied most heavily on belt techniques.

In broadcast coverage, the kimarite announcement is often accompanied by a slow-motion replay specifically framed to highlight the decisive technique, allowing viewers at home to study exactly what happened in the fractions of a second the bout was decided.

Understanding the ranking system that determines which wrestlers face each other — and therefore what tactical matchups produce which kimarite — is explained in our detailed sumo ranks guide.