other-martial-arts
Sakatottari
Image: TokyoWaltz / Original illustration · All rights reserved
Sakatottari is an official sumo kimarite in which the wrestler whose arm is caught in Tottari pulls free, turns the hips, and reverses the arm-control action. The clearest cue is that the captured wrestler rotates into the hold and uses the attempted arm bar against the attacker. Sakatottari is specifically the reversal of Tottari, so identifying who first controlled the arm is central. The practical English gloss “Counter arm-bar twist-down” is a viewing aid rather than an official translation. Focus on the contact that causes the final movement and on whether the opponent is forced out, falls, or is thrown. Earlier exchanges may create the opening, but the kimarite names the action that actually decides the bout.
Overview
| Japanese | 逆取ったり |
|---|---|
| Reading | さかとったり |
| Group | Twist-down techniques (捻り手) |
| English guide | Counter arm-bar twist-down |
| Official no. | 48 |
What happens
The result is recorded when the wrestler whose arm is caught in Tottari pulls free, turns the hips, and reverses the arm-control action.
How to spot it
Watch the decisive action, then confirm the result and the closest alternative.
- Action the captured wrestler rotates into the hold and uses the attempted arm bar against the attacker.
- Result the wrestler whose arm is caught in Tottari pulls free, turns the hips, and reverses the arm-control action.
- Compare Sakatottari is specifically the reversal of Tottari, so identifying who first controlled the arm is central.
Similar techniques
Sakatottari is specifically the reversal of Tottari, so identifying who first controlled the arm is central. The related pages Katasukashi and Sotomusō offer useful visual comparisons.
Name
Sakatottari is written 逆取ったり and read さかとったり. It belongs to Twist-down techniques (捻り手); “Counter arm-bar twist-down” is a practical English guide, not an official translation.
Context
Sakatottari can emerge directly from the tachiai, after a prolonged exchange, or as a counter when posture and footing change. Left-right orientation, wrestler size, and camera angle can alter its appearance without changing the classification.
Statistics
The Japan Sumo Association table consulted on 12 September 2026 counted 37 Sakatottari results, 0.02% of 190,450 bouts from January 2013 through the final day of the July 2026 tournament, and listed the technique 54th in that bounded dataset. This is a dated sample, not a timeless probability; check the association’s live page for later totals.
Sources
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