other-martial-arts
Tokkurinage
Image: TokyoWaltz / Original illustration · All rights reserved
Tokkurinage is an official sumo kimarite in which both hands clamp the opponent’s neck or head from the sides and twist it down. The clearest cue is that the head is held between separated hands as the body turns sideways. Tokkurinage uses two separate hands around the neck or head; Gasshōhineri clasps the hands together behind it. The practical English gloss “Two-handed neck 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 | 徳利投げ |
|---|---|
| Reading | とっくりなげ |
| Group | Twist-down techniques (捻り手) |
| English guide | Two-handed neck twist-down |
| Official no. | 61 |
What happens
The result is recorded when both hands clamp the opponent’s neck or head from the sides and twist it down.
How to spot it
Watch the decisive action, then confirm the result and the closest alternative.
- Action the head is held between separated hands as the body turns sideways.
- Result both hands clamp the opponent’s neck or head from the sides and twist it down.
- Compare Tokkurinage uses two separate hands around the neck or head; Gasshōhineri clasps the hands together behind it.
Similar techniques
Tokkurinage uses two separate hands around the neck or head; Gasshōhineri clasps the hands together behind it. The related pages Kubihineri and Kotehineri offer useful visual comparisons.
Name
Tokkurinage is written 徳利投げ and read とっくりなげ. It belongs to Twist-down techniques (捻り手); “Two-handed neck twist-down” is a practical English guide, not an official translation.
Context
Tokkurinage 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 50 Tokkurinage results, 0.03% of 190,450 bouts from January 2013 through the final day of the July 2026 tournament, and listed the technique 49th 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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