other-martial-arts
Kotehineri
Image: TokyoWaltz / Original illustration · All rights reserved
Kotehineri is an official sumo kimarite in which one hand controls the opponent’s arm while the other holds the mawashi, twisting toward the controlled side. The clearest cue is that the belt grip stabilizes the body while the other hand turns the arm. Kotehineri includes a mawashi grip; Kainahineri twists an arm with two-hand control and no defining belt hold. The practical English gloss “Belt-assisted arm 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 | 小手捻り |
|---|---|
| Reading | こてひねり |
| Group | Twist-down techniques (捻り手) |
| English guide | Belt-assisted arm twist-down |
| Official no. | 63 |
What happens
The result is recorded when one hand controls the opponent’s arm while the other holds the mawashi, twisting toward the controlled side.
How to spot it
Watch the decisive action, then confirm the result and the closest alternative.
- Action the belt grip stabilizes the body while the other hand turns the arm.
- Result one hand controls the opponent’s arm while the other holds the mawashi, twisting toward the controlled side.
- Compare Kotehineri includes a mawashi grip; Kainahineri twists an arm with two-hand control and no defining belt hold.
Similar techniques
Kotehineri includes a mawashi grip; Kainahineri twists an arm with two-hand control and no defining belt hold. The related pages Amiuchi and Sabaori offer useful visual comparisons.
Name
Kotehineri is written 小手捻り and read こてひねり. It belongs to Twist-down techniques (捻り手); “Belt-assisted arm twist-down” is a practical English guide, not an official translation.
Context
Kotehineri 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 28 Kotehineri results, 0.01% of 190,450 bouts from January 2013 through the final day of the July 2026 tournament, and listed the technique 56th 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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