other-martial-arts
Kawazugake
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Kawazugake is an official sumo kimarite in which an inside leg hook and a neck hold combine with a backward arch to carry the opponent down beneath the attacker. The clearest cue is that the leg entanglement, neck control, and backward arch occur as one compound action. Kawazugake is a coupled backward fall in which the opponent lands first; Uchigake uses an inside hook without the defining neck hold and arch. The practical English gloss “Entangling backward trip” 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 | 河津掛け |
|---|---|
| Reading | かわづがけ |
| Group | Leg techniques (掛け手) |
| English guide | Entangling backward trip |
| Official no. | 25 |
What happens
The result is recorded when an inside leg hook and a neck hold combine with a backward arch to carry the opponent down beneath the attacker.
How to spot it
Watch the decisive action, then confirm the result and the closest alternative.
- Action the leg entanglement, neck control, and backward arch occur as one compound action.
- Result an inside leg hook and a neck hold combine with a backward arch to carry the opponent down beneath the attacker.
- Compare Kawazugake is a coupled backward fall in which the opponent lands first; Uchigake uses an inside hook without the defining neck hold and arch.
Similar techniques
Kawazugake is a coupled backward fall in which the opponent lands first; Uchigake uses an inside hook without the defining neck hold and arch. The related pages Kekaeshi and Ketaguri offer useful visual comparisons.
Name
Kawazugake is written 河津掛け and read かわづがけ. It belongs to Leg techniques (掛け手); “Entangling backward trip” is a practical English guide, not an official translation.
Context
Kawazugake 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 17 Kawazugake results, 0.01% of 190,450 bouts from January 2013 through the final day of the July 2026 tournament, and listed the technique 64th 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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