other-martial-arts
Kirikaeshi
Image: TokyoWaltz / Original illustration · All rights reserved
Kirikaeshi is an official sumo kimarite in which the attacker braces a knee against the outside of the opponent’s opposite knee and twists the opponent backward. The clearest cue is that the planted leg props the outside knee rather than hooking around it. Kirikaeshi keeps the attacking foot planted as the knee acts as a prop; Sotogake wraps and pulls the leg from outside. The practical English gloss “Knee-prop 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 | 切り返し |
|---|---|
| Reading | きりかえし |
| Group | Leg techniques (掛け手) |
| English guide | Knee-prop twist-down |
| Official no. | 24 |
What happens
The result is recorded when the attacker braces a knee against the outside of the opponent’s opposite knee and twists the opponent backward.
How to spot it
Watch the decisive action, then confirm the result and the closest alternative.
- Action the planted leg props the outside knee rather than hooking around it.
- Result the attacker braces a knee against the outside of the opponent’s opposite knee and twists the opponent backward.
- Compare Kirikaeshi keeps the attacking foot planted as the knee acts as a prop; Sotogake wraps and pulls the leg from outside.
Similar techniques
Kirikaeshi keeps the attacking foot planted as the knee acts as a prop; Sotogake wraps and pulls the leg from outside. The related pages Kawazugake and Kekaeshi offer useful visual comparisons.
Name
Kirikaeshi is written 切り返し and read きりかえし. It belongs to Leg techniques (掛け手); “Knee-prop twist-down” is a practical English guide, not an official translation.
Context
Kirikaeshi 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 319 Kirikaeshi results, 0.2% of 190,450 bouts from January 2013 through the final day of the July 2026 tournament, and listed the technique 27th 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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