other-martial-arts
Tsukaminage
Image: TokyoWaltz / Original illustration · All rights reserved
Tsukaminage is an official sumo kimarite in which an outside rear mawashi grip lifts the opponent fully off the surface and throws the opponent behind the gripping side. The clearest cue is that the opponent is clearly airborne before being cast behind the overarm grip. Tsukaminage requires a conspicuous lift from the outside rear belt grip; Uwatenage can throw from an overarm hold without lifting the opponent completely clear. The practical English gloss “Lifting belt throw” 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 | つかみ投げ |
|---|---|
| Reading | つかみなげ |
| Group | Throwing techniques (投げ手) |
| English guide | Lifting belt throw |
| Official no. | 20 |
What happens
The result is recorded when an outside rear mawashi grip lifts the opponent fully off the surface and throws the opponent behind the gripping side.
How to spot it
Watch the decisive action, then confirm the result and the closest alternative.
- Action the opponent is clearly airborne before being cast behind the overarm grip.
- Result an outside rear mawashi grip lifts the opponent fully off the surface and throws the opponent behind the gripping side.
- Compare Tsukaminage requires a conspicuous lift from the outside rear belt grip; Uwatenage can throw from an overarm hold without lifting the opponent completely clear.
Similar techniques
Tsukaminage requires a conspicuous lift from the outside rear belt grip; Uwatenage can throw from an overarm hold without lifting the opponent completely clear. The related pages Uwatenage offer useful visual comparisons.
Name
Tsukaminage is written つかみ投げ and read つかみなげ. It belongs to Throwing techniques (投げ手); “Lifting belt throw” is a practical English guide, not an official translation.
Context
Tsukaminage 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 1 Tsukaminage results, 0.01% of 190,450 bouts from January 2013 through the final day of the July 2026 tournament, and listed the technique 82nd 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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