Winning a Match

A wrestler wins a match (bout) by:

• Forcing his opponent out of the ring (dohyō)
• Making any part of his opponent's body (other than the soles of his feet) touch the ground

Illegal Moves (Kinjite)

The following actions are prohibited and result in immediate disqualification:

• Punching with closed fists
• Pulling hair
• Gouging eyes or attacking the throat
• Grabbing the opponent's mawashi (belt) in the crotch area
• Striking with the edge of the hand
• Kicking the chest or abdomen

The Tachiai (Initial Charge)

Matches begin with both wrestlers crouching at the starting lines (shikiri-sen). They must charge simultaneously after both have placed their fists on the ground. A false start (false tachiai) results in a restart.

Match Duration

There is no time limit for a sumo match. However, matches typically last only a few seconds, with longer matches being rare exceptions. If a match exceeds a certain duration, a water break (mizu-iri) may be called.

The Dohyo (Ring)

The sumo ring is a raised platform 4.55 meters in diameter, made of clay and covered with sand. The ring is surrounded by rice-straw bales (tawara), and wrestlers must remain within this area during the match.

Winning Techniques (Kimarite)

There are 82 official winning techniques recognized in sumo, ranging from throws (nage) and pushes (oshi) to trips (kake) and force-outs (oshi-dashi). The technique used to win is announced after each match.