Old kimarite

[Jaak 7]

Where can information be found as to what the old kimarite were, and what has happened to them?

Azukari - last happened 1951.09 between Y Azumafuji and O Yoshibayama. Seems to be formally abolished - if a match ends inconclusively, a torinaoshi follows.

Dakidashi - last 1943.01?

Dashinage - last 1966.11?

Dohineri - last 1951.01?

Fumikiri - last 1945.06?

Fumikoshi - last 1954.03?

Gyakuhineri - last 1937.05?

Hakite - only time 1933.05?

Haraidashi - only time 1951.09?

Harayagura - only time 1938.05?

Hatakiotoshi - last 1949.01?

Hikitaoshi - only time 1949.01?

Hikiwake - a type of draw. Last happened 1974.09 between M6 Futagodake and M10 Mienoumi.

7 occurrences between 1958 and 1967. Has it been abolished?

Hineri - last 1938.01?

Hineritaoshi - last 1927.05?

Hisagomawashi - only time 1941.05?

Itamiwake - a type of draw. 18 occurrences between 1927.01 and 1958.09, all in makuuchi and juryo - then no occurrences in 35 years - but then 3 occurrences between 1994.03 and 1999.01, all in 3 lower divisions (jonokuchi, jonidan, sandanme). Has it been abolished or not?

Izumigawa - last 1928.10?

Kakaenage - last 1952.05?

Kakemotare - last 1950.01?

Kaketaoshi - only time 1927.03?

Karaminage - last 1953.05?

Kerinage - only time 1957.03?

Kimekatsugi - only time 1929.09?

Kubihataki - last 1944.01?

Mochidashi - last 1951.01?

Morotehineri - last 1954.01?

Motarekomi - last 1951.09?

Nichogake - only time 1953.01?

Nisokugake - only time 1937.01?

Nodowa - only time 1951.01?

Nukitasuki - only time 1948.10?

Omatasukui - only time 1951.01?

Oshihanashi - last 1937.05?

Oshikiri - last 1953.03?

Owatashi - last 1951.01?

Sakatenage - only time 1927.01?

Samagataeshi - only time 1953.09?

Shitateyagura - last 1951.09?

Sori - last 1931.01?

Takamuso - last 1934.01?

Tobichigai - last 1942.05?

Tomoenage - the only time 1957.03?

Tsukihanashi - last 1956.01?

Tsukiyagura - only time 1938.01?

Uchirohikimawashi - only time 1950.09?

Uwateyagura - last 1954.09?

Yagaranage - last 1940.05?

Yasumi - a type of draw, last occurred in 1928.01?

Yobikaeshi - last 1958.03?

Yoridashi - last 1954.09?

Zutsuki - only time 1939.05?

[PawnSums 59]

I would be very interested in knowing what these are, and most of them should be brought back

Uchirohikimawashi - Inside Belt Pull?

Dashinage - Throw Out

Yagaranage Is A Yaguranage Typo

Haraidashi - Sweep Push? Sweep Out

Some of these seem more like Shikona than Kimarite 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2018 by PawnSums

[Sokkenaiyama 81]

I'm as much a kimarite freak as the next sumo otaku, but I don't really know what those are. It's easy to make an educated guess, though. Ushirohikimawashi would be anything that wins you the bout by pulling on the opponent's mawashi when he got behind you. Dashinage was probably refined into uwate- and shitatedashinage; there's also the chance, and it would make a lot of sense, that the unfinished throws we sometimes see today, which don't outright fell the other guy to the ground, but take him off balance just enough to be taken out, were called dashinage in the past. No idea about yagara, but haraidashi could be sweeping an opponent's leg(s) just enough to make him step out.

In any case, kimarite naming, either creating classes or applying those classifications to real instances of winning techniques, is far from an exact science, it's more of an art form.

Many, many times, the bout is won through a succession of strategies, tactics and a sequence of attempted moves, so much that the single kimarite at the end is irrelevant or even detracts from the overall impression.

Other times, the finishing kimarite is an overlap of two or more finishing moves, either because they involve very similar stances/actions, like oshidashi and tsukidashi, or that thing Harumafuji did which could be seen as kotenage, tottari or hikkake, but which was nearly impossible to classify because of the low stance and the aggressive flow of the bout, or because one is a natural consequence from the other one not being properly executed or finished, e.g. a dashinage degenerating into okuridashi/taoshi, sukuinage into tsukiotoshi, etc.

Philosophy aside, though, I would also like to see some books of old with "formal" descriptions for the obsolete techniques. I would also be interested in seeing some "official" explanations for their obsolescence (I'm not really holding my breath, but hey, maybe, just maybe...)

[Asashosakari 19,251]

There was no standardized kimarite canon in those days, they just made it up as they went along. Doubtful that the techniques that failed to make the cut for the official standardization in 1955 ever had formalized descriptions.

[mt fuji 976]

Hey Asashosakari, is there any source on the internet that recognizes official kimarite standardization in 1955? I don't doubt that you're correct because you're right about a lot of things on this forum, but I haven't found any articles or anything on Google Scholar or JSTOR that tie standardization to that date. I'm trying to find a "modern" date cutoff for kimarite statistics. Let me know if you can find anything!

[Asashosakari 19,251]

On 10/10/2019 at 03:11, mt fuji said:

Hey Asashosakari, is there any source on the internet that recognizes official kimarite standardization in 1955? I don't doubt that you're correct because you're right about a lot of things on this forum, but I haven't found any articles or anything on Google Scholar or JSTOR that tie standardization to that date. I'm trying to find a "modern" date cutoff for kimarite statistics. Let me know if you can find anything!

I'm actually not sure if I had any other source than the Japanese Wikipedia article on kimarite when I wrote that back then. Summarizing what's written there: Due to inconsistent reporting by the media [i.e. the reporters called the kimarite as they saw them], the Kyokai decided in 1955 to create a standardized list of 68 kimarite and 2 non-techniques (isamiashi and koshikudake) and to start announcing them formally in the arena, as well as publish the kimarite as part of the hoshitori for the sekitori divisions. Further, in 1960 they decided to split up dashinage into the uwate and shitate versions, and kawazugake was newly recognized as distinct from kirikaeshi, yielding the list of 70 techniques that remained in effect for the next four decades until further additions in 2000/2001 gave the current 82 kimarite + 5 non-techniques.

I'm not sure scholarly sources will have much of anything, to be honest. The Japanese Wikipedia is much less referenced than the English version in general, but where articles on sumo history do have references, they're often references to sumo magazines from the last ~25 years, which have run articles on historical topics from time to time. Anyway, googling around for the 1955 date does bring up a few things, such as a summary of a Sumo Museum display a few years back on the Kyokai's own website, and a result from some collaborative library referencing project which refers to the Sumo Daijiten encyclopedia, stating an exact date of May 1955, and also mentions an earlier standardization effort to 56 techniques in 1935 (I suspect that one wasn't that effective).

Maybe somebody who owns the Daijiten can take a look to see what it says in detail.

Of course the records on the DB show several appearances of unrecognized kimarite even beyond 1955 - I don't know if that means the Kyokai's own personnel was lax in applying the official list for a few years, or if it indicates that some of the DB's data originated in secondary sources that took a while to start adhering to the Kyokai's new standards. (Some of them may also be simple errors in the data, such as the final appearance of dashinage in 1966.)

 

Edited October 12, 2019 by Asashosakari

[Akinomaki 40,291]

On 12/10/2019 at 22:14, Asashosakari said:

I'm actually not sure if I had any other source than the Japanese Wikipedia article on kimarite when I wrote that back then. Summarizing what's written there: Due to inconsistent reporting by the media [i.e. the reporters called the kimarite as they saw them], the Kyokai decided in 1955 to create a standardized list of 68 kimarite and 2 non-techniques (isamiashi and koshikudake) and to start announcing them formally in the arena, as well as publish the kimarite as part of the hoshitori for the sekitori divisions. Further, in 1960 they decided to split up dashinage into the uwate and shitate versions, and kawazugake was newly recognized as distinct from kirikaeshi, yielding the list of 70 techniques that remained in effect for the next four decades until further additions in 2000/2001 gave the current 82 kimarite + 5 non-techniques.

I'm not sure scholarly sources will have much of anything, to be honest. The Japanese Wikipedia is much less referenced than the English version in general, but where articles on sumo history do have references, they're often references to sumo magazines from the last ~25 years, which have run articles on historical topics from time to time. Anyway, googling around for the 1955 date does bring up a few things, such as a summary of a Sumo Museum display a few years back on the Kyokai's own website, and a result from some collaborative library referencing project which refers to the Sumo Daijiten encyclopedia, stating an exact date of May 1955, and also mentions an earlier standardization effort to 56 techniques in 1935 (I suspect that one wasn't that effective).

Maybe somebody who owns the Daijiten can take a look to see what it says in detail.

The daijiten lists the same details - 1935 the 56 and then May 1955 the 68 - no reason given, then January 1960 the dashinage split + kawazukake to make 70. Only for the reform in 2000/1 implemented for Hatsu 2001 a reason is given: because speed and physical appearance of the rikishi had changed and techniques that didn't fit into the list of 70 could be seen.

[mt fuji 976]

Wasn't expecting all of these details! Thanks for all of your effort and research.

[Obana 315]

I am posting images of six ceramic coasters I have that illustrate old kimarite.  One is mitokorozeme which is still on the kimarite list.  One is tobichigahi (= tobichigai above?).  This specific coaster is my favorite.

[Kamitsuumi 395]

35 minutes ago, Obana said:

I am posting images of six ceramic coasters I have that illustrate old kimarite.  One is mitokorozeme which is still on the kimarite list.  One is tobichigahi (= tobichigai above?).  This specific coaster is my favorite.

In order:

Tobichigai

Ōwatashi

Midokorotsume

Shikikomata

Tamedashi

Kekaeshi

[Naganoyama 5,891]

I love them!

[Obana 315]

I was examining a publication of the Board of Tourist Industry Japanese Government Railways (No. 34 in the Tourist Library series) titled Sumo – Japanese Wrestling by Kōzō Hikoyama (copyright 1940).

Since seeing an exhibit including works by Hirezaki Eihō 鰭崎英朋 (1880-1968) at the Yayoi/Yumeji Museums last year, I have watched for examples of his sumo work. He did illustrations for newspapers as well as woodblock prints.

Although it is not credited in the text of Kōzō Hikoyama's book, I think the 32 illustrations in the chapter on Wrestling Techniques are Eihō work. The techniques are in the file names and are not all 'winning' techniques in the modern sense.  I think his illustrations are very suggestive of actual rikishi instead of generic wrestlers.

I am also including the illustration on the front cover (not Eihō's) and a few photos from the work: Futabayama, a dohyo iri with Haguroyama as tsuyuharai and ozeki Nayoroiwa looking particularly well fed.

 

 

[Akinomaki 40,291]

3 likes would not be enough for this post

[Obana 315]

I have made a web page with thumbnails to the larger kimarite images posted above.

The web page includes technique captions and I have added the verbiage from the book for some of the less common/old techniques.

I am including the entry for 'sori' , the last technique in the chapter , with no illustration since it is on the list that initiated this thread.

In addition, I have juxtaposed a few newspaper images of Eihō's with the technique illustrations. The 14 tottari illustrations are very similar in composition.

I also included the coasters from my earlier post.

http://tommycrouch.com/sumo/eiho_kimarite.htm

Here are the expanded technique descriptions if you want to forego the above link (I LOVE no. 1):

1 Tsukippanashi. When one succeeds in ousting his opponent from the ring by a series of thrusts, it is called tsuki-dashi, or "thrust out". If his thrusts were so powerful that the opponent was "blown out" of the ring, it is called tsukippanashi, or "blown-out".

4 Ō-watashi. This is when, in the midst of battling with thrusts, or pushing at each other, one of the contestants manages to get hold of the opponent's right wrist with his right hand and pulls it in toward himself with all his might at the same time getting hold of his thigh from outside with his left hand. Then, while pulling up the opponent's thigh, he lets go of the opponent's right hand and swiftly throws the arm against the latter's left shoulder and pushes his body. When he has his opponent effectively, he brings his weight to bear upon him until the opponent loses his balance and falls backwards.

6 Teyotsu, or "four hands". In the midst of a thrusting contest, the antagonists come to a sudden deadlock, one holding the other's hands, and each seeking a chance for the next move. "Four-hands" is the name for this position of the two contestants. It often happens that one pushes the other out of the ring by skillfully releasing his hands from that of his opponent.

9 Izumigawa. This trick cannot be practiced to advantage unless one is physically a giant and powerful. It is a method a contestant may adopt in ousting the opponent from the ring by arresting the freedom of the latter's arms, pinioning them against his own body with his own arms. In executing this trick, however, he may see to it that one of his elbows is pressing against the opponent's chest in order to prevent him from making a counter-attack.

27 Zuhineri, or "head twist". In executing this throw, a contestant may first push his opponent with his head against the latter's chest while holding onto his inner arm firmly with both hands. The essential point is that he must manage to get his head to the lower point of his opponent's body. When his head is low enough, he is in a position to be able to throw him by pulling his inner arm downward. This trick is usually employed by a smaller wrestler with a powerful hip, neck and arms.

Technique description with no illustration:

Sori, or "bending backward". By ducking, a contestant may get hold of the lower part of his opponent's body and throw him backward over his head by suddenly stretching himself backward. This method was popularly used in former days when the wrestling ring was not yet introduced, but it has almost gone out of fashion.

[Obana 315]

I am posting a photo from Board of the Tourist Industry Japanese Government Railways (No. 34 in the Tourist Library series) titled Sumo – Japanese Wrestling by Kōzō Hikoyama (copyright 1940) that I referenced in my previous two posts.
While no exactly kimarite, I was interested in this illustration and the relevant text.  I was reminded of a bout in the latter half of the 1990's when Takanonami called a monoii.  At the time there was much discussion about the rare event.
The text and caption in this book makes it seem less uncommon.
I tried but could not identify the rikishi in the photo.
I was interested in the suspended basket of salt as well.
 

 

[Yarimotsu 564]

I love this kind of language-related stuff - was looking over the thread and I realised that zutsuki could refer to a head-thrust! Maybe a head-on tachiai so powerful that it sent the opponent out of the ring? 

[rokudenashi 305]

5 hours ago, Yarimotsu said:

I love this kind of language-related stuff - was looking over the thread and I realised that zutsuki could refer to a head-thrust! Maybe a head-on tachiai so powerful that it sent the opponent out of the ring? 

Either that or simply a thrust-out using the head (to the chest, torso area) - these days I expect tsukidashi would be used to describe such a technique

[Seiyashi 4,074]

On 02/05/2021 at 19:33, Obana said:

9 Izumigawa. This trick cannot be practiced to advantage unless one is physically a giant and powerful. It is a method a contestant may adopt in ousting the opponent from the ring by arresting the freedom of the latter's arms, pinioning them against his own body with his own arms. In executing this trick, however, he may see to it that one of his elbows is pressing against the opponent's chest in order to prevent him from making a counter-attack.

Re-reading this, I wonder whether "a rose by any other name" is at work here. This e.g. sounds like a kimedashi to me.

[Obana 315]

I ran across a Japanese book (already sold, alas) on line 「相撲四十八手」 (Sumou shijūhatte) [Sumo Forty Eight Moves] with illustrations credited to 鰭崎英朋 Hirazaki Eiho.  Seven of the illustrations from the book were displayed.  I have added them to my page of kimarite illustrations by Eiho (the thumbnails link to large copies of the prints).  Four were already referenced (hatakikomi, oshidashi, kotenage and uchimuso) and three were not represented (katasukashi, sokubiotoshi and tokkurinage (my personal favorite being fond of nihonshu)).  I will attach the thumbnails of the book cover and the seven kimarite here.  The link to my Eiho kimarite illustrations page is here:
http://tommycrouch.com/sumo/eiho_kimarite.htm