Section 5: Rules of Play
Match Length
- No fixed time limit — matches typically last 5-30 seconds; most are over within 10 seconds
- Pre-match ritual (shikiri) takes 4+ minutes; salt-throwing + facing-off; the actual bout is brief
Win Conditions
- Force opponent out of the dohyo (any part of body steps outside the rope), OR
- Force opponent to touch the dohyo with any body part other than feet (knee, hand, even hair) — falling, being thrown, or losing balance
Kimarite (Winning Techniques)
- 82 officially recognized winning techniques (kimarite) — including yorikiri (force-out grip), oshidashi (push-out), uwatenage (overarm throw), shitatenage (underarm throw), various trips + lifts + slap-downs
- Each match victory recorded with the kimarite used — kimarite history is preserved as part of Sumo tradition
Banned Techniques (Kinjite)
- No closed-fist punches (open-hand slaps permitted)
- No kicking
- No grabbing hair
- No grabbing or hitting the genitals
- No grabbing or untying the mawashi (other than to grip + throw)
- No choking
- No eye-pokes or attacks to throat