Why won’t the sumo wrestlers start fighting?
They are performing shikiri: facing each other, crouching, and repeatedly preparing to synchronize the opening charge. Not every crouch is meant to start the bout.
What you are seeing
- Both wrestlers return to the starting lines, lower themselves, and study each other.
- In upper-division bouts, they may stand, return to their corners, use salt or a towel, and come back again.
- The repeated resets create a contest of timing and composure before physical contact begins.
What to watch next
- Watch the fists rather than the faces.
- Notice when the rhythm tightens and both wrestlers stay lower for longer.
- When both are committed to the clay and their breathing aligns, put your phone down—the tachiai is close.
A common first-timer mistake
Treating every reset as a false start. The preparation is part of the bout experience, not dead time before it.
Words you may hear
- Shikiri
- the repeated pre-bout stance and preparation
- Shikiri-sen
- the two starting lines on the dohyo
- Tachiai
- the synchronized opening charge
Sources and review
Created and photographed in Ryogoku by a Tokyo-based spectator. Facts reviewed against Japan Sumo Association materials on 25 August 2026.