A waza-ari in judo rewards an almost perfect throw or a hold-down kept for 10 to 19 seconds. It does not end the match unless it is your second one: two waza-ari make ippon. Under the IJF rules in force since 2025, it sits between ippon and yuko, which came back at the same time.
It is the score that decides most high-level matches. A clean ippon stays rare against opponents who know how to fall and twist at the last moment.
What a waza-ari throw looks like
The current definition fits in one sentence: uke lands on the back incompletely, or on the side with the shoulder line tilted past 90 degrees from the mat. In other words, they have clearly tipped toward the back without landing flat on it.
In practice, waza-ari comes up in three typical cases:
- uke lands on the back but the throw lacks force or speed;
- uke lands mostly on the back, with one shoulder still off the mat;
- uke rolls continuously across the lower back or from one shoulder to the other.
What separates waza-ari from ippon is one missing criterion. For the full list of what the referee wants, our page on ippon in judo breaks down back, force, speed and control.
Against yuko, the difference is the angle. If uke arrives on the side with the shoulders roughly perpendicular to the mat, it is yuko. If they go past that, toward the back, it is waza-ari. The difference often plays out in a flash, which is why video review matters so much.
On the ground: 10 seconds is enough
The referee calls osaekomi as soon as tori pins uke on the back with a recognized hold-down. The clock starts. If uke escapes between 10 and 19 seconds, it is waza-ari. Below 10 seconds, since 2025, you get yuko from 5 seconds.
A detail that costs matches: if you already have a waza-ari, holding for 10 seconds is enough to win. The referee stops the match at that point. No need to go for 20. Basic hold-downs such as kesa-gatame (scarf hold) and yoko-shiho-gatame (side four-quarter hold) are worth drilling with that in mind.
Three typical waza-ari situations
On o-soto-gari (major outer reap), the classic waza-ari comes when uke twists while falling and lands first on the shoulder and upper side. Tori reaped hard, but the back does not land flat. Half a turn more and it was ippon.
With seoi-nage, speed is often what is missing. Tori loads uke on the back, pauses for a split second, then finishes. Uke lands on the back, but the referee saw the break in the movement.
On the ground, the most common case is a hold-down broken around 12 or 15 seconds, when uke gets a leg in. The score stands even if tori loses the position afterward.
Waza-ari awasete ippon
The phrase means roughly "waza-ari combined make ippon". When a player scores a second waza-ari, the referee calls "waza-ari awasete ippon" and the match ends.
Both scores can come from different places: one from a throw, one from a hold-down. They can also come in golden score, although there the first one already wins.
How the rule has changed
Waza-ari has existed since the early days of sport judo, but its value has shifted several times.
| Period | What changed for waza-ari |
|---|---|
| Up to 2016 | Two waza-ari = ippon. Yuko exists below it. |
| 2017 | Waza-ari no longer add up. Yuko disappears and its value moves into waza-ari. |
| 2018 to 2024 | Adding up returns: two waza-ari = ippon. Only two scores. |
| Since 2025 | Yuko returns below waza-ari. Waza-ari is redefined as more than a side landing. |
2017 left a particular memory. Without adding up, a player could score three waza-ari and still not win before time ran out. The IJF fixed it the following year. For the history of the scores that were dropped, see our article on yuko and koka.
Latest change: in January 2026, the IJF clarified the line between waza-ari and yuko, especially for landings on one buttock or on the upper back, which score yuko. The full rulebook remains the reference when in doubt.
How a waza-ari changes tactics
A waza-ari lead changes the match. The player in front can manage, but risks shido for passivity if they stop attacking. The rules do not protect them: three shido is still a loss, whatever the score. The faults to avoid in that situation are on our page about shido penalties.
The player behind has to take risks. That is when you see desperate sacrifice throws, or ground attacks at the slightest opening. Plenty of matches flip in the last thirty seconds on a 10-second hold-down nobody saw coming.
For the bigger picture, go back to our guide to judo rules.
A referee's advice
If you often score waza-ari but never quite get ippon, watch your videos in slow motion. Nine times out of ten, the pulling hand lets go too early and uke has time to turn a shoulder. A second check: look for the follow-up on the ground after every waza-ari. A player who always chains into a hold-down turns many waza-ari into wins, because the opponent is still disorganized from the fall.