The sodegarami (袖搦) is a Japanese pole weapon used to entangle sleeves. Historically, it was usually around 2 meters in length, with multiple barbed heads, facing forwards and backwards. The pole is often sturdy wood, reinforced with iron. Small spikes or other sharp protrusions can often be found along the pole, similar to the tsukubō and sasumata. Together with those other implements it is part of the sandōgu used by police.
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Cunningham makes a claim for the evolution of the sodegarami from the yagaramogara, "a long pole implement employed by naval forces." He goes on to trace that implement back to the lang xian, dating to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), which he writes was used to defend against Japanese pirates. Cunningham gives the following alternative names for the sodegarami: roga-bō , shishigashira, neji, and tōrigarami.
The sodegarami (literally 'sleeve entangler') was used, as its name implies, to entangle the sleeves and clothing of an individual. This could be done to restrain the individual, who could then be more easily disarmed or dealt with. Spines and barbs along the length were there to prevent a criminal from easily grasping the shaft and wresting the implement away from the arresting officer. Together with the sasumata and the tsukubō it is one of the three torimono sandōgu of the Edo police.