Encho 4 (extension) — Umaki（馬木） wins
The quarterfinals of the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championships for the men's individual event were held, featuring a match between Umaki（馬木） and Togashi（冨樫）. There were no valid strikes within the regulation time or through Encho 3, resulting in a long match lasting 13 minutes and 35 seconds. In Encho 4, Umaki scored an ippon with a kote strike and won the match.
Matchup
- Red Umaki Taketora（馬木 洸虎） / Nitta（新田） / Ehime3rd Year 3rd danNitta's Umaki（馬木） is a 3rd-year Sandan. Nitta won the team event at the Shikoku High School Kendo Championships in June 2026, and its school motto is "Sincerity, Cheerfulness, Respect, and Robustness."
- White Togashi Junnosuke（冨樫 遵乃介） / Iwata Higashi（磐田東） / Shizuoka3rd Year 3rd danIwata Higashi's Togashi（冨樫） is a 3rd year 3rd dan. Iwata Higashi has a record of winning the boys' team championship at the 2025 Inter-High, and the school motto is "The Way of Moderation."
Highlights
A tense development with no valid strikes from the regulation time through Encho 3.
A fierce war of attrition that lasted 13 minutes and 35 seconds
Umaki（馬木）'s winning kosote that finally decided the match after four encho periods.
Live commentary video
Valid strike
| # | Situation | Red and White | Players | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Encho 4 | Red | Umaki（馬木） | Kote |
- Conclusion
- Encho 4
- Match time
- 13:35
- Winner
- Umaki（馬木）（Red）
- Foul
- 馬木 洸虎Posted on the board (it is not clear from the flash report when the foul occurred)
Text Commentary
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Court 4, Men's Individual Quarterfinals. From here, it became a war of attrition.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Match time 13 minutes 35 seconds. This was a long match that remained undecided until Encho 4.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Red is Nitta's Umaki（馬木）, white is Iwata Higashi's Togashi（冨樫）. Both continue a fierce offensive and defensive struggle.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Within the time limit, both sides look for openings, but no valid strikes are scored.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Regulation time has ended. 0-0. The match goes into encho.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
This is where the real critical moment begins. It will be a battle of attrition in terms of mental and physical strength.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Encho 1, neither side gives an inch. There are no valid strikes.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Both are highly cautious and will not let the other strike easily.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
It moves into Encho 2, but no valid strike is scored here either.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It has become a war of attrition. It's a matter of who breaks first.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Encho 3. A fierce exchange of strikes continues, but there is no resolution.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Incredible tenacity. Still, an ippon has yet to be scored.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
And then came Encho 4. This is where the match shifted!
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Red's Umaki（馬木）, kote! A kote point was scored!
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It's a point! A tenacious kote strike. He takes an ippon here.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
The winning point came in Encho 4. Umaki（馬木） struck the kote to decide the match.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
After a long battle of 13 minutes and 35 seconds, a magnificent ippon was scored.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Match time 13 minutes 35 seconds. The winner is red, Nitta Umaki（馬木）!
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Umaki（馬木）'s mental strength, refusing to give up until the end, brought about this ippon.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Winning the fierce battle, Umaki（馬木） advances to the semifinals!
To both players
Applause for Umaki（馬木）, who won a hard-fought battle and scored a brilliant ippon. I would also like to praise the fighting spirit of Togashi（冨樫）, who fought until the end without giving up. I look forward to the future success of both players.
Nitta（新田）
- Official name
- 新田高等学校
- Reading
- Nitta
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (School Corporation Nitta Gakuen)
- Location
- 663 Nishiyama-cho, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture.
- History
- The Shinko Ikuei Foundation and Nitta Junior High School were authorized on June 18, 1938, and the school opened in April 1939. It was authorized as a new-system high school in 1948, and an industrial course was established in 1958. Originally a boys' school, it became coeducational in the 1986 academic year. A Super Special Advanced Course was established in 2009.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "Sincerity, Brightness, Respect and Love, Robustness."
- Department.
- General studies courses (Super Special Advancement, Special Advancement, Comprehensive Advancement Selection, and Comprehensive Advancement), Industrial studies (Industrial Technology Course)
- Kendo Club
- In the 1981 National High School Comprehensive Sports Tournament Kendo Competition, the men's team was runner-up (PL Gakuen won). They won the team event at the 72nd Shikoku High School Kendo Championships (men's) in June 2026. They qualified for Inter-High in both the men's team and men's individual events by winning the Ehime Prefecture qualifiers for the 8th year of Reiwa. The men's individual representative is 馬木洸虎 (3rd year, 3rd dan).
- Notes
- Read as "Nitta" and not "Shinden". There are examples of the surname of 馬木 洸虎 being misread by OCR of public materials, but the official notation of Ehime Prefectural High School Sports Federation is "馬木 洸虎".
Iwata Higashi（磐田東）
- Official name
- 磐田東高等学校(磐田東中学校・高等学校)
- Reading
- Iwata Higashi
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private coeducational school. It began accepting male students in 1984 as an attached middle and high school.
- Location
- 180-5 Mitake, Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
- History
- In 1959, the high school was established. In 2003, the junior high school was established, and now provides a unified middle and high school education.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "The Way of the Mean." It originates from the Chinese classic *Doctrine of the Mean*, where "中" (chu) signifies correctness and impartiality, and "庸" (yo) represents constancy and unwavering principles.
- Department.
- General Studies (Special Selection Course, Comprehensive University Entrance Course, Future Exploration Course)
- Kendo Club
- They won the boys' team event at the 72nd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament (Hiroshima) in 2025, achieving the school's first Inter-High victory. They are not participating in the boys' team event in this tournament, as Hamana is the representative for the boys' team from Shizuoka Prefecture. According to the school's Notion page, this is because they lost to Hamana in the Shizuoka Prefecture qualifying final; therefore, they will participate in the girls' team, boys' individual (冨樫遵乃介), and girls' individual (田中萌心) events in this tournament. The school is also prestigious for soccer, having produced players such as 伊藤 Hiroki (FC Bayern Munich).
- Notes
- The previous tournament’s men’s team champions, but this tournament they are participating in the women’s team event and both the men’s and women’s individual events.
Source: 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament Official Website "Tournament Bulletin" (Match Results / Tournament Bracket)
https://inhigh.kendotaikai.jp/大会速報↗
Only facts recorded in the logs (matches, valid strikes and their order, outcomes, match duration, and presence of fouls) are listed. The play-by-play and commentary are AI-generated content.
https://inhigh.kendotaikai.jp/大会速報↗
Only facts recorded in the logs (matches, valid strikes and their order, outcomes, match duration, and presence of fouls) are listed. The play-by-play and commentary are AI-generated content.