Men's Individual Round 1 Court 3 Section24Match

Encho 5 (extension) — Saito（齋藤） wins

📅 August 2–5, 2026 📍 Lotto Arena Nara

The first round of the men's individual event at the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament was held, and Saito（齋藤） won by scoring a men strike. There were no valid strikes within the regulation time or through Encho 4, and the winning point was scored in Encho 5. The match lasted 17 minutes and 50 seconds, and Saito in white advanced.

Matchup

Red Morimoto Kodai（森元煌大） / Kagoshima Jitsugyo（鹿児島実業） / Kagoshima3rd Year 2nd dan
Kagoshima Jitsugyo's Morimoto（森元） is a 3rd year, 2nd dan. He is competing as a representative of Kagoshima Prefecture.
White Saito（齋藤正真） / Seiko Gakuin（聖光学院） / Fukushima2nd year 2nd dan
Seiko Gakuin's Saito（齋藤） is a 2nd-year student and 2nd dan. Seiko Gakuin, a designated strengthening school, placed 3rd in the boys' team event at the 71st Inter-High in 2024.

Highlights

A tense development with no valid strikes from the regulation time through Encho 4.

An intense, long match lasting 17 minutes and 50 seconds

The winning point was finally scored after a war of attrition that remained undecided through five encho periods.

Live commentary video

Valid strike

#	Situation	Red and White	Players	Technique
1	Encho 5	White	Saito（齋藤）	Men

Conclusion: Encho 5
Match time: 17:50
Winner: Saito（齋藤）（White）
Foul: 齋藤正真Posted on the board (it is not clear from the flash report when the foul occurred)

Text Commentary

Commentary
剣持翔

The 73rd National High School Kendo Championships, Men's Individual first round, Court 3, Match 24.

Explanation
堂島厳

What is noteworthy is that it became a war of attrition that remained undecided even after five extensions.

Commentary
剣持翔

Yes, it became a fierce, long-drawn-out battle, with the match lasting 17 minutes and 50 seconds.

Commentary
剣持翔

Red is Kagoshima Jitsugyo's Morimoto（森元）, and white is Seiko Gakuin's Saito（齋藤）. Both clash intensely.

Explanation
堂島厳

Neither side is leaving any openings, and the match continues to be extremely tense.

Commentary
剣持翔

The match ended within the time limit, but neither side scored a valid strike.

Explanation
堂島厳

Neither side could land a decisive blow, and with the match remaining 0-0, it goes into encho.

Commentary
剣持翔

Encho 1, and then second. Still, no valid strikes have been made.

Explanation
堂島厳

It is a physically demanding situation, but they are enduring it through sheer concentration.

Commentary
剣持翔

Encho 3, then fourth. Still, no conclusion is reached, and only time passes.

Explanation
堂島厳

It is truly a war of attrition. From here, it becomes a battle of mental strength to see who makes the first move.

Commentary
剣持翔

And then came Encho 5. Finally, the decisive blow was struck!

Commentary
剣持翔

White's Saito（齋藤） scores Men! Men is awarded!

Explanation
堂島厳

That was a splendid men. You prevailed after a long exchange of attacks.

Commentary
剣持翔

The winning point came in Encho 5. White's Saito（齋藤） scores an ippon, and the match is over.

Commentary
剣持翔

Match time 17 minutes 50 seconds. Saito（齋藤） of Seiko Gakuin defeated Morimoto（森元） of Kagoshima Jitsugyo.

Explanation
堂島厳

I believe it was a valuable ippon, the result of fighting tenaciously until the end.

Commentary
剣持翔

Winning the fierce battle, the one advancing to the next match is Seiko Gakuin's Saito（齋藤）!

To both players

Congratulations to Saito（齋藤） for winning the hard-fought match. Applause also goes to Morimoto（森元） for fighting bravely and never giving up until the end. I look forward to the further growth of both players.

Kagoshima Jitsugyo（鹿児島実業）

Official name: 鹿児島実業高等学校
Reading: Kagoshima Jitsugyo
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (Kawashima Gakuen Educational Corporation)
Location: 3591-3 Gok別府-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture
History: Founded the private Kagoshima Jitsugyo Chugakkan in October 1916. The establishment of the private Kagoshima Jitsugyo school was authorized in 1917. In April 1995, the school moved to its current location, established a humanities and sciences course, and began recruiting female students.
School motto/philosophy: School Motto "Indomitable Spirit" / Educational Guidelines "Sincerity and Consistency," "Quiet Mind, Silence"
Department.: Full-time Course: Humanities and Sciences, General, Integrated / Correspondence Course
Kendo Club: The Kendo club is known as a powerhouse school. In June 2021, they won the 69th Kagoshima Prefecture High School Kendo Tournament Men's Individual competition, qualifying for the Kyushu High School Athletic Meet and the Inter-High. In December of the same year, they placed 3rd in the Men's Team and won the Men's Individual title at the Prefectural Newcomer Kendo Competition.
Notes: History, school motto, and location are to be investigated (TODO).

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/鹿児島実業高等学校↗ https://www.kajitsu.ac.jp/clubs/↗ (学校公式・部活動)

Seiko Gakuin（聖光学院）

Official name: 聖光学院高等学校
Reading: Seiko Gakuin
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (coeducational). Established by the school corporation Seiko Gakuin.
Location: Rokkakku 3, Date City, Fukushima Prefecture (First Campus), 成田, Doi-no-uchi 10, Koori Town, Date District, Fukushima Prefecture (Second Campus)
History: Founded in 1962 (Showa 37) as Seiko Gakuin Industrial High School. Renamed to Seiko Gakuin High School in 1977 (Showa 52).
School motto/philosophy: The school motto is “To those who work with God.” The school name, 『聖光』, comes from Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world,” and the school provides education based on Christian principles. They have a unique educational philosophy called “80/3mind,” which posits that the three years of high school are the three years that determine one’s life.
Department.: General studies, engineering department.
Kendo Club: Designated school club for strengthening. 3rd place in the 71st Inter-High Men's Team in 2024. At the same tournament, 戸田皇聖 was selected as the Men's Outstanding Player, and 渡部楓 was selected as the Men's Outstanding Player at the 34th National High School Kendo Selection Tournament. In this tournament, they will participate as representatives of Fukushima Prefecture in the Men's Team and Men's Individual events, with 工藤煌大 player (2nd year, Sandan) and 齋藤正真 player (2nd year, Nidan) in the Men's Individual event.
Notes: Kanagawa Prefecture Yokohama City’s Seiko Gakuin Middle and High School is a different school. Its hardball baseball club is known as a frequent participant in the Koshien tournament.

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/聖光学院高等学校↗ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/全国高等学校総合体育大会剣道競技大会↗ https://www.seikogakuin.jp/club/index.html↗ https://www.kendo.or.jp/event/koko-senbatsu-34th/↗ https://app.notion.com/p/4cf5203a40fd41168bd7da45e30a6685↗

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.