Men's Individual Round 1 Court 4 Section29Match

Win by one ippon — Yano（矢野） wins

📅 August 2–5, 2026 📍 Lotto Arena Nara

The 29th match of the first round of the men's individual event at the 73rd National High School Kendo Championships was held. After fighting through the regulation time of 4 minutes and 0 seconds, the match was decided by a one-ippon difference. Yano（矢野） in red scored a men first, and the winner was Yano.

Matchup

Red Yano Koga（矢野昊雅） / Meiho（明豊） / Oita3rd Year 2nd dan
Yano（矢野） of Meiho is a 3rd-year 2nd dan. He is a player from a powerhouse school with a track record including being the runner-up in the Inter-High boys' team competition for two consecutive years.
White Chiyoda Koshiro（千代田幸志郎） / Maebashi（前橋） / Gunma3rd Year 3rd dan
Chiyoda（千代田） of Maebashi is a 3rd year 3rd dan. He is competing in the 2026 men's individual.

Highlights

A precious ippon where Yano（矢野） scored men within the time limit.

A tense development to protect a single ippon

An offensive and defensive struggle that lasted the full 4-minute time limit

Live commentary video

Valid strike

#	Situation	Red and White	Players	Technique
1	Within the time limit	Red	Yano（矢野）	Men

Conclusion: Win by one ippon
Match time: 4:00
Winner: Yano（矢野）（Red）
Foul: No record

Text Commentary

Commentary
剣持翔

Court 4, Match 29. It was a tense development where the one-ippon lead was defended until the end of the time limit.

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a match with a very tense atmosphere, as to who would seize the initiative first.

Commentary
剣持翔

Red is Meiho's Yano（矢野）, and white is Maebashi's Chiyoda（千代田）. Both face off with sharp footwork.

Explanation
堂島厳

They are cautiously gauging the distance, each waiting for the other to leave an opening.

Commentary
剣持翔

Whoa, he moved! Red's Yano（矢野） lunged forward sharply! Men!

Explanation
堂島厳

That was a splendid Men. It was struck cleanly.

Commentary
剣持翔

An ippon was scored against Yano（矢野）. From here, white's Chiyoda（千代田） begins a fierce comeback.

Explanation
堂島厳

Even as Chiyoda（千代田）, they will want to make a comeback from here and bring the score to a tie.

Commentary
剣持翔

The intense back-and-forth continues. Chiyoda（千代田） puts the pressure on, but Yano（矢野） holds his ground!

Explanation
堂島厳

Yano（矢野） is calmly weathering the opponent's attacks. This is the level of concentration needed to protect an ippon.

Commentary
剣持翔

Only a little time remains in the match. Chiyoda（千代田）'s final strike doesn't reach!

Explanation
堂島厳

Chiyoda（千代田） didn't give up until the end, but Yano（矢野）'s defense was solid.

Commentary
剣持翔

The 4-minute regulation time has elapsed, and that is the signal for the end of the match!

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a tense battle where the outcome remained uncertain until the end, decided by a single ippon.

Commentary
剣持翔

With one ippon men, Meiho's Yano（矢野） wins!

Explanation
堂島厳

I would like to applaud Yano（矢野）'s mental strength in fighting through to victory.

Commentary
剣持翔

The winner was red, Meiho Yano（矢野）!

To both players

Applause for Yano（矢野）, who successfully defended their ippon to secure the victory. We commend the fighting spirit of Chiyoda（千代田）, who fought without giving up until the end. We look forward to the further growth of both players.

Meiho（明豊）

Official name: 明豊高等学校(明豊中学・高等学校)
Reading: Meiho
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (co-educational). A combined junior and senior high school established by the 別府 University educational corporation.
Location: 3088 Noguchihara, 別府 City, Oita Prefecture
History: The origin is the Hoshu Girls' School, founded in 1908 (Meiji 41). The school became the 別府 University Affiliated High School in 1958, after passing through Showa Jissen Girls' School, Hoshu Higher Girls' School, Oita Girls' High School, and Jiyugaoka High School. In 1998, the Educational Corporation 別府 University and the Educational Corporation Myojo Gakuen merged, and in April 1999, Meiho Junior High School and Meiho High School opened. The two former schools closed in 2001. The school name combines "Myo" (bright) from Myojo and "Ho" (abundant) from Hoshu Girls' School.
Department.: Full-time courses: General academic course (Special Advanced class, University-High School Collaboration class, Physical Education major class), Health Nursing course, Nursing course (Advanced program), Correspondence course: General academic course.
Kendo Club: At Inter-High for the men’s team, they were runners-up for two consecutive years in 2024 (71st) and 2025 (72nd), and placed third in 2019 (66th) and 2021 (68th). In the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament for the men’s team, they won in 2022 (31st) and were runners-up in 2019 (28th). For the men’s individual event, Yamashita Kenki won at Inter-High in 2024. The women’s team were runners-up at Inter-High in 2022 and 2023, and placed third in 2024. They won at the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament in 2024 and were runners-up in 2022, 2025, and 2026. They will participate in all four divisions – men’s and women’s team and individual – at this tournament.
Notes: In school introductions, the kendo club, table tennis club, baseball club, and women’s basketball club are said to be at a national level. The baseball club was the runner-up in the 2021 Spring Koshien tournament.

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/明豊中学校・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://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/全国高等学校剣道選抜大会↗ https://www.kendo.or.jp/event/koko-senbatsu-31st/↗ https://app.notion.com/p/57565c112c6a4538ac6526a5a5afc8db↗

Maebashi（前橋）

Official name: 前橋高等学校
Reading: Maebashi
Division/Category of Establishment: Public (Gunma Prefecture)
Location: 321-1 Shimooki-cho, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture
History: It originates from the "17th Middle School Tonegawa School" established in September 1877 within the former Maebashi castle grounds. After passing through stages such as the Gunma Prefecture Ordinary Middle School, it became Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Middle School in April 1901, and then Gunma Prefectural Maebashi High School during the 1948 school system reform. In 1979, it moved to its current location in a newly constructed building.
School motto/philosophy: The school motto is "Shitsujitsu Goken" (simplicity and fortitude) and "Kiu Yudai" (magnanimity).
Department.: Full-time course, General course (Boys' school)
Kendo Club: The official Kendo club page's "Tournament Results for the Past 10 Years" states "Inter-High appearances: Team 4 times, Individuals 8," "All Japan High School Kendo Selected Tournament appearances: Team 4 times," and "Kanto appearances: Team 9 times, Individuals 11." Reached the best 16 at the All Japan High School Kendo Selected Tournament in March 2023. Won the team championship at the Gunma Prefecture High School General Athletic Meet Kendo Competition in May 2023 (10th title, first time in 4 years).
Notes: History, school motto, and location are to be investigated (TODO).

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/群馬県立前橋高等学校↗ https://maebashi-hs.gsn.ed.jp/↗ (学校公式・剣道部)

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.