Win by one ippon — Ito（伊藤） wins
The second round of the men's individual event at the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championship took place, featuring a match between Ito（伊藤） and Inaba（稲葉）. They fought through the regulation time of 4 minutes and 0 seconds, and the match was decided by a difference of one ippon. Ito scored a kote within the regulation time, and the winner was Ito.
Matchup
- Red Ito Kosuke（伊藤 光佑） / Meiho（明豊） / Oita3rd Year 2nd danIto（伊藤）, a 3rd-year 2nd-dan from Meiho. He is competing as a representative of a powerhouse school with a track record including two consecutive runner-up finishes in the Inter-High boys' team event.
- White Inaba Kei（稲葉 慧） / Kamakura Gakuen（鎌倉学園） / Kanagawa3rd Year 3rd danInaba（稲葉）, a 3rd-year sandan from Kamakura Gakuen. They entered the tournament as the prefectural qualifier runner-up from the same school, which secured its first Inter-High appearance in approximately 52 years.
Highlights
Ito（伊藤）'s kote strike within the time limit
A tense development to protect a single ippon
The offensive and defensive struggle continued until the very end of the 4-minute time limit.
Live commentary video
Valid strike
| # | Situation | Red and White | Players | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Within the time limit | Red | Ito（伊藤） | Kote |
- Conclusion
- Win by one ippon
- Match time
- 4:00
- Winner
- Ito（伊藤）（Red）
- Foul
- 稲葉 慧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
The 73rd National High School Kendo Championships, Men's Individual second round. Court 2, Match 9.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
It was a tense development, with the lead of one ippon being defended until the very end of the regulation time.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Red is Ito（伊藤） from Meiho, and white is Inaba（稲葉） from Kamakura Gakuen. Both athletes face off with sharp intensity.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It is a very tense tachiai, as both sides vie for the initial initiative.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Whoa, he moved! Red's Ito（伊藤） scored a kote!
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It was a sharp strike. With this, Ito（伊藤） takes a one-ippon lead.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Inaba（稲葉） from Kamakura Gakuen attacks aggressively against Ito（伊藤）, who leads by one ippon.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Inaba（稲葉） is desperately trying to catch up, but Ito（伊藤） is defending calmly.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Only a little time remains in the match. Can Ito（伊藤） of Meiho hold onto their ippon?
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
From here on, it will be a battle of mental strength.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Inaba（稲葉） continues their fierce attack, but Ito（伊藤） manages to weather it!
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
That is the signal for the end! After fighting through the regulation time of 4 minutes and 0 seconds, Red wins by a difference of one ippon.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
You kept your focus until the very end and brilliantly defended your ippon.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
The winner is Ito（伊藤） from Meiho! Having won a fierce battle, they advance to the next match.
To both players
Congratulations to Ito（伊藤） for securing a brilliant victory. We also commend Inaba（稲葉） for fighting bravely and never giving up until the end, despite the unfortunate loss. 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.
Kamakura Gakuen（鎌倉学園）
- Official name
- 鎌倉学園高等学校
- Reading
- Kamakura Gakuen
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (School Corporation Kamakura Gakuen). Integrated junior and senior high school (since 1986).
- Location
- 110 Yamanouchi, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
- History
- Founded on September 10, 1921, by Sugawara Tokuyasu, the head priest of the Kencho-ji school of Zen Buddhism, as the former “鎌倉中学校”. Following postwar educational reforms, it became a new system middle and high school, and began unified middle and high school education in 1986. The school grounds are located on the site of “玉雲庵”, a sub-temple of Kencho-ji, ranked first among the Five Great Temples of Kamakura.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "Reigi Renchi" (Rei = maintaining decorum, Gi = not showing off, Ren = not concealing faults, Chi = not being led into evil). The educational philosophy is "Bunbu Ryodo" (the way of the pen and the sword).
- Department.
- General studies course.
- Kendo Club
- In 1968, the team was runner-up in the Inter-High men's team event. In fiscal year 2013, they reached the best 8 in the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament. In recent years, they were runner-up in the Kantō block of the National Sports Festival in Reiwa 3, qualified for the Kantō tournament team event in Reiwa 5, and finished 3rd in the Inter-High qualifying team event in Reiwa 6, among other achievements. On June 20, 2026, they won the Kanagawa Prefectural High School General Athletic Meet Kendo Competition men's team event (their opponent in the final was Yokohama), and according to the Yomiuri Shimbun, they secured a spot in the Inter-High for the first time in about 52 years. 稲葉慧 player, who was runner-up in the prefectural qualifying, will participate in the men's individual event.
- Notes
- A school other than Kanagawa Prefectural Kamakura High School.
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.