Men's Individual Round 3 Court 4 Section16Match

Encho 1 (extension) — Togashi（冨樫） wins

📅 August 2–5, 2026 📍 Lotto Arena Nara

The 3rd round of the men's individual event at the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championships took place, and Togashi（冨樫） defeated Sekizawa（關澤）. The match lasted 8 minutes and 11 seconds, and with neither side scoring a valid strike within the regulation time, the match remained 0-0 and went into encho. In Encho 1, Togashi scored a men strike for the winning point to decide the match.

Matchup

Red Sekizawa Ichita（關澤一太） / Ryukoku（龍谷） / Saga2nd year 2nd dan
Ryukoku's Sekizawa（關澤） is a 2nd-year 2nd-dan player.
White Togashi Junnosuke（冨樫遵乃介） / Iwata Higashi（磐田東） / Shizuoka3rd Year 3rd dan
Togashi（冨樫） of Iwata Higashi is a 3rd-year student with a 3rd-dan rank. Iwata Higashi is a school with a record of winning the boys' team championship at the 72nd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament in 2025.

Highlights

It became a tense development where neither side allowed a valid strike within the regulation time.

A steady exchange of offense and defense unfolded.

With a strike in Encho 1, Togashi（冨樫） hit men to close out the match.

Live commentary video

Valid strike

#	Situation	Red and White	Players	Technique
1	Encho 1	White	Togashi（冨樫）	Men

Conclusion: Encho 1
Match time: 8:11
Winner: Togashi（冨樫）（White）
Foul: No record

Text Commentary

Commentary
剣持翔

Court 4, Match 16. Sekizawa（關澤） of Ryukoku・佐賀 versus Togashi（冨樫） of Iwata Higashi・Shizuoka.

Explanation
堂島厳

I expect this to be a match with very solid offense and defense, as neither side will leave any openings.

Commentary
剣持翔

And we're off. Both sides are gauging the distance, cautiously looking for an opening to strike.

Explanation
堂島厳

Neither side is breaking. With extremely high concentration, they are gauging each other's movements.

Commentary
剣持翔

Intense offense and defense continue within the time limit, but no valid strikes are scored.

Explanation
堂島厳

Both sides maintained a solid defense, and time passed without either landing a decisive blow.

Commentary
剣持翔

With the score remaining 0-0, the match enters encho.

Explanation
堂島厳

From here on, it is a battle of mental strength. A single moment of weakness will determine the outcome.

Commentary
剣持翔

It has gone into Encho 1. Amidst the tension, a fierce exchange of strikes begins once again.

Explanation
堂島厳

Who will seize the rhythm first? The offense and defense here will decide everything.

Commentary
剣持翔

There it is! Togashi（冨樫） in white landed a sharp men!

Explanation
堂島厳

That was a splendid men. You caught them perfectly.

Commentary
剣持翔

The winning point came in Encho 1. Togashi（冨樫） scored an ippon with a men strike, ending the match.

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a tenacious fight, but in the end, Togashi（冨樫） maintained their focus and secured the win.

Commentary
剣持翔

Match time 8 minutes 11 seconds. The winner is Iwata Higashi's Togashi（冨樫） from Shizuoka!

Explanation
堂島厳

I would like to praise Togashi（冨樫） for delivering the final blow in a steady match.

To both players

Congratulations to Togashi（冨樫）, who secured the victory with a magnificent men strike. Applause also goes to Sekizawa（關澤） for a spirited performance and a steady fight until the end. I look forward to the further growth of both players.

Ryukoku（龍谷）

Official name: 龍谷高等学校
Reading: Ryukoku
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (佐賀Ryukoku Gakuen Educational Corporation)
Location: 佐賀 Prefecture 佐賀 City Mizugae 3-1-25
History: Founded in 1878 as Shinfu Kyoko. It was renamed Ryukoku Junior High School in 1908 and became the new system Ryukoku High School in 1948. Ryukoku Junior High School reopened in 1994, and it became a combined junior and senior high school in 1997.
School motto/philosophy: School Motto: "Gassho, Gratitude, Self-discipline, Cheerfulness" / Philosophy: "Education of the Heart"
Department.: General Course (Special Advanced, Humanities/Science Advanced, Comprehensive, Childcare, and Buddhism courses), Combined Junior and Senior High School Course
Kendo Club: The boys' kendo team won the 2007 All Japan High School Championships (2007 Seishun 佐賀 Championships). They also won the boys' division at the Gyokuryuki in 2007 and placed 3rd in the boys' team event in the 2019 fiscal year. In 2024, they were runners-up in the boys' division at the 33rd All Japan High School Kendo Selected Tournament and placed 3rd in the boys' team event at the 38th Kyushu High School Selected Kendo Tournament.
Notes: History, school motto, and location are to be investigated (TODO).

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/龍谷中学校・高等学校↗ https://www.sagaryukoku.ed.jp/hsc/club/↗ (学校公式・部活動)

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: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/磐田東中学校・高等学校↗ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/全国高等学校剣道大会↗ https://app.notion.com/p/aa8f4965ee70449d9606b734238c8730↗

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.