Women's Individual Round 1 Court 1 Section8Match

Encho 3 (extension) — Takase（髙瀬） wins

📅 August 2–5, 2026 📍 Lotto Arena Nara

The first round of the women's individual event at the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championships took place, featuring a match between Takase（髙瀬） and Yamada（山田）. No valid strikes were scored within the regulation time or the first and Encho 2 periods, and the match lasted 10 minutes and 17 seconds. In Encho 3, Takase in red scored a men strike to win.

Matchup

Red Takase Kazuha（髙瀬冬羽） / Kendai Takasaki（健大高崎） / Gunma3rd Year 2nd dan
Kendai Takasaki's Takase（髙瀬） is a 3rd-year 2nd-dan player.
White Yamada Mei（山田芽依） / Aterazawa（左沢） / Yamagata3rd Year 2nd dan
Yamada（山田） of Aterazawa is a 3rd-year student and 2nd dan player. The Aterazawa girls' kendo club is one of the strongest in the country, having won the girls' team event at the Inter-High twice in the past.

Highlights

A tense development with no valid strikes from the regulation time through Encho 2.

A war of attrition that remained undecided even after Encho 3.

A fierce battle lasting a long time of 10 minutes and 17 seconds

Live commentary video

Valid strike

#	Situation	Red and White	Players	Technique
1	Encho 3	Red	Takase（髙瀬）	Men

Conclusion: Encho 3
Match time: 10:17
Winner: Takase（髙瀬）（Red）
Foul: No record

Text Commentary

Commentary
剣持翔

The 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championships, Women's Individual first round, Court 1, Match 8.

Explanation
堂島厳

It became a war of attrition that lasted 10 minutes and 17 seconds, with no winner decided even after Encho 3.

Commentary
剣持翔

Red is Kendai Takasaki's Takase（髙瀬）, white is Aterazawa's Yamada（山田）. Both are third-year 2nd dan.

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a highly tense development, with neither side giving an inch.

Commentary
剣持翔

Within the regulation time, neither side scored a valid strike, and the match enters encho at 0-0.

Explanation
堂島厳

It became a battle of mental and physical strength to see who would break first.

Commentary
剣持翔

It went into Encho 1, but still, no valid strike is made.

Explanation
堂島厳

Both sides cautiously gauged each other's distance, and neither was able to land a decisive blow.

Commentary
剣持翔

Next is Encho 2. A fierce exchange of attacks takes place, but there are no valid strikes.

Explanation
堂島厳

It is a grueling war of attrition. Even so, neither side's concentration has wavered.

Commentary
剣持翔

And then came Encho 3. This is where the match shifts!

Explanation
堂島厳

Finally, the deadlock has been broken.

Commentary
剣持翔

Takase（髙瀬） in red, Men! Men is awarded!

Explanation
堂島厳

They fought tenaciously to the end and finally landed a solid men strike.

Commentary
剣持翔

It was decided by an ippon in Encho 3. The match time was 10 minutes and 17 seconds.

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a truly magnificent performance, from the regulation time through Encho 3.

Commentary
剣持翔

There were no records of fouls, and it was a fair and spirited battle.

Explanation
堂島厳

This was a match where those who maintained their focus until the end advanced.

Commentary
剣持翔

The winner is red, Kendai Takasaki Takase（髙瀬）! A splendid victory.

To both players

Congratulations to Takase（髙瀬）, who won with a magnificent men strike. Applause also goes to Yamada（山田） for fighting bravely and never giving up until the end. I look forward to the further growth of both players.

Kendai Takasaki（健大高崎）

Official name: 健大高崎高等学校
Reading: Kendai Takasaki
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (Takasaki University of Health and Welfare)
Location: 531 Chudairui-cho, Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture
History: Founded in 1936 as the Fukuso Wayosei Girls' Academy. Renamed Sudo Higher Technical Arts School in 1954, and the Gunma Women's Junior College Affiliated High School was opened in 1968. In 2001, it was renamed Takasaki University of Health and Welfare Takasaki High School and became coeducational.
School motto/philosophy: The school motto is "Gratitude, Service, and Friendship."
Department.: Full-time Course, General Department (Special Advanced Course, Advanced Course, Academic Course, Athlete Course)
Kendo Club: The girls' kendo club is a designated powerhouse club. The "Major Achievements" section of the official website lists "Inter-High (24 team appearances, 3rd place 3 times)," "All Japan Selected Tournament (24 team appearances, 3rd place 1 time)," and "Kanto Tournament (29 team appearances, 2nd place 3 times)." In the 2025 academic year, they reached the team top 16 and individual top 8 at the 72nd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament. The club motto is "Kokki Chishin." (Note: Wikipedia lists 3rd place in the high school general sports festival twice, which differs from the official website).
Notes: History, school motto, and location are to be investigated (TODO).

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/高崎健康福祉大学高崎高等学校↗ https://www.tuhw-h.ed.jp/school_information/soccer_m/kendo_w↗

Aterazawa（左沢）

Official name: 山形県立左沢高等学校
Reading: Aterazawa
Division/Category of Establishment: Yamagata Prefectural (Coeducational)
Location: 816-3 Yamano, Fujida, Oaza Ooe, Nishimurayama District, Yamagata Prefecture.
History: Opened in April 1948 as Yamagata Prefectural Takamatsu High School, with a branch school established in July of the same year Aterazawa. Became Yamagata Prefectural Aterazawa High School with the high school consolidation in 1952. Relocated to the current Fujida area in 1985, and reorganized into a comprehensive high school in 2013.
School motto/philosophy: The school’s guiding principle is “to pursue the well-being of the school and to develop capable individuals who will contribute to the community.”
Department.: Comprehensive Studies (Liberal Arts, Business, and Orchard Horticulture courses)
Kendo Club: The women's kendo team is one of the strongest in the nation. They won the women's team event at the National High School Kendo Tournament in 1992 (39th time) and 1998 (45th time), and were runners-up in 1983 (30th time) and 1987 (34th time). They recorded 28 consecutive wins at the prefectural high school general athletic meet until fiscal year 2010, where their winning streak was broken in the semi-finals against Yamagata Johoku in fiscal year 2011. In the Yamagata Prefecture qualifying round for the kendo competition of the National Sports Festival in June 2026, Aterazawa High School team finished second, and the Yamagata Prefecture selection team with four additional members won. This tournament will feature the women's team and women's individual events (山田芽依 player・猿山桃花 player).
Notes: "Aterazawa" is read as "aterazawa," a difficult-to-read school name. The only high school in Ooe Town.

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/山形県立左沢高等学校↗ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/全国高等学校剣道大会↗ http://www.aterazawa-h.ed.jp/htdocs/↗ https://app.notion.com/p/c8f156f7231440fca3b6ce75e9feed69↗

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.