Encho 3 (extension) — Kihara（木原） wins
The first round of the women's individual event at the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championship took place, featuring a match between Kihara（木原） and Beppu（別府）. No valid strikes were scored within the regulation time or the first and Encho 2s, but Kihara won by scoring a do in Encho 3. The match lasted 10 minutes and 4 seconds, and Kihara advanced to the next round.
Matchup
- Red Kihara Ayuka（木原 愛由花） / Nakamura Gakuen（中村学園） / Fukuoka2nd year 2nd danKihara（木原）, a second-year 2nd dan from Nakamura Gakuen. They are competing as a representative of Nakamura Gakuen, one of the strongest schools in the country with eight Inter-High women's team championships.
- White Beppu Sae（別府 紗衣） / Mie（三重） / Mie3rd Year 2nd danBeppu（別府）, a 3rd-year 2nd-dan from Mie. A student of Mie High School who competed after placing third in the Tokai Tournament and winning the Mie prefectural qualifiers.
Highlights
A tense development with no valid strikes from either side within the regulation time and 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 4 seconds
Live commentary video
Valid strike
| # | Situation | Red and White | Players | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Encho 3 | Red | Kihara（木原） | Do |
- Conclusion
- Encho 3
- Match time
- 10:04
- Winner
- Kihara（木原）（Red）
- Foul
- No record
Text Commentary
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
The 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championship, Women's Individual first round, Court 3, Match 24.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It became a fierce war of attrition that lasted for a long time—10 minutes and 4 seconds—and remained undecided until Encho 3.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Red is Kihara（木原） (Nakamura Gakuen・Fukuoka・2nd year 2nd dan), white is Beppu（別府） (Mie・Mie・3rd year 2nd dan).
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Neither side would give an inch, and the high-tension development continued.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Within the time limit, both show sharp exchanges of strikes, but there are no valid points.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Neither side left any openings, and the deadlock remained unbroken even in the encho period, which they entered at 0-0.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Encho 1, and then second. Still, neither side lands a valid strike, and the match continues to drag on.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It is a physically demanding situation, but their concentration has not wavered until the end.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
And now, Encho 3. Finally, the time has come to settle this long battle!
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
Red moved here!
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Kihara（木原）, Do! It's a point!
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
The winning point in Encho 3. It was a magnificent do.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
Match time 10 minutes 4 seconds. With no fouls recorded, both fought with honor until the end.
Explanation
堂島 厳
堂島 厳
It was a wonderful match, fought to the limits of mental and physical strength.
Commentary
剣持 翔
剣持 翔
The winner is red's Kihara（木原） (Nakamura Gakuen・Fukuoka・2nd year 2nd dan)!
To both players
Congratulations to Kihara（木原）, who won with a brilliant do. We commend the fighting spirit of Beppu（別府）, who fought until the end without giving up. We look forward to the further growth of both players.
Nakamura Gakuen（中村学園）
- Official name
- 中村学園高等学校(2026年4月に中村学園女子高等学校から改称)
- Reading
- Nakamura Gakuen
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private school. Coeducational from April 2026 (Reiwa 8). Nakamura Gakuen Includes a middle school.
- Location
- Fukuoka Prefecture Fukuoka City Jonan Ward Torikai 7-10-38
- History
- Opened as Nakamura Gakuen Girls' High School in April 1960. Nakamura Gakuen Girls' Junior High School opened in April 1992. In April 2026 (Reiwa 8), with the transition to coeducation, "Girls'" was removed from the school name, and it was changed to Nakamura Gakuen Junior High School and Nakamura Gakuen High School respectively.
- Department.
- Full-time general academic course.
- Kendo Club
- The women’s kendo team is one of the strongest in the nation. They have won the Inter-High women’s team event eight times: in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. From 2016 to 2022, they achieved a six-year winning streak, including the 2020 cancellation, and are currently on a two-year winning streak in 2024 and 2025. They won the Tamaryu Flag in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (eight consecutive years from 2016 to 2023). They won the National High School Kendo Selection Tournament in 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2021, and finished third in the 34th tournament in March 2025. They advanced to the Inter-High in the women’s team and women’s individual events (木原愛由花選手・2nd year・2nd dan) by winning the Fukuoka prefectural qualifying tournament for fiscal year 2026.
- Notes
- The school name until March 2026 is "Nakamura Gakuen Girls' High School". In past tournament records, it is written as "Nakamura Gakuen Women". It is a different school from Nakamura Junior High and High School in Koto Ward, Tokyo.
Mie（三重）
- Official name
- 三重高等学校
- Reading
- Mie
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (coeducational). A junior and senior high school with an affiliated Mie middle school.
- Location
- Mie Prefecture Matsusaka City Kubocho 1232
- History
- In April 1961 (Showa 36), the high school was established and relocated to the current location in August of the same year. The junior high school was established in April 1962. Coeducation was introduced in April 1974, and a six-year middle and high school system was adopted in April 1985. In April 1994, Mie High School and Matsusaka Women's High School merged. The new school building was completed in April 2008, and the six-year middle and high school system commenced. In April 2018, the operating entity became independent from Umemura Gakuen Educational Institution.
- School motto/philosophy
- School motto: "Sincerity and earnestness"
- Department.
- General studies (university preparatory course, advanced preparatory course, six-year course)
- Kendo Club
- The kendo club is a designated strengthening club of the high school. Winning the Mie prefectural qualifying tournament in 2026 (Reiwa 8), the men's team advanced to Inter-High, and is introduced in the Let's Kendo combination article as "Tokai Tournament 3rd place・Mie(Mie)". 平岡青空 and 田﨑寛舵 players participated in the men's individual event, and 別府紗衣 player participated in the women's individual event. The history and national tournament results of the kendo club alone could not be confirmed in publicly available information.
- Notes
- A school nationally known as a baseball powerhouse. This tournament features competition in the men's team, men's individual, and women's individual categories.
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.