Women's Individual Round 1 Court 4 Section29Match

Encho 1 (extension) — Enomoto（榎本） wins

📅 August 2–5, 2026 📍 Lotto Arena Nara

The first round of the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championship girls' individual competition took place, with a match time of 4 minutes and 15 seconds. The first ippon was taken by white Honzawa（本澤） with a kote strike, and the second ippon was returned by red Enomoto（榎本） with a men strike. Afterward, Enomoto scored the winning point with a men strike during Encho 1, and Enomoto won.

Matchup

Red Enomoto Kyoka（榎本景香） / Nara Ikuei（奈良育英） / Nara3rd Year 3rd dan
Enomoto（榎本） of Nara Ikuei (3rd year, 3rd dan). Nara Ikuei upholds the founding spirit of "cultivating a complete personality" and secured a spot in the tournament from the host city of Nara after placing third in the Kinki tournament.
White Honzawa（本澤こころ） / Sakushin Gakuin（作新学院） / Tochigi3rd Year 2nd dan
Sakushin Gakuin's Honzawa（本澤） (3rd year, 2nd dan).

Highlights

A fierce exchange unfolded within the time limit, with both sides scoring ippon against each other.

The match became a close battle that went into Encho 1.

In the end, Enomoto（榎本） decided the match with a men strike.

Live commentary video

Valid strike

#	Situation	Red and White	Players	Technique
1	Within the time limit	White	Honzawa（本澤）	Kote
2	Within the time limit	Red	Enomoto（榎本）	Men
3	Encho 1	Red	Enomoto（榎本）	Men

Conclusion: Encho 1
Match time: 4:15
Winner: Enomoto（榎本）（Red）
Foul: 本澤こころPosted on the board (it is not clear from the flash report when the foul occurred)

Text Commentary

Commentary
剣持翔

73rd National High School Kendo Championship, Women's Individual first round, Court 4.

Explanation
堂島厳

It is a very intense match where an exchange of strikes, with both sides scoring, is expected.

Commentary
剣持翔

Red is Nara Ikuei's Enomoto（榎本）, white is Sakushin Gakuin's Honzawa（本澤）. Now, begin.

Explanation
堂島厳

Both are gauging each other's distance with sharp stepping.

Commentary
剣持翔

Whoops, White scored first! Honzawa（本澤） caught the kote!

Explanation
堂島厳

Within the time limit, Honzawa（本澤） takes the lead with a brilliant kote strike.

Commentary
剣持翔

Red is backed into a corner; will they launch a counterattack from here? Enomoto（榎本）, Men!

Explanation
堂島厳

Within the time limit, Enomoto（榎本） scores a men, bringing the match to a tie.

Commentary
剣持翔

The match enters encho as no winner was decided within the regulation time.

Explanation
堂島厳

From here, it is a battle of mental strength. It is a matter of who shows an opening first.

Commentary
剣持翔

Encho 1, and the intense offense and defense continue. Oh, it's decided!

Explanation
堂島厳

That was a men. Enomoto（榎本） landed it perfectly.

Commentary
剣持翔

The winning point in Encho 1! Enomoto（榎本）, a men strike!

Explanation
堂島厳

You stayed focused and won that final ippon.

Commentary
剣持翔

Match time 4 minutes 15 seconds. The winner is red, Nara Ikuei's Enomoto（榎本）!

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a brilliant victory, winning a close match where both sides traded ippon.

Commentary
剣持翔

Congratulations to Enomoto（榎本） for advancing after a tenacious fight!

To both players

Applause for Enomoto（榎本）, who achieved a brilliant victory. I would also like to praise the fighting spirit of Honzawa（本澤）, who fought until the end without giving up. I look forward to the further growth of both players.

Nara Ikuei（奈良育英）

Official name: 奈良育英高等学校
Reading: Nara Ikuei
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (coeducational). School Corporation Nara Ikuei Gakuen
Location: Nara City, Nara Prefecture.
History: In 1916 (Taisho 5), Takakura Fujii and his wife, Shō, founded Ikuei Women's School in Hanashiba-cho, Nara City. In 1923, the school building was newly constructed and relocated to the current location, and Nara Ikuei Higher Women's School was established. With the 1947 school system reform, a junior high school was added and co-education was implemented. In 1948, the school was reorganized as the Nara Ikuei Gakuen school corporation, a high school was established, and Nara Ikuei Higher Women's School was integrated. A kindergarten was established in 1953, an elementary school in 1956, and Ikuei Nishi Junior High and High School were established in 1983.
School motto/philosophy: The founding spirit is “the nurturing of complete individuals.” It is based on the founder, Fujii Takazō’s, belief that “people should live in this world with sincerity.”
Department.: General studies course.
Kendo Club: In 2026 (Reiwa 8), they won the Nara Prefecture qualifiers and qualified for Inter-High in both the men's and women's team events. The Let's Kendo combination article introduces them as "having qualified from Nara, the host location, with a third-place finish in the Kinki tournament." 髙間咲良 and 榎本景香 players participated in the women's individual event. The school's official club activity record lists achievements such as winning the 2025 All-Japan High School Tournament Prefecture qualifiers men's individual competition and qualifying for the 2024 Inter-High.
Notes: This tournament’s host location/Nara Prefecture’s participating schools. Different from Ikuei High School (League I) in Kobe City.

Source: https://www.ikuei.ed.jp/history/step/↗ https://www.ikuei.ed.jp/ikuei-jh/tag/club-h-kendo/↗ https://www.letskendo.com/posts/47192/↗ https://app.notion.com/p/c0793a41e69e43adaebcd3736f8460ad↗

Sakushin Gakuin（作新学院）

Official name: 作新学院高等学校
Reading: Sakushin Gakuin
Division/Category of Establishment: Private (Sakushin Gakuin Educational Corporation)
Location: 1-1-41 Ichinosawa, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture
History: Established on May 28, 1885, by Hyoda Hyogo and others as "Shimotsuke English School." After passing through Private Sakushinkan, Private Ordinary Middle School Sakushinkan, and Shimotsuke Middle School, it merged with Sakushinkan Higher Girls' School and Shimotsuke Middle School in 1947 to become "Sakushin Gakuin High School Division." In 2003, the High School Division was renamed "Sakushin Gakuin High School," and in 2010, operations were transferred to the School Corporation Sakushin Gakuin.
School motto/philosophy: The educational policy is "One School, One Family; Self-Study and Self-Learning; Sincerity and Diligence."
Department.: Full-time course. Comprised of four departments: Top Eishin, Eishin, General Academic, and Information Science.
Kendo Club: The "Past Major Achievements" section of the official website lists "All Japan High School Kendo Tournament: Men's and Women's Team and Individual participation," "All Japan High School Selected Kendo Tournament: Women's Team participation / Best 16," "Kanto High School Kendo Tournament: Team participation / Men's 3rd place," and "Same tournament: Team participation / Women's 5th place." The motto is "Utilizing Kenki" and "Balance of Academic and Athletic Pursuits."
Notes: History, school motto, and location are to be investigated (TODO).

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/作新学院高等学校↗ https://www.sakushin.ac.jp/highschool/club/kendou/↗

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.