Women's Individual Round 4 Court 3 Section6Match

Encho 2 (extension) — Usami（宇佐美） wins

📅 August 2–5, 2026 📍 Lotto Arena Nara

The match in the 4th round of the women's individual event at the 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championship was decided by a winning point in Encho 2. Neither competitor scored a valid strike during regulation time or Encho 1, and the match lasted 9 minutes and 1 second. Usami（宇佐美） won by scoring a men in Encho 2.

Matchup

Red Usami Karin（宇佐美華凛） / Too Gijuku（東奥義塾） / Aomori2nd year 2nd dan
Usami（宇佐美） of Too Gijuku is a second-year student with a second-dan rank. They are competing as a representative of one of the strongest schools in the country, with a record including 16 consecutive Inter-High appearances.
White Kihara Ayuka（木原愛由花） / Nakamura Gakuen（中村学園） / Fukuoka2nd year 2nd dan
Nakamura Gakuen's Kihara（木原） is a second-year 2nd dan. She is competing as a representative of one of the strongest schools in the country, which has won the Inter-High girls' team event eight times.

Highlights

A steady exchange of offense and defense, with both sides remaining scoreless through the regulation time and Encho 1.

A fierce battle that became a close match lasting 9 minutes and 1 second

A dramatic winning point decided in Encho 2

Live commentary video

Valid strike

#	Situation	Red and White	Players	Technique
1	Encho 2	Red	Usami（宇佐美）	Men

Conclusion: Encho 2
Match time: 9:01
Winner: Usami（宇佐美）（Red）
Foul: No record

Text Commentary

Commentary
剣持翔

The 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Championships, Women's Individual 4th Round. Court 3, Match 6.

Explanation
堂島厳

Usami（宇佐美） of Too Gijuku and Kihara（木原） of Nakamura Gakuen. This is a match where very steady offense and defense are expected.

Commentary
剣持翔

Both are cautiously measuring the distance while waiting for an opening.

Explanation
堂島厳

Neither side is wavering. They continue to trade strikes with incredibly high focus.

Commentary
剣持翔

Neither side scored a valid strike within the time limit, and the match enters encho at 0-0.

Explanation
堂島厳

Both defenses are solid. From here, mental strength and split-second judgment will decide the match.

Commentary
剣持翔

It has gone into encho. No valid strike was scored in Encho 1 period, and more time passes.

Explanation
堂島厳

The tension is rising. It will come down to who can create an offensive opening first.

Commentary
剣持翔

And now Encho 2. This is it! Red's Usami（宇佐美）, men decided!

Explanation
堂島厳

That was a splendid men. You stayed focused and captured it perfectly.

Commentary
剣持翔

Decided by an ippon in Encho 2. Match time 9 minutes 1 second.

Explanation
堂島厳

It was a tenacious fight, but in the end, Usami（宇佐美） fought to a victory.

Commentary
剣持翔

The winner is red, Too Gijuku's Usami（宇佐美）! A splendid victory!

To both players

Congratulations to Usami（宇佐美）, who secured the victory with a magnificent men strike. Applause also goes to Kihara（木原） for fighting tenaciously until the very end. I look forward to the further growth of both players.

Too Gijuku（東奥義塾）

Official name: 東奥義塾高等学校
Reading: Too Gijuku
Division/Category of Establishment: Private coeducational school. Protestant mission school. Established a junior high school in 2022.
Location: 61-1 Chojamori, 石川, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
History: Founded on November 27, 1872 (Meiji 5) by Kikuchi Kuro, as a continuation of the former Hirosaki Domain’s domain school, it is the oldest private school in Aomori Prefecture. After experiencing financial difficulties leading to public and prefectural administration, it was re-established in 1922. A junior high school was established in 2022.
School motto/philosophy: School motto: "Respect God, Love People" (officially established as the school motto in 1985).
Department.: Full-time general academic courses (CⅠ course = special advancement, CⅡ course = advancement selection/global studies, B course = comprehensive)
Kendo Club: The women's kendo team is one of the strongest in the country, with 16 consecutive Inter-High appearances. They won the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament for women's teams in 2016 and 2019. They were runners-up in the Inter-High women's team event in 2019, and finished third in 2015, 2018, and 2024. They also finished third in the women's team event at the 34th All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament in March 2025 (淡路咲来 was named an outstanding player). This tournament features the women's team and women's individuals (松名瀬天絆 player, 3rd year, 3rd dan, 宇佐美華凜 player, 2nd year, 2nd dan) as representatives of Aomori Prefecture.
Notes: “Touou” refers to the Ou region, including Aomori Prefecture.

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/東奥義塾高等学校↗ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/全国高等学校剣道大会↗ https://www.kendo.or.jp/event/koko-senbatsu-34th/↗ https://www.gijuku.ac.jp/hs/↗ https://app.notion.com/p/336e8a8ae16b46aa8ea2b1d2599ba61f↗

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.

Source: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/中村学園中学校・高等学校↗ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/全国高等学校剣道大会↗ https://www.kendo.or.jp/event/koko-senbatsu-34th/↗ https://app.notion.com/p/f8a0992d2f334d809f511a30c2fc6808↗

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.