League of Death! Men's Team
I League at the third court is one of the most competitive groups of this tournament, featuring Ikuei (Hyogo), a powerhouse with 29 Inter-High appearances; Naradai Fuzoku, a prestigious school from the host prefecture of Nara; and Kogota Norin (Miyagi), the 1959 Inter-High boys' team champion. In a round-robin format where each school plays two matches, only one school can advance to the final tournament. Three schools that know what it takes to reach the top of the nation have been pushed into a group where two will be eliminated on the first day.
These three schools.
- Ikuei（育英）Hyogo Prefecture.Men's team.Men's IndividualMen's Individual: 菅 倫太朗Players(3Year)、神澤 恵佑Players(3Year)
- Naradai Fuzoku（奈良大附属）Nara Prefecture.Men's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualMen's Individual: 社頭 葵Players(3Year)、木村 瑠汰Players(3Year)、新垣 匠司Players(3Year) / Women's Individual: 成田 茜子Players(3Year)、村本 紅葉Players(2Year)
- Kogota Norin（小牛田農林）Miyagi PrefectureMen's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualMen's Individual: 丹野 蒼斗Players(3Year) / Women's Individual: 佐々木 カンナPlayers(3Year)
The one school that advanced will play against the winners of the J League (Kyotokogakuin(Kyoto), Akitashogyo(Akita), Saku Chosei(Nagano)) in the first round of the knockout tournament.
Highlights
Round-robin tournament between three schools; only one school advances.
The preliminary league will be a round-robin between three schools, with each school playing two matches. The team match consists of five members: Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho. The winner will be decided by the number of wins, and if tied, by the number of points. In the quick report from the previous tournament, the number of wins and points were listed together, such as “3(6)-1(2)”. Only one school from each league will advance to the knockout tournament, and if they lose even one match, their summer is over. The one school that advances will face the winner of the J League in the first round of the knockout tournament.
Three schools that know the national champions.
The strangeness of this league lies in the fact that all three schools are within reach of the national summit. Ikuei has won the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament once and the National Sports Festival once. Kogota Norin is the champion school that won the 6th Inter-High boys' team event in 1959. Naradai Fuzoku also boasts a record of two Inter-High runner-up finishes and 3rd place in the 2025 National Selection. In any other league, these three schools would meet in the final tournament, but here they clash in a round-robin on the first day of the competition.
Local powerhouse Naradai Fuzoku
Nara University High School, a private school in Nara City, is a nationally renowned traditional school with 49 consecutive Inter-High appearances and 16 consecutive prefectural qualifying tournament victories, according to the school's official website. In the March 2025 All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament, they placed third. This tournament features the host's prestigious school competing in all four categories: men's team, women's team, men's individual, and women's individual, with 社頭葵, 木村瑠汰, and 新垣匠司 players competing in the men's individual event. The school motto is "Effort is genius," and they promote "correctly and strongly" as the Seikyo spirit.
The traditional powerhouse Ikuei dominated both individual slots in Hyogo.
Founded in 1899, Ikuei High School, a private school in Nagata Ward, Kobe City, is a traditional powerhouse boasting 29 Inter-High appearances, 2 runner-up finishes, and 5 third-place finishes, as well as 21 All-Japan High School Selection Tournament appearances, 1 championship, 2 runner-up finishes, and 5 third-place finishes, and 1 National Sports Festival championship. The team has 35 members and operates under the motto of "actively pursuing the goal of becoming number one in Japan." In this tournament, 菅倫太朗 and 神澤恵佑 players monopolized the two male individual slots for Hyogo Prefecture. Kanzawa player won the Hyogo Prefecture Inter-High qualifying individual competition. The school’s founding principle is “each person has their own abilities.”
The champion from 67 years ago, Kogota Norin
Kogota Norin, a prefectural agricultural high school in Misato Town, Miyagi Prefecture, is the school that won the boys' team event at the 6th Inter-High (Kumamoto) in 1959. Their opponent in the final at that time was Akitashogyo. In this tournament, having placed third in the Tohoku regional tournament, they will compete as Miyagi Prefecture representatives in all four categories: boys' team, girls' team, boys' individual, and girls' individual. For the boys' individual is 丹野蒼斗, and for the girls' individual is 佐々木カンナ. In 2025, both the boys' and girls' teams won the prefectural tournament, and the club's goal remains "national championship."
Is a rematch after 67 years possible?
The one school that advances from League I will face the winner of League J in the first round of the final tournament. In that League J is Akitashogyo—the very opponent who lost to Kogota Norin in the 1959 Inter-High final. If Kogota Norin and Akitashogyo both win their respective leagues, the final matchup from 67 years ago will be recreated in the first round of the final tournament. Other schools waiting in League J include Kyotokogakuin and Saku Chosei, who have also defeated Tohoku teams like Akitashogyo.
Live broadcast「League of Death! Men's Team」
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Messages of support for the participating schools and players.
Ikuei, Naradai Fuzoku, Kogota Norin——this I-League is not a group where a single school takes center stage. The training built up by players 菅倫太朗 and 神澤恵佑 coming from Kobe, the years of consecutive appearances carried by players 社頭葵, 木村瑠汰, and 新垣匠司 in their hometown of Nara, and the old pride inherited by player 丹野蒼斗 from Miyagi's Prefectural Norin. All of these carry an incomparable weight. Since it is a round-robin, two schools will leave Nara on the first day. Even so, the mornings and nights spent to stand on this stage cannot be erased by anyone. Before winning or losing, please pour everything you have built up into every single ippon. My heartfelt applause to the summer of these three schools.
To the five members from Senpo to Taisho.
The Ikuei kendo club has 35 members. Ten 3rd-years, fifteen 2nd-years, and ten 1st-years have been practicing together at the dojo in Nagata, Kobe. Among them, only five will line up for the team competition. Currently, the names listed are 菅倫太朗 and 神澤恵佑 from Ikuei, 社頭葵, 木村瑠汰, and 新垣匠司 from Naradai Fuzoku, and 丹野蒼斗 from Kogota Norin. This is because players competing in the individual events are listed first; the other players' names simply haven't appeared yet. On August 2nd, once the order is announced, the names of all five members from Senpo to Taisho will echo through the venue. Fifteen players from three schools—everyone is a protagonist. Please let those names be heard in Nara.
School Information
Ikuei（育英）
- Official name
- 育英高等学校
- Reading
- Ikuei
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (coeducational)
- Location
- 2-15 Nagaobimachi, Nagata-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
- History
- Founded in 1899. Renamed to "Kobe Ikuei Gakuen" in 1902, and "Kobe Type A Ikuei Commercial School" was established in 1915. The second gymnasium with a kendo dojo and judo dojo, also serving as a small auditorium, was completed in 1983.
- School motto/philosophy
- The founding principle of the school is "each individual has unique abilities." The slogan is "nurture the future, nurture the heart."
- Department.
- General studies (all courses will be reorganized from academic year 2025).
- Kendo Club
- 35 club members (10 third-year students, 15 second-year students, 10 first-year students). 29 Inter-High appearances (2 runner-up finishes, 5 third-place finishes), 21 All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament appearances (1 win, 2 runner-up finishes, 5 third-place finishes), 1 National Sports Festival win. They pursue activities with the motto "Seriously aiming to be number one in Japan." In the Hyogo Prefectural High School Athletic Federation tournament in June 2023, they defeated Kansei Gakuin 1-0 in the final to win their 30th consecutive team championship.
- Notes
- Saitama Prefecture's Ikuei Gakuen High School and a different school
Naradai Fuzoku（奈良大附属）
- Official name
- 奈良大学附属高等学校
- Reading
- Naradai Fuzoku
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (coeducational). It is an affiliated school of 奈良大学 and has a system for internal advancement to the same university.
- Location
- Nara City, Akishino-cho, Nara Prefecture.
- History
- In June 1925 (Taisho 14), the history began with the establishment of Nantou Seikyo Middle School within the grounds of Yakushiji Temple in Tsujizato Village, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture, as a night school for working youth. Following the 1948 educational reform, it became Nara Prefectural Seikyo High School, and co-education was introduced in 1957.
- School motto/philosophy
- Founded on the spirit of "Living Correctly and Strongly" (Seikyo Spirit). School motto: "Effort is genius."
- Department.
- General Studies (Special Advancement Course, Liberal Arts Course, Standard Course)
- Kendo Club
- Inter-High for 49 consecutive years (total of 44 appearances), and the All-Japan High School Kendo Tournament in the spring for 22 consecutive years (total of 29 appearances). They have won the prefectural Inter-High qualifier 44 times in a row for 16 consecutive years. They have been runners-up twice, placed third four times, and reached the top 8 eleven times in national tournaments. They placed third in the All-Japan High School Kendo Tournament in March 2025. The women’s team has won the prefectural tournament 47 times in a row and the overall championship 96 times, and have reached the top 8 at Inter-High four times.
- Notes
- The participating schools from Nara Prefecture, the host location of this tournament.
Kogota Norin（小牛田農林）
- Official name
- 宮城県小牛田農林高等学校
- Reading
- Kogota Norin
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Miyagi Prefectural (Co-educational)
- Location
- 30 Iseido-ura, Ushikai, Misato-cho, Tenda-gun, Miyagi Prefecture.
- History
- Founded in 1882 as a private sericulture training institute, it became the Enta County Sericulture Training Institute in 1888. It was transferred to the prefecture in 1910 and became the current high school with the educational system reform of 1948. A department reorganization in 1997 established the agricultural technology course and the comprehensive course. The founding anniversary ceremony is held every ten years on October 12th.
- Department.
- Agricultural Technology Department (Agricultural Science Course, Agricultural Civil Engineering Course), Comprehensive Academic Department (Natural Science Series, Humanities and Social Sciences Series, etc.)
- Kendo Club
- Won the boys' team championship at the 6th Inter-High (Kumamoto) in 1959. Their opponent in the final was Akitashogyo Industry. Traditionally strong in martial arts club activities, the sumo club and judo club also have a history of competing in national tournaments. In 2025, they won both the boys' and girls' team championships at the prefectural general athletic meet, and finished second in the boys' team and first in the girls' team at the prefectural rookie tournament. The team's goal is to "win the national championship."
- Notes
- The abbreviation is "Norin" or "Kogota Norin". "小牛田" is read as "Kogota".
・National High School Kendo Tournament Official Website (Tournament Updates) ↗
・Let's Kendo [Matchups] August 2nd - 5th, 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament / Nara Inter-High 2026. ↗
・Notion Participating Schools Library Ikuei High School (Hyogo) Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Naradai Fuzoku High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating Schools Library: Summary of the History and Achievements of Kogota Norin High School Kendo Club ↗
・Ikuei High School History and Chronology ↗
・Ikuei High School Kendo Club ↗
・Nara University High School Boys' Kendo Club ↗
・Nara University High School Women's Kendo Club. ↗
・Nara Shimbun Digital U-18 Support Project – Nara University Affiliated High School Boys’ Kendo Club 本日行われましたInter-Highの試合結果は以下の通りです。 先鋒は、見事一本を奪い、勝利しました。次鋒も善戦し、一本を獲得。中堅は激戦の末、残念ながら敗北しましたが、副将が立て直し、一本を加えました。そして、大将は代表戦で見事な一本を決め、勝利を確定させました。 勝者数は5、取得本数は8本でした。 <a href="https://www.nara-shimbun.co.jp/digital/kendo/20240719/naridai-hs-01.html">詳細はこちら</a> Today’s Inter-High match results are as follows. The first player secured a win with a decisive ippon. The second player also fought well and scored an ippon. The middle player fought fiercely but unfortunately lost, however, the vice-captain recovered and added another ippon. Finally, the captain won the deciding match with a superb ippon, securing the victory. The team achieved 5 wins and 8 points. <a href="https://www.nara-shimbun.co.jp/digital/kendo/20240719/naridai-hs-01.html">Details are here</a> ↗
・Wikipedia Nara University High School ↗
・Wikipedia Miyagi Prefecture Kogota Norin High School ↗
・Miyagi Prefecture Kogota Norin High School Kendo Club ↗
・Miyagi Prefecture Kogota Norin High School Department Guide ↗
・Kendo Japan: Hyogo Prefecture Inter-High Qualifying Tournament Results. ↗
・BUSHIZO Inter-High School Kendo Team: A Summary of Past Team Champions. ↗
・72nd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament (Hiroshima 2025) – Tournament Quick Report ↗
Which fact comes from which source?
- League composition (Ikuei・Naradai Fuzoku・Kogota Norin), third court, individual competitors from each school, and the match between I and J in the final tournament are from data/2026/kumiawase.json (derived from official PDF)
- The positioning of each school, such as "League to Watch" and "Kogota Norin, third place in the Tohoku Tournament," can be found in the highlights section of the Let's Kendo article on the Nara Inter-High brackets.
- The official names, school types, locations, and qualifying status of each school are available on the school-specific pages in the Notion “2026 Inter-High Kendo Participating Schools Library.”
- Cross-check that Naradai Fuzoku and Kogota Norin are participating in all four categories of men's and women's team and individual events using the Notion school pages and kumiawase.json.
- Ikuei’s founding year, philosophy, and history are on the school’s official website’s history page. The kendo team’s national tournament results (Inter-High 29 appearances, runner-up twice, All-Japan Selected Players Tournament champion once, National Sports Festival champion once) and the number of team members are on the school’s kendo team page.
- Naradai Fuzoku’s consecutive participation record and national results are on the school’s official website’s male and female kendo club pages and the Nara Shimbun Digital. The history of the school’s founding (1925, Nandō Seikyō Chūgakkō) is on Wikipedia.
- Kogota Norin's victory in the 6th Inter-High boys' team event in 1959 (opponent in the final was Akitashogyo業) is on Wikipedia and the list of past high school kendo champions. Recent results and the club's goals are on the school's kendo club page. History and departments are on the school's official website and Wikipedia.
- 神澤恵佑 player's Hyogo Prefecture qualifying round individual championship is a qualifying result article for All Japan Kendo Federation.
- For team matches with five players, and judging based on the number of wins (points), please refer to the score notation on the official results website for the 2025 Hiroshima Tournament (e.g., 3(6)-1(2)).
- School names are read as indicated in the Notion participating schools library’s reading column. As the reading for player names is unconfirmed, only the surname will be read in the audio.
- Since this is before the tournament, I have not described any details of the matches – the attacks and defenses, wins and losses, or rankings. Only facts that can be read from the pairings and previously reported results are included.
- ※The “rematch after 67 years” is a possibility contingent on both schools advancing from their respective leagues, and a match has not yet been decided.
Please note that the commentary and analysis are AI-generated content based on the facts listed above. As this is before the tournament, there is no description of the matches, attacks and defenses, or wins and losses. Please excuse any errors in reading or notation.