National champions assemble! N League Men's Team Competition.
In the N League of the fourth court, two schools familiar with the national finals stage were placed together. Nitta (Ehime), the runner-up in the 1981 Inter-High boys' team event and winner of the 2026 Shikoku regional team tournament. Miyaki (佐賀), which won the boys' division at the 1995 Gyokuryuki High School Kendo Tournament and placed 3rd at the 1993 Inter-High. Joining them is Wakayamakogyo (Wakayama), a prefectural technical high school founded in 1914. In a three-school round-robin, each school plays two matches, and only one school can advance to the final tournament. The first match of the league is between Wakayamakogyo and Nitta, with Miyaki appearing from the second match.
These three schools.
- Wakayamakogyo（和歌山工業）Wakayama PrefectureMen's team.
- Nitta（新田）Ehime Prefecture.Men's team.Men's IndividualMen's Individual: 馬木 洸虎Players(3Year)
- Miyaki（三養基）佐賀 PrefectureMen's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualMen's Individual: 最所 溜偉Players(3Year) / Women's Individual: 片地 枇愛Players(3Year)
The one school that advances will face the winners of the M League (Seisa(Kagawa), Aisandaimikawa(Aichi), Saikyo(山口)) in the first round of the final tournament.
Highlights
Round-robin tournament between three schools; only one school advances.
The preliminary league is a round-robin between three schools, with each school playing two matches. The team competition is a five-person system of Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho, and the winner is decided by the number of wins, and if tied, by the number of points. In the official results of the previous tournament, the number of wins and points were listed together, such as "3(6)-1(2)". Only one school from each league can advance to the knockout tournament. In N league, the first match is Wakayamakogyo vs Nitta, and Miyaki will appear from the second match. The one school that advances will play against the winner of M league in the first round of the knockout tournament.
The two schools that reached the pinnacle of the nation were placed in the same pool.
The weight of this league lies in the fact that two of the three schools have experienced the stage of a national championship final. Nitta(Ehime) was the runner-up in the boys' team event at the 1981 National High School Comprehensive Athletic Meet kendo competition. Their opponent in the final was PL Gakuen. Miyaki(佐賀) won the boys' title at the 1995 Gyokuryu-ki High School Kendo Tournament, took 3rd place in 2007, and also placed 3rd in the boys' team event at the Inter-High in 1993. The Gyokuryu-ki is one of the four major high school kendo tournaments, alongside the Inter-High, Kaisei-ki, and the National Selection. Two schools that know the experience of a national title and a national runner-up finish will clash in the first day's round-robin.
This summer's Four Kings champions・Nitta
Private Nitta High School in Matsuyama City won the men's team championship at the Shikoku High School Kendo Championships (72nd Men's Tournament) in June 2026. With Imabari Seika as runner-up and Saibi and Johoku in third place, the school secured its spot in Nara by winning a tournament dominated by Ehime teams. Established as Nitta Junior High School in 1938 and opened in 1939, the school has been co-educational since 2086. The school motto is "Sincerity, Cheerfulness, Respect, and Robustness." 馬木洸虎 (3rd year, 3rd dan) will compete in the men's individual event. While some OCR of public documents misread the surname, the official notation by the Ehime High School Athletic Federation is "馬木".
The prestigious Miyaki, with 佐賀 competing in all four divisions.
Miyaki Prefectural Miyaki High School in Miyakicho was established in 1919 as a branch school of 佐賀 Prefectural 佐賀 Middle School and became an independent traditional school the following year in 1920. With a scale of 200 students per grade (5 classes) in the full-time general course only, the school upholds three mottos: "Simplicity and Fortitude," "Unity of Literary, Martial, and Spiritual Arts," and "Flowers Bloom Through Sincere Prayer." The kendo club will compete as 佐賀 prefectural representatives in all four categories of this tournament: men's team, women's team, men's individual, and women's individual. The men's individual representative is 最所溜偉 (さいしょ るい), and the women's individual representative is 片地枇愛. Let's Kendo reports that the school possesses a player who has appeared in both the spring and summer tournaments and placed third in the Kyushu regional individual competition.
Two schools share the same school motto: "Shitsujitsu Gokken."
Coincidentally, there are two schools in this league that share the school motto "Shitsujitsu Goken" (Simplicity and Fortitude). They are Wakayama Prefectural Wakayamakogyo High School and 佐賀 Prefectural Miyaki High School. Wakayamakogyo is a prefectural technical school in Nishihama, Wakayama City, which opened in 1914 as Wakayama Prefectural Technical School and took its current name in 1953 following the 1948 educational system reforms and mergers. It has departments for Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Industrial Design, and Creative Technology. It is also a school with a strong tradition in sports, with the rugby club appearing in national tournaments over 20 times and the baseball club appearing at Koshien 7 times.
A prelude to the Shikoku showdown.
A school that advanced through N League will compete against the winner of M League in the first round of the final tournament. Representing M League is Seisa (Seisa International High School Takamatsu Learning Center), which was a best 8 school in the 2025 Hiroshima Inter-High men’s team event. Both Nitta and Seisa are representatives from Shikoku, and in the Shikoku High School Kendo Championships in June 2026, Nitta won the team event, and 松村太樹 of Seisa won the individual event. If both schools win their respective leagues, the continuation of summer in Shikoku will be seen in the first round of the final tournament in Nara.
Live broadcast「National champions assemble! N League Men's Team Competition.」
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Messages of support for the participating schools and players.
Nitta, Miyaki, Wakayamakogyo——three schools in the N League. Nitta and 馬木洸虎 arrived from Shikoku with sincerity and cheerfulness in their hearts. Miyaki, where 最所溜偉 and 片地枇愛 stand, carrying the name of 佐賀 across all four divisions. Wakayamakogyo, inheriting a history of simplicity and fortitude since 1914. Whether schools familiar with the national finals or those experiencing them for the first time, all chase the same ippon in the first day's round-robin. While two schools will be eliminated from this group, simply winning the prefectural qualifiers to stand on the floor in Nara is an answer to the long years of effort. Do not focus on the result; stake everything on giving your all and showing everything you have built up until now.
To the five members from Senpo to Taisho.
Wakayamakogyo was founded in 1914. 112 years of practice are now piled up at the feet of the current members. This time, the names mentioned are Nitta’s 馬木洸虎 player and Miyaki’s 最所溜偉 player, and Wakayamakogyo has not yet appeared. This is because players who will also participate in the individual competition are listed first, and that is all. The team competition is a system of five players: Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho. On August 2nd, if the order is announced, the names of fifteen players from three schools will resonate one by one in the venue. There are no players without names. We just don’t know them yet. Please let us hear those names in Nara.
School Information
Wakayamakogyo（和歌山工業）
- Official name
- 和歌山県立和歌山工業高等学校
- Reading
- Wakayamakogyo
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Wakayama Prefectural (Public)
- Location
- 6-1 Nishihama 3-chome, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
- History
- Opened as Wakayama Prefectural Industrial School in 1914. Following the 1948 school system reform and the integration of two schools, it was renamed Wakayama Prefectural Kofū Industrial High School, and in 1953 it became the current Wakayama Prefectural Wakayamakogyo High School. The part-time course was re-established in 2007.
- School motto/philosophy
- School motto is "Shitsujitsu Gokken".
- Department.
- The full-time courses are Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Industrial Design, and Creative Technology. The part-time courses are Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Architecture (evening).
- Kendo Club
- Having won the Wakayama Prefecture qualifying tournament for the Reiwa 8 academic year, the boys’ team has qualified for Inter-High. Let's Kendo reports consecutive appearances in both the Spring (National Selection) and Summer (Inter-High) tournaments. The school has a strong tradition of athletic achievement, with the rugby club having qualified for the national tournament over 20 times and the baseball club having appeared in Koshien seven times. We were unable to find an official school page listing the kendo club’s national tournament results.
- Notes
- A school other than Wakayama Prefectural Wakayama High School (Ichiwakayama).
Nitta（新田）
- Official name
- 新田高等学校
- Reading
- Nitta
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (School Corporation Nitta Gakuen)
- Location
- 663 Nishiyama-cho, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture.
- History
- The Shinko Ikuei Foundation and Nitta Junior High School were authorized on June 18, 1938, and the school opened in April 1939. It was authorized as a new-system high school in 1948, and an industrial course was established in 1958. Originally a boys' school, it became coeducational in the 1986 academic year. A Super Special Advanced Course was established in 2009.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "Sincerity, Brightness, Respect and Love, Robustness."
- Department.
- General studies courses (Super Special Advancement, Special Advancement, Comprehensive Advancement Selection, and Comprehensive Advancement), Industrial studies (Industrial Technology Course)
- Kendo Club
- In the 1981 National High School Comprehensive Sports Tournament Kendo Competition, the men's team was runner-up (PL Gakuen won). They won the team event at the 72nd Shikoku High School Kendo Championships (men's) in June 2026. They qualified for Inter-High in both the men's team and men's individual events by winning the Ehime Prefecture qualifiers for the 8th year of Reiwa. The men's individual representative is 馬木洸虎 (3rd year, 3rd dan).
- Notes
- Read as "Nitta" and not "Shinden". There are examples of the surname of 馬木 洸虎 being misread by OCR of public materials, but the official notation of Ehime Prefectural High School Sports Federation is "馬木 洸虎".
Miyaki（三養基）
- Official name
- 佐賀県立三養基高等学校
- Reading
- Miyaki
- Division/Category of Establishment
- 佐賀 Prefectural (Public)
- Location
- 佐賀 Prefecture, Miyaki District, Miyaki-cho Harukoga 300
- History
- Established in 1919 as a branch school of 佐賀 Prefectural 佐賀 Middle School, it became independent the following year in 1920. Due to the educational system reforms of 1948, it became the current new-system high school.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "Simplicity and Robustness," "Literary and Martial Arts – the Three Ways as One," and "If you persevere, flowers will bloom."
- Department.
- Full-time course, general academic program only (200 students per grade, 5 classes).
- Kendo Club
- Won the men's division at the 1995 Gyokuryu-ki High School Kendo Tournament and placed 3rd in 2007. Placed 3rd in the men's team event at the 1993 Inter-High. In this tournament, they will compete as the 佐賀 prefecture representative in all four categories: men's team, women's team, men's individual, and women's individual. Let's Kendo reports that they have a player who has appeared in both the spring and summer tournaments and placed 3rd in the individual event at the Kyushu tournament. The men's individual is 最所溜偉(さいしょ るい) and the women's individual is 片地枇愛.
- Notes
- The school name is "Miyaki". The location, Miyaki County Miyaki Town, uses hiragana for its town name.
・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. ↗
・Wikipedia National High School Kendo Tournament (Inter-High Past Results) ↗
・Wikipedia Tamaryu-ki High School Kendo Tournament 本日、<a href="https://tamaryu.jp/">玉竜旗高校剣道大会</a>の試合結果を報告します。 Today, I will report the results of the <a href="https://tamaryu.jp/">Tamaryu-ki High School Kendo Tournament</a>. <a href="https://tamaryu.jp/">玉竜旗</a>は、高校剣道界では最も権威のある大会の一つです。 The <a href="https://tamaryu.jp/">Tamaryu-ki</a> is one of the most prestigious tournaments in high school kendo. 今回の大会では、各校の先鋒、次鋒、中堅、副将、大将が激戦を繰り広げました。 In this tournament, each school’s Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho fought fiercely. 試合は一本勝負で行われ、勝者数は各校の総合力を測る指標となります。 Matches were decided by ippon, and the number of wins served as an indicator of each school’s overall strength. また、取得本数も重要な要素であり、積極的な攻撃が評価されました。 The number of points taken was also an important factor, and aggressive attacks were highly valued. 特に、代表戦では、各校の代表選手がしのぎを削り、見応えのある試合が展開されました。 In particular, the deciding match featured representative players from each school competing fiercely, resulting in exciting matches. <a href="https://tamaryu.jp/">玉竜旗</a>は、Inter-Highへの出場権をかけた重要な大会でもあります。 The <a href="https://tamaryu.jp/">Tamaryu-ki</a> is also an important tournament for qualifying for Inter-High. 今回の大会の結果は、今後の高校剣道界に大きな影響を与えるでしょう。 The results of this tournament will likely have a significant impact on the future of high school kendo. ↗
・Wikipedia Wakayama Prefectural Wakayamakogyo High School ↗
・Wikipedia Nitta High School ↗
・Nitta High School - School Guide & History ↗
・Wikipedia 佐賀 Prefectural Miyaki High School ↗
・Kagawa Prefecture Kendo Federation Shikoku High School Kendo Championships (Team Event) Results ↗
・Kachi-Spo (佐賀 Newspaper) Kendo 佐賀 Prefectural Tournament Article ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Wakayamakogyo High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Nitta High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Miyaki High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・72nd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament (Hiroshima 2025) – Tournament Quick Report ↗
Which fact comes from which source?
- League structure (Wakayamakogyo・Nitta・Miyaki), fourth venue, individual competition participants from each school, N vs. M matches in the knockout tournament are in data/2026/league_briefs.json and data/2026/kumiawase.json (based on the official PDF).
- "Miyaki, who secured consecutive appearances in the spring and summer tournaments from 佐賀, features players who placed third individually in the Kyushu tournament," "Nitta, winner of the Shikoku tournament," and "Wakayamakogyo also appearing in spring and summer" are the highlights of the Let's Kendo article on the Nara Inter-High brackets, and the first league match is between Wakayamakogyo and Nitta.
- The reading of each school name, the competition category, and the reading of player 最所 (Saisho Rui) can be found on the school-specific pages of the Notion "2026 Inter-High Kendo Participating Schools Library" and KachiSpo (佐賀 Newspaper).
- Nitta’s 1981 Inter-High men’s team runner-up (PL Gakuen won), and Miyaki’s 1981 Inter-High men’s team 3rd place are in the historical results table of Wikipedia’s “All Japan High School Kendo Tournament.”
- Miyaki's 1995 Tamaryu-ki Men's Championship and 2007 3rd place, and the fact that the Tamaryu-ki is one of the four major high school kendo tournaments is on Wikipedia "Tamaryu-ki High School Kendo Tournament".
- Nitta’s 2026 Shikoku High School Kendo Championships team victory (runner-up Imabari Seika, 3rd place Saibi・Johoku) is on the official results page of the Kagawa Prefecture Kendo Federation.
- Nitta’s founding history, departments, and school motto “Shisei, Meiro, Keiai, Gokken” are on Wikipedia and the school’s official website’s history page.
- Miyaki’s founding history, departments, three school mottos, and location are on Wikipedia.
- Wakayamakogyo’s founding in 1914, history, departments, school motto “Shitsujitsu Gokken,” and national tournament appearances of the rugby and baseball clubs are on Wikipedia.
- 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)).
- Except for 最所, the readings of the player names have not been confirmed, so furigana has not been added.
- 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 "Shikoku showdown" will only be possible if Nitta and Seisa advance through their respective leagues, and a match has not been decided yet.*
- Note Wakayamakogyo could not find an official page recording the kendo team’s national tournament results, so only confirmed facts are listed.
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.