Current queen・Shonan’s summer! Women’s team E League
The E League in the second match venue included Shonan (Kagoshima), which won the 2025 March All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament and was reported as “Kagoshima Prefecture’s first national championship,” along with Toin (Wakayama), a traditional prefectural high school with its origins in the former Wakayama Middle School founded in 1879, and Gosen, a comprehensive high school in Niigata. Each school plays two matches in a round-robin format among the three schools, and only one school can advance to the knockout tournament. The school that breaks through will face the F League, which includes Takachiho, a four-time Inter-High women’s team champion.
These three schools.
- Gosen（五泉）Niigata Prefecture.Girls' team.Women's IndividualWomen's Individual: 山田 わかばPlayers(3Year)
- Toin（桐蔭）Wakayama PrefectureGirls' team.
- Shonan（樟南）Kagoshima Prefecture.Men's team.Girls' team.
The one school that advanced will play against the winners of the F League (Yonago Hokuto(Tottori), Shirayuri Gakuen(Iwate), Takachiho(Miyazaki)) in the first round of the finals tournament.
Highlights
Round-robin tournament between three schools – only one team can advance.
The preliminary league will be a round-robin between three schools, with each school playing two matches. The team match consists of five players: Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho. 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, and dropping even one match means the summer is over. The one school that advances from E League will face the winner of F League in the first round of the knockout tournament.
The current national champion is here — Shonan
The women's kendo club of Shonan High School, a private school in Kagoshima City, won the 34th All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament in March 2025. According to reports compiled by the Notion participating school library, this was the first national championship for a team from Kagoshima Prefecture, achieved by coach Masako Inomata in her 21st year at the helm; Inomata is also an alumna of Kagoshima Shoko High School, the school's predecessor. The team's strength lies in their striking power, and they have repeatedly practiced refining their technique to strike accurately and quickly, including adjusting their posture instantly from close-quarters fighting. Their motto is "Conquer yourself."
Boys also know the best in Japan — the two wheels of Shonan
Shonan’s tradition is not limited to the girls. The boys’ kendo club won the All Japan High School Kendo Tournament (Inter-High) men’s team competition in 1979 and 1988, and also won the Tamaryu Flag High School Kendo Tournament in 1974 and 1978. In this tournament as well, Shonan will travel to Nara for both the men’s and women’s team competitions. Established as Hakuyaku Juku in 1883, and having been Kagoshima Commercial High School, it became its current name in 1994. The school motto is “Advancement, Friendship, Sincerity.” It has general, commercial, and industrial courses.
Kendo club was founded in Meiji 41 — Toin
Wakayama City's prefectural Toin High School is a traditional school tracing its roots to the former Wakayama Prefectural Wakayama Middle School, which opened in March 1879, and was established as a new system high school in 1948. The school motto is "Bunbu Ryodo" and "Kaikaku to Dentō." According to Wikipedia, the kendo club was founded in Meiji 41 (1908), and 2026 will mark its 118th anniversary. The school has also produced Minakata Kumagusu, Yo Tsunemoto, and Heizo Takemachi. This tournament features only one division for the women's team, having advanced to Nara after winning the Wakayama Prefecture qualifiers.
From comprehensive high school to the nation — Gosen
Niigata Prefecture Gosen City’s prefectural/Gosen High School was founded in 1921. It began as Gosen Practical Civic School, then became Niigata Prefecture Gosen Practical School, Gosen Municipal Gosen Practical High School, and Niigata Prefectural Gosen Commercial High School before arriving at its current name as a comprehensive high school. Its educational goal is to “cultivate well-rounded humanity that enhances learning, develops individuality, and values diligence and responsibility.” In this tournament, they are participating in the women’s team and women’s individual events, with 山田わかば (3rd year, 3rd dan) competing in the women’s individual event.
Waiting ahead is another former champion.
A school that advanced through E League will face the winner of F League in the first round of the final tournament. That F League includes Takachiho (Miyazaki) – a school that has won the Inter-High women’s team competition four times in 1986, 1997, 2003, and 2004, and has made its name in the history of women’s high school kendo. If Shonan and Takachiho both advance from their respective leagues, a match between the current All-Japan Selected Players champion and a former four-time Inter-High champion, both from Kyushu, would suddenly become a reality at the entrance to the final tournament.
Live broadcast「Current queen・Shonan’s summer! Women’s team E League」
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Messages of support for the participating schools and players.
Shonan everyone, I think the words "conquer yourself" are most effective not on days when things go well, but on difficult days. Unleash the strikes you have honed with Director Imanaga Masako in Nara as well. Toin everyone, you will etch the 118th year of the Kendo Club, which has continued since Meiji 41, onto the national stage. Swing with the banner of "harmony of martial arts and learning" in your hearts. Gosen everyone, as a comprehensive high school in Niigata Prefecture, you have overcome Niigata to be here—that alone is something to be proud of. 山田わかば player, in both team and individual events, I want you to give it your all after three years of training. It is a group competing for one spot, but the value of the three schools' summer cannot be measured by results alone.
To the five members from Senpo to Taisho.
Founded in Meiji 41—the kendo club of Toin will celebrate its 118th year this year. Gosen, founded in 1921, and Shonan, which began as Hakuyaku Gijuku in 1883. The time carried by the three schools is all long. Currently, only 山田わかば player of Gosen is mentioned, and Toin and Shonan do not have individual spots for women. However, the team competition is a five-person system of Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho, and all five people will stand on the floor and aim for an ippon. It's not that they don't have names, it's just that we don't know them yet. On August 2nd, the names of fifteen players from the three schools will be announced in the arena. Please let us hear those names in Nara.
School Information
Gosen（五泉）
- Official name
- 新潟県立五泉高等学校
- Reading
- Gosen
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Niigata Prefectural (Co-educational)
- Location
- Niigata Prefecture Gosen City
- History
- Founded in 1921. Gosen Began as a practical civic school, then became Niigata Prefecture Gosen Practical School, Gosen Municipal Gosen Practical High School, and Niigata Prefectural Gosen Commercial High School before arriving at the current school name.
- School motto/philosophy
- Our educational objectives are to cultivate well-rounded individuals who value diligence and responsibility, while fostering both intellectual growth and individual character.
- Department.
- Comprehensive academic course (year-based system, credit-based system for 3rd year students only)
- Kendo Club
- Having won the Niigata Prefecture qualifier for fiscal year 2026, they will participate in Inter-High as a women’s team. 山田わかば (3rd year, 3rd dan) will participate in the women’s individual event. No past national tournament results could be confirmed from publicly available information.
- Notes
- Reading is "Gosen".
Toin（桐蔭）
- Official name
- 和歌山県立桐蔭高等学校
- Reading
- Toin
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Wakayama Prefectural (coeducational). A junior high school opened in 2007 is attached as an integrated middle and high school Toin.
- Location
- Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture.
- History
- Founded as Wakayama Prefectural Wakayama Middle School on March 1, 1879. After name changes to Wakayama Prefectural Normal Middle School and Wakayama Prefectural First Middle School, it became a new system high school on May 10, 1948.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "harmony of literary and martial arts" and "reform and tradition."
- Department.
- General studies (the Department of Mathematical Sciences ceased admissions from the 2021 academic year).
- Kendo Club
- According to Wikipedia, the kendo club was founded in Meiji 41 (1908). They won the Wakayama Prefecture qualifiers for the Reiwa 8 academic year and will be competing in Inter-High as a women’s team. Specific results from the national tournament could not be confirmed from publicly available information.
- Notes
- A school different from Toin Gakuen in Kanagawa Prefecture. Alumni include Minakata Kumagusu, Yo Tsutsumi, and Heizo Takemoto.
Shonan（樟南）
- Official name
- 樟南高等学校
- Reading
- Shonan
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (coeducational)
- Location
- Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture.
- History
- Founded in 1883 as Hakuyaku Gijuku. After being known as Kagoshima Shoko High School, it was renamed to the current Shonan High School in 1994.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "Progress, Friendship, and Sincerity." The Kendo Club upholds the principle of "Conquer Yourself."
- Department.
- General Studies (Liberal Arts, English & Mathematics, Future Creation Course), Business Studies (Qualification & Career, Advanced Business Course), Industrial Studies (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering Course)
- Kendo Club
- The women’s team won the 34th All-Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament in March 2025. Reports state this is the first national championship for a team from Kagoshima Prefecture, led by coach Iomata Masako, an alumna of the predecessor school, Kagoshima Shoko High School, in her 21st year as coach. Their strength lies in striking power, emphasizing drawing techniques from close-quarters fighting. The men’s team won the Inter-High men’s team competition in 1979 and 1988, and also won the Tamaryu Flag High School Kendo Tournament in 1974 and 1978. They participated in both the men’s and women’s team events at this tournament.
- Notes
- Unrelated to Shonan High School in Kanagawa Prefecture. It is pronounced "Shonan."
・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 School Library Gosen High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Toin High School (Wakayama) Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Shonan High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Wikipedia Niigata Prefectural Gosen High School ↗
・Wikipedia Wakayama Prefectural Toin Junior High School/High School ↗
・Wikipedia Shonan High School ↗
・Wikipedia National High School Kendo Tournament (Past Champions) ↗
・Wikipedia All Japan High School Kendo Tournament (Past Champions) ↗
・72nd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament (Hiroshima 2025) – Tournament Quick Report ↗
Which fact comes from which source?
- League structure (Gosen・Toin・Shonan), second venue, individual competition participants from each school, the E vs. F match in the final tournament is in data/2026/league_briefs.json and data/2026/kumiawase.json (based on the official PDF).
- Each school’s name reading, school type, location, and qualification for participation can be found on the school-specific page in the Notion “2026 Inter-High Kendo Participating Schools Library.”
- The 2025 All-Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament women's champion can be confirmed on the Wikipedia page “All-Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament” list of past women's team champions Shonan.
- ShonanMen's Inter-High men's team championships in 1979 and 1988 are listed on the Wikipedia page “All Japan High School Kendo Tournament” for past champions, and the Tamaryu-ki championships in 1974 and 1978 are listed on the Wikipedia page “Shonan High School.”
- Shonan’s “First-ever national championship for Kagoshima Prefecture,” “Coach Kimata Masako’s 21st year in office,” “Striking power and drawing techniques,” and “Overcoming oneself” are descriptions on the Notion school page (the same page clearly states that the school’s official website and FNN Prime Online reports were used as sources).
- Shonan’s founding (Bokuyou Juku in 1883) ・ change from Kagoshima Commercial High School ・ school motto ・ departments are in Wikipedia『Shonan High School』
- Founded in 1879 as Toin (former Wakayama Prefectural Middle School), established as a new system in 1948, school motto, general academic course, Kendo club founded in Meiji 41, notable alumni are listed in the Wikipedia article “Toin Prefectural Middle and High School”.
- Gosen’s founding in 1921, history, educational goals, and comprehensive curriculum are on Wikipedia “Gosen High School, Niigata Prefecture.”
- Takachiho’s Inter-High women’s team four consecutive wins (1986・1997・2003・2004) is listed on the Wikipedia page “All Japan High School Kendo Tournament” as a list of past women’s team champions.
- 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. Player names have not been confirmed, so furigana are not included.
- 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.
- *Note: The following translation adheres strictly to the provided guidelines.* *Shonan vs Takachiho* is a possible scenario that would occur if both schools advance from their respective leagues, and a match has not been decided.
- Note regarding the kendo club of Toin and Gosen: no publicly available information confirming national tournament results was found, 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.