Former champions, two schools! Women's team H league.
The H league of the second match venue featured Kofu Shogyo (Yamanashi), a commercial high school that won the 1957 Inter-High men's team event, and Tokaidai Urayasu (Chiba), which won the 1995 All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament for men—two schools that know the peak of the nation, though in different divisions. Kofu Shogyo and Tsuruga (Fukui) will participate in all four divisions of the team and individual events for both men and women. Each school plays two matches in a round-robin format among the three schools, and only one school advances to the knockout tournament. The school that advances will play against the winner of League G in the first round of the knockout tournament.
These three schools.
- Kofu Shogyo（甲府商業）Yamanashi Prefecture.Men's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualMen's Individual: 水谷 一惺Players(2Year)、谷田部 大稀Players(3Year) / Women's Individual: 星 知波Players(3Year)
- Tsuruga（敦賀）Fukui Prefecture.Men's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualMen's Individual: 出口 慧Players(3Year)、山本 優心Players(2Year) / Women's Individual: 園田 夢萌Players(3Year)、岩瀬 こはPlayers(3Year)
- Tokaidai Urayasu（東海大浦安）Chiba Prefecture.Girls' team.Women's IndividualWomen's Individual: 鈴木 宥凜Players(1Year)、松和 杏芽Players(2Year)
The one school that advanced will play against the winners of G League (Konan(Okinawa), Toyama Hokubu(Toyama), Hoshino(Saitama)) 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 members: 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 losing even one match means the summer is over. The one school that advanced from H league will face the winner of G league in the first round of the knockout tournament.
69 years ago, Japan's best — Kofu Shogyo
Yamanashi Prefecture Kofu City’s municipal Kofu Shogyo High School won the 1957 National High School Kendo Tournament (Inter-High) men’s team competition. It was the best in Japan at a time not long after the tournament began, 69 years ago counting from 2026. Founded as Kofu Normal Higher Elementary School Aioi Training Ground Municipal Kofu Shogyo School in 1901, it became a new system commercial high school in 1948 and a full-time coeducational school in 1951. It moved to its current location in 1977. The established departments are the commercial department and the information processing department. In this tournament, they will participate in all team and individual events for both men and women.
School that won the selection men’s tournament — Tokaidai Urayasu
Chiba Prefecture Urayasu City’s private Tokai University Attached Urayasu High School won the men’s team event at the 4th All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament in 1995. Meikyo Gakukai was established in 1915 and the school opened as Meikyo Middle School. It was absorbed into Tokai University in 1955, and relocated to Urayasu Town in 1975, becoming its current name. The school’s founding spirit is “Cultivate your thoughts in your youth,” “Nurture your physique,” “Hone your intellect,” and “Connect your hopes to the stars.” The school’s official website reports that the high school kendo club participated in the Kanto Tournament in spring 2026.
First-year students in the individual competition — a young lineup of Tokaidai Urayasu.
Tokaidai Urayasu will participate in both the women's team and women's individual events in this tournament. The lineup for the women's individual event is noteworthy, with 松和杏芽 being a second-year student and 鈴木宥凜 being a first-year student. The two students have filled the individual spots for Chiba Prefecture. The Inter-High individual competition has a limited number of spots per prefecture, making it difficult for a first-year student to win a spot. If players from the same generation are also involved in the team competition lineup, this team will be worth watching in the years to come.
Formed from the merger of three schools Tsuruga
Fukui Prefecture Tsuruga City’s prefectural Tsuruga High School was established in 1948 through the integration of Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga Higher Girls' School, Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga Commercial School, and Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga Junior High School. One of its predecessors, Tsuruga Commercial School, was founded in 1906. The school motto is "Autonomy and Self-Reliance," and it promotes both academic and martial arts pursuits. It offers regular courses in full-time programs, including general academic courses, science courses, commercial courses, and information accounting courses. In this tournament, they will participate in all team and individual events for both men and women, with 園田夢萌 (3rd year, 2nd dan) and 岩瀬こは (3rd year, 2nd dan) as the two 3rd-year students competing in the women’s individual event.
Two schools competed in all four divisions – a battle of depth.
Kofu Shogyo and Tsuruga will both compete in all four categories: men’s team, women’s team, men’s individual, and women’s individual. There are limited instances where all four categories of competing schools are paired in a single league, which demonstrates a direct comparison of overall departmental strength. Furthermore, Tokaidai Urayasu also possesses two spots in the women’s individual event, resulting in a total of nine individual competitors from the three schools in H League, including five women’s individual competitors. And in G League, which awaits the winner of this league, there are also two schools competing in all four categories: Konan and Toyama Hokubu. Depth will clash with depth in a two-tiered structure.
Live broadcast「Former champions, two schools! Women's team H league.」
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Messages of support for the participating schools and players.
Kofu Shogyo students, being the best in Japan 69 years ago is a record of our seniors, but this year’s appearance in the national competition from our municipal commercial high school in all four categories is your own record. 星知波 player, 水谷一惺 player, 谷田部大稀 player, swing with all your might. Tsuruga students, please demonstrate “self-governance” which has continued since the merger of three schools, with the swords of 園田夢萌 player, 岩瀬こは player, 出口慧 player, and 山本優心 player. Tokaidai Urayasu students, the fact that first-year 鈴木宥凜 player and second-year 松和杏芽 player have secured a spot from the prefecture speaks to the current state of the club. Although it is a group competing for one spot, there is no superiority among the summers of the three schools that have reached this stage.
To the five members from Senpo to Taisho.
"Connect your hopes to the stars in your youth" — this is the founding spirit inherited by Tokaidai Urayasu. Kofu Shogyo, which opened as a municipal commercial school in 1901, and Tsuruga, which was born from the integration of three schools in 1948. Three schools with vastly different origins will line up on the same match floor. The players whose names have been mentioned are 星知波 from Kofu Shogyo, 園田夢萌 and 岩瀬こは from Tsuruga, and 松和杏芽 and 鈴木宥凜 from Tokaidai Urayasu. Ten more will join for the team competition, and five each will line up from Senpo to Taisho to fight. On August 2nd, the names of all fifteen will be announced in the arena. Let us hear those names in Nara.
School Information
Kofu Shogyo（甲府商業）
- Official name
- 甲府市立甲府商業高等学校
- Reading
- Kofu Shogyo
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Kofu City (Coeducational)
- Location
- Yamanashi Prefecture, Kofu City.
- History
- Opened as Kofu Shogyo Municipal School within the Aioi training hall of Kofu Normal Higher Elementary School in 1901 (Meiji 34). Became a new system commercial high school in 1948, and became coeducational and full-time in 1951. Relocated to the current location in 1977.
- Department.
- Business Department, Information Processing Department.
- Kendo Club
- The kendo club won the boys' team event at the 1957 National High School General Sports Tournament (Inter-High). In this tournament, they will participate as the Yamanashi Prefecture representatives in all four categories: boys' team, girls' team, boys' individual, and girls' individual. The girls' individual representative is 星知波 (3rd year, 3rd dan), and the boys' individual representatives are 水谷一惺 (2nd year, 2nd dan) and 谷田部大稀 (3rd year, 3rd dan).
- Notes
- Not prefectural, but Kofu City-run. Pronounced "Kofu Shogyo".
Tsuruga（敦賀）
- Official name
- 福井県立敦賀高等学校
- Reading
- Tsuruga
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Fukui Prefectural (Co-educational)
- Location
- Fukui Prefecture Tsuruga City
- History
- In April 1948 (Showa 23), it was established through the integration of three schools: Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga Higher Girls' School, Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga Commercial School, and Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga Middle School. One of its predecessors, Tsuruga Commercial School, opened in 1906.
- School motto/philosophy
- The school motto is "Independence and Self-discipline." It promotes both academic and martial arts excellence.
- Department.
- Full-time courses: General academic course, Arts and Science course, Business course, Information Accounting course. Part-time (daytime): General academic course.
- Kendo Club
- In the fiscal year 2026, having won the Fukui Prefecture qualifiers, they will participate in Inter-High in all four categories: men's team, women's team, men's individual, and women's individual. The women's individual representatives are 園田夢萌 (3rd year, 2nd dan) and 岩瀬こは (3rd year, 2nd dan), and the men's individual representatives are 出口慧 (3rd year, 3rd dan) and 山本優心 (2nd year, 3rd dan). No past national tournament results could be confirmed from publicly available information.
- Notes
- Reading is "Tsuruga".
Tokaidai Urayasu（東海大浦安）
- Official name
- 東海大学付属浦安高等学校
- Reading
- Tokaidai Urayasu
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private coeducational school. It is affiliated with Tokai University and incorporates Tokai University Futsuuka Junior High School.
- Location
- Chiba Prefecture, Urayasu City.
- History
- Founded in 1915 as Meikyo Middle School by the Meikyo Educational Society. Following the postwar educational reform of 1948, it was absorbed into Tokai University in 1955 and relocated to Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture in 1975, becoming the school known today.
- School motto/philosophy
- The founding spirit of Tokai University: “Cultivate your thoughts in your youth,” “Nurture your body in your youth,” “Hone your intellect in your youth,” and “Connect your hopes to the stars in your youth.”
- Department.
- General studies (including science classes)
- Kendo Club
- In 1995 (the 4th time), the team won the championship in the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament for boys. The school's official website reports that the high school kendo club participated in the Kanto Tournament in spring 2026. This tournament features participation in the girls' team and girls' individual events, with 松和杏芽 (2nd year, 3rd dan) and 鈴木宥凜 (1st year, 2nd dan) competing in the girls' individual event.
- Notes
- The official name is “Tokai University Futsu High School” (using “fuzoku” rather than “fukuzoku”).
・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 Kofu Shogyo High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Tsuruga High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Tokaidai Urayasu High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Wikipedia Kofu Municipal Kofu Shogyo High School ↗
・Wikipedia Fukui Prefectural Tsuruga High School ↗
・Wikipedia Tokai University Narashino High School & Junior High School ↗
・Tokai University Narashino High School & Junior High School Official Website ↗
・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 (Kofu Shogyo・Tsuruga・Tokaidai Urayasu), second venue, participating individual players from each school with their grade and rank, the H vs. G match in the final tournament is available 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.”
- Kofu Shogyo's 1957 Inter-High men's team championship, founding year (1901), history, and courses are on Wikipedia "Kofu Shogyo High School." The championship year can also be confirmed on the Wikipedia list of past champions of "National High School Kendo Tournament."
- Tokaidai Urayasu's 1995 (4th) All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament men's championship is Wikipedia "Tokai University Narashino High School & Junior High School" and Wikipedia "All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament".
- The history of Tokaidai Urayasu (founded as Meikyo Middle School in 1915, absorbed into Tokai University in 1955, relocated to Urayasu in 1975) and its founding spirit are on the Wikipedia page “Tokai University Urayasu High School & Junior High School.” Information about the high school kendo club’s Kanto Tournament appearance in spring 2026 is on the school’s official website.
- Founded by the 1948 merger of three schools – the 1906 founding of Tsuruga Commercial School – school motto "Independence and Self-Reliance" – departments are described in Wikipedia "Tsuruga High School, Fukui Prefecture"
- Kofu Shogyo and Tsuruga will mutually confirm participation in all four categories of team and individual events for both men and women via the Notion school page and shutsujo_all in league_briefs.json.
- The number of individual competitors from the three schools in H League – 9 in total (including 5 female competitors) – is a compilation of the individual male and female data from league_briefs.json.
- G League has two schools participating in all four divisions (Konan・Toyama Hokubu), as described in league_briefs.json’s shutsujo_all.
- 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 that Kofu Shogyo’s 1957 win and Tokaidai Urayasu’s 1995 win are both records of the men’s team, and this is explicitly stated in the text.
- Regarding the kendo team of Tsuruga, 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.