This spring, the team that placed 3rd nationally has arrived! Women’s Team I League.
The women's I League at the third venue features the absolute champion of the host city, Nara, Naradai Fuzoku, the strong women's team from Aichi, Seijo, and Taisha (Shimane), which placed third in the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament in March 2026. The three schools will play two matches each in a round-robin format, with only one school advancing to the knockout tournament. This spring's national top 4 and the local school with 47 consecutive prefectural championships have been drawn into a group where they will compete fiercely from the first day of the tournament.
These three schools.
- Naradai Fuzoku（奈良大附属）Nara Prefecture.Men's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualWomen's Individual: 成田 茜子Players(3Year)、村本 紅葉Players(2Year)
- Seijo（星城）Aichi PrefectureGirls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualWomen's Individual: 冨松 咲季Players(3Year)、畠中 結衣Players(3Year)
- Taisha（大社）Shimane PrefectureMen's team.Girls' team.Men's IndividualWomen's IndividualWomen's Individual: 槇尾 光空子Players(3Year)、小村 そらPlayers(3Year)
The one school that broke through will face the J-League winners (Oko(Kochi), Kusatsu Higashi(滋賀), Kanazawa(石川)) in the first round of the final 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 determined by the number of wins, and if tied, by the number of points scored. 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 I League will play against the winner of J League in the first round of the knockout tournament.
This spring's national top 4・Taisha will advance.
Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School placed third in the women's team event at the 35th All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament held at Kasugai City General Gymnasium in March 2026. According to the tournament results published by the All Japan Kendo Federation, the winner was Yatsushiro Shirayuri Gakuen, the runner-up was Meiho, and Taisha and Shorin were among the top four. Going back further, they also placed third in the women's team event at the Okinawa Inter-High in 2010. Founded in 1898, it is the only high school in Shimane Prefecture with a physical education program, and the kendo club is active with 25 male and 13 female members, aiming for "Goal: Number one in Japan, Purpose: Character building."
47 consecutive prefectural championships – the absolute champions of their home prefecture of Nara.
The women’s kendo club of 奈良大学附属高等学校, a private high school in Nara City, has achieved 47 consecutive wins in the Nara Prefecture tournament (Inter-High qualifiers, Championships, Rookie Tournament, and Selection Tournament qualifiers) according to the school’s official website. They have won the prefectural overall championship 96 times, the Inter-High qualifiers 24 times (13 years in a row), and the Rookie Tournament 21 times (14 years in a row). Nationally, they have qualified for the All-Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament for 22 consecutive years, reaching the top 8 four times and the top 16 five times. They have also qualified for the Inter-High tournament for 49 consecutive years (a total of 24 appearances) and were runners-up once in the Kaisei-ki National Tournament. The school motto is “Effort is genius,” and the founding spirit is “Seikyo Seiryoku” – a spirit of righteousness and strength.
Competing in all four divisions with only two schools demonstrating a high level of competition.
This league has two schools participating in all four categories: men's team, women's team, men's individual, and women's individual. Naradai Fuzoku and Taisha are those schools. Naradai Fuzoku is sending 成田茜子 (3rd year) and 村本紅葉 (2nd year) to the women's individual event, and 社頭葵, 木村瑠汰, and 新垣匠司 to the men's individual event, while Taisha has 槇尾光空子 and 小村そら in the women's individual event, and 諏訪颯司 and 小倉悠 in the men's individual event. The two schools, mobilizing the entire school to go to Nara, will clash head-on in the same group.
Aichi's strong girls' team, Seijo
Aichi Prefecture Toyoake City’s private Seijo High School is a coeducational school established in 1963 by the school corporation Nagoya Ishida Gakuen, with the school motto being “Heiga Ittai.” It emphasizes “etiquette’s Seijo”, “university entrance’s Seijo”, “international exchange’s Seijo”, and “sports’ Seijo” as its four pillars, and offers four courses: Kyosei, Tokushin, Athlete Tokushin, and Meitoku. The kendo club’s victory in the women’s team event at the Aichi Prefecture qualifying round of the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament is recorded in the 46th issue of “Mino Me,” the newsletter of the Aichi Prefecture Kendo Federation. In this tournament, 冨松咲季 and 畠中結衣 players will participate in the women’s individual event.
Breaking through to the J League awaits.
The one school that wins the I-League will face the winner of the J-League in the first round of the final tournament. The J-League consists of three schools: Oko(Kochi), Kusatsu Higashi(滋賀), and Kanazawa(石川), all of which have advanced as representatives of their respective prefectures. As for the Kinki region, Naradai Fuzoku and Kusatsu Higashi are placed in different leagues despite being from the same region; if both schools advance, the first round of the final tournament will immediately become a Kinki showdown.
Live broadcast「This spring, the team that placed 3rd nationally has arrived! Women’s Team I League.」
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Messages of support for the participating schools and players.
Naradai Fuzoku, Seijo, Taisha— . The amount of practice the three schools have built up to this point cannot be measured by anyone. At Naradai Fuzoku, which welcomes summer in its home prefecture of Nara, are 成田茜子 and 村本紅葉; at Seijo, which raises the banner of unity, are 冨松咲季 and 畠中結衣; and at Taisha, the traditional county high school, are 槇尾光空子 and 小村そら. Each of the three years is loaded onto the backs of teammates heading toward the individual competition and onto each ippon in the team event. Only one school can advance. But standing on this field itself is the culmination of long days. Before winning or losing, please give it your all.
To the five members from Senpo to Taisho.
47 consecutive victories in the Nara Prefecture tournament, 96 overall championships for the prefecture—these are the numbers Naradai Fuzoku has built up at home. Joining that line are players 成田茜子 and 村本紅葉, who also stand in the women's individual competition. Seijo features players 冨松咲季 and 畠中結衣, and Taisha features players 槇尾光空子 and 小村そら. Although the names mentioned so far are two players from each school, the team competition is a five-person system of Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, and Taisho, and all five players will stand on the floor of the competition hall to aim for an ippon. The remaining players simply haven't been named yet. On August 2nd, when the order is announced, the names of all fifteen players from the three schools will resonate throughout the venue. There isn't a single player without a name. Let us hear those names in Nara.
School Information
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). A junior high and high school affiliated with 奈良大学.
- 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
- The girls’ kendo club achieved 47 consecutive wins in the Nara Prefecture tournament (Inter-High qualifier, Championship, Rookie Tournament, and Selection Tournament qualifier), 96 overall prefectural championships, and 24 Inter-High qualifier championships (13 years in a row), and 21 Rookie Tournament championships (14 years in a row). They have qualified for the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament for 22 consecutive years, reaching the top 8 four times and the top 16 five times. They have participated in Inter-High for 49 consecutive years (a total of 24 appearances), achieved top 8 in the National Sports Festival twice, and were runners-up in the Kaisei-ki National Tournament once. The club welcomes members from beginners to experienced players, and follows a training philosophy of strengthening both body and mind under the spirit of *seikyo* and the school’s motto.
- Notes
- The schools participating in this tournament, held in Nara Prefecture. They will compete in all four categories: Men’s Team, Women’s Team, Men’s Individual, and Women’s Individual.
Seijo（星城）
- Official name
- 星城高等学校
- Reading
- Seijo
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Private (coeducational). Established by the school corporation Nagoya Ishida Gakuen. A combined junior and senior high school affiliated with Seijo Junior High School.
- Location
- 20 Shin-Sayamayama, Sakae-cho, Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture.
- History
- Founded in 1963 by the school corporation Nagoya Ishida Gakuen. It has a middle school attached and provides a junior and senior high school integrated education.
- School motto/philosophy
- School motto "Heika Ittai". It upholds "Seijo of etiquette", "Seijo of academic advancement", "Seijo of international exchange", and "Seijo of sports" as its four pillars.
- Department.
- General Studies (Yosei Course, Tokushin Course, Athlete Tokushin Course, Meitoku Course)
- Kendo Club
- Aichi Prefecture's leading girls' strong school. The Aichi Prefecture Kendo Federation's newsletter "Kan no Me" issue 46 records a girls' team victory in the Aichi Prefecture qualifying round of the All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament. In this tournament, 冨松咲季 and 畠中結衣 players will participate in the girls' individual event, and 佐藤世十郎 player will participate in the boys' individual event, in addition to the girls' team event.
- Notes
- Musashino Seijo High School in Saitama Prefecture, a different school from Kobe Seijo High School in Hyogo Prefecture
Taisha（大社）
- Official name
- 島根県立大社高等学校
- Reading
- Taisha
- Division/Category of Establishment
- Shimane Prefectural (Co-educational)
- Location
- Shimane Prefecture, Izumo City Taisha Kitahara-ki 1473
- History
- Founded in 1898 (Meiji 31) as the Shimane Prefectural Hikawa Normal Junior High School under the jurisdiction of Hikawa District. A women's school (practical training school) was established in 1909. In 1948, it split into First and Second High Schools, and in 1949, it was integrated to become the Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School, a coeducational institution. A physical education course was established in 1973, and it moved to the Hamayama New School Building in 1980.
- Department.
- General studies and physical education (the only high school in Shimane Prefecture with a physical education program).
- Kendo Club
- In March 2026, the team placed third in the women’s team event at the 35th All-Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament (Kasugai City General Gymnasium). They also placed third in the women’s team event at the 2010 Okinawa Inter-High. The club has 25 male and 13 female members, and promotes “Goal: To be the best in Japan, Purpose: Character development,” emphasizing both academic and martial arts excellence, as well as a fulfilling lifestyle. At this tournament, they competed in all four categories: men’s team, women’s team, men’s individual, and women’s individual.
- Notes
- The school name is derived from Izumo Taisha. It is read as "Taisha".
・National High School Kendo Tournament Official Website ↗
・Let's Kendo [Matchups] August 2nd - 5th, 73rd All Japan High School Kendo Tournament / Nara Inter-High 2026. ↗
・All Japan Kendo Federation 35th National High School Kendo Selection Tournament Results. ↗
・Wikipedia National High School Kendo Tournament (Women's Team - Historical Results) ↗
・Nara University High School Women's Kendo Club. ↗
・Wikipedia Nara University High School ↗
・Wikipedia Seijo middle and high school ↗
・Seijo High School Official Site ↗
・Aichi Prefecture Kendo Federation Newsletter "Kan no Me" Issue #46 ↗
・Wikipedia Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School ↗
・Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School History ↗
・Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School Kendo Club ↗
・Notion Participating School Library Naradai Fuzoku High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating Schools Library Seijo High School Kendo Club History and Achievements Summary ↗
・Notion Participating Schools Library Taisha 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 formation (Naradai Fuzoku・Seijo・Taisha), third venue, individual competition participants from each school, I vs. J 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 official name, type of institution, location, pronunciation, and qualification for participation can be found on the school-specific page in the Notion "2026 Inter-High Kendo Participating Schools Library."
- Taisha's March 2026 - 35th All Japan High School Kendo Selection Tournament Women's Team 3rd Place is on the All Japan Kendo Federation's tournament results page.
- Taisha’s 2010 Inter-High Women’s Team 3rd place is in the Wikipedia “All Japan High School Kendo Tournament” Women’s Team Past Results Table.
- Taisha’s founding year, history, and physical education department are on the school’s official website’s history page; the number of members and “Goal: Number One in Japan, Purpose: Character Development” are on the school kendo club page.
- Naradai Fuzoku’s prefectural tournament 47 consecutive wins・overall championship 96 times・national tournament results・coaching philosophy are on the school’s official website, women’s kendo club page. Founding history (1925・Nanto Masatsuyo Junior High School) is on Wikipedia.
- Seijo’s establishing corporation, founding year, school motto “Heiga Ittai”, and location are on Wikipedia; the four pillars and four courses are on the school’s official website. The women’s team’s victory in the Aichi Prefecture qualifying round of the National Selection Tournament is reported in the Aichi Prefecture Kendo Federation newsletter “Kan no Me” issue 46 (confirmed via the Notion school page).
- 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 readings 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.
- *The "Kinki showdown" will only be possible if Naradai Fuzoku and Kusatsu Higashi advance through their respective leagues, and a match has not been decided yet.*
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.