A fourth-year student who had been hidden in the shadows at Tsukuba University, where top student kendo players are crowded, has finally got her long-cherished wish of getting a ticket to the Intercollegiate Championships. Masaki Yamamoto (fourth year) from Tsukuba University will be competing for the first time in the 58th All-Japan Women’s Student Kendo Championships to be held at Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo on the 29th. The technique she used to defeat the Japanese representative, who was also her high school classmate, and take the title of Kanto Queen was unexpected.

Trying out a move you’re not good at

Her opponent in the final of the Kanto Women’s Student Championship in May will be Haruna Mizukawa (4th year) from Hosei University. She was a classmate at Saidaiji High School in Okayama and is a talented player who became the fifth player in history to win the All-Japan Women’s Student Championship two years ago.

With both sides knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the match could not be decided within the four-minute match time. The match went into overtime. When Yamamoto’s opponent closed in on him, he skillfully timed his move and jumped into his opponent’s chest, winning the match with a men.

However, Men said, “It wasn’t my forte.” His specialty is a “counter technique” in which he blocks his opponent’s attack with his bamboo sword and immediately returns the attack with his wrist. Sensing that this was what he was being targeted for, he took his opponent by surprise with a technique that he was not good at.

Mizukawa was captain of the Saidaiji High School Kendo Club, and Yamamoto was vice-captain. They were rivals competing for the top spots in the prefecture, but their fortunes diverged after they entered university. Mizukawa became the number one university in Japan as a first-year student, drawing attention. She is the hope of the female student Kendo world, having been selected to represent Japan at the World Championships in July this year.

In contrast, Yamamoto continued to struggle without even having a chance to compete in the national tournament.

“No matter how hard I practiced, I was never able to become a player (who could compete in the national tournament). I competed in the Kanto (Women’s Student Championships) as an individual in my second year, but I wasn’t able to achieve results in the matches, so I wasn’t selected as a member of the team.”

It was at the University of Tsukuba’s spring training camp that he got the chance to break out of his shell. He found his own style in the matches within the club, and “little by little, I began to see the results of my efforts, which led to my confidence.” While honing his favorite counter-attacks, he also placed importance on the movements just before the counter-attack.

“I practiced not only decisive moves, but also things that could be thrown like jabs, and to make up for my lack of leg strength, I also practiced hitting without jumping in too hard, even with men.”

Her steady efforts to expand her repertoire, such as varying the strength of the same technique depending on the situation, bore fruit in the final against Mizukawa.

First and last All Japan “Final with Mizukawa”

Born in Okayama Prefecture. Influenced by his older brother, who is two years older than him, he started kendo and won the individual competition at the Chugoku region tournament in junior high school. In his second year of high school, he placed third individually at the National High School Inter-High. However, at Tsukuba University, he was lost among his high-level teammates. “This is my last year (as a senior), so if I don’t make an impact here, I’ll have nothing.” With determination, he grabbed his bamboo sword and paved the way to the national tournament.

Yuji Arita, the coach of the women’s Kendo Club at the University of Tsukuba, looks back on the experience with deep emotion.

“After entering university, Yamamoto was unable to beat Mizukawa even once for three years. It must have been tough for her not to see the light of day. I’m really glad that she was able to beat Mizukawa in the Kanto final. I was close to crying during the match.”

On the other hand, Mizukawa, who lost, is not keeping quiet either. “I think (Yamamoto)’s feelings of regret came out,” he said, accepting the result. “I want to use this regret as fuel to fight in the Intercollegiate Championships. I want to end my last (All Japan) tournament of my university life with a victory,” he said, hoping for revenge.

How does Yamamoto feel about her first and last All Japan Championships, which will be the culmination of her four years of training? “I may be the ‘Kanto Queen’, but I’m also a challenger. I’m not going to get too worked up and I’ll just relax. I’d like to face Mizukawa again in the finals.” Her occasional carefree smile makes it hard to believe she’s under any pressure.[Asazuma Hiroyuki]