51st All-Japan Taikai

[AlexM]

Next week is the 51st All-Japan Taikai, I'm curious to know who the favorites are and who YOU, the viewing public, wish to see win (if you even care).

Here's a link to the official brakets: http://www.kendo.or.jp/jp/result/champ51/result-champ51-01.html
My thanks to kendokamax for the link.

Are you fans of Ando's tsuki?
Would you like to see Eiga end his illustrious sporting career (he is getting a bit long in the tooth you know) with one final triumph? (assuming that little stunt he pulled in Glasgow isn't enough for you)
Are you hoping Mitsunobu Sato finally gets his day in the sun? (crosses fingers)
Do you want some one of the first timers to win (of which there seem to be a whole lot of)?

To those of you actually in Japan and are in the know (tbhat essentially means Hamish): Who's the favored contestant? Any darkhorses to watch for? Is the next Miyazaki right around the corner? How should I handicap by betting pool? :D

By the way, is it normal to see so many first timers in the tournament this year? (almost half the participants seem to be there for the first time... unless I'm reading the brakets wrong).

[Andoy]

Sorry I'm a bit out of date. What did Eiga do in Glasgow?

[Raiza]

I think they're all great and picking who's going to win is much like rolling dice, but Taro Koseki impressed the heck out of me during his first appearance last year. I'd like to see how he does. When people ask me to see what a kendo match looks like, I pop in KW's CD with Ando vs. Koseki and let it rip.

[tetsuoxb]

I dont see Sato Hiromitsu listed on the brackets for Osaka. Am I overlooking something?

[mingshi]

Wow. Ando fighting Hirao at the first round (#27 & 28)! Then one of them will be fighting Eiga (#32) at Best 16!!

Tetsoxb, Sato Hiromitsu was out at the Osaka preliminary. There are 3 others representing the prefecture. One of them is Teramoto, who is going to fight Sato Mitsunobu at Best 16.

*JUST GUESSING*
Checking back last few years' AJKC record, some first-timers could get to around best 8. Maybe that depends on their Kendo population in their prefecture. Do you reckon if more people practicing in the same prefecture (or is it "born" in the prefecture?), it will be more competitive to get to the AJKC? (consider it as if a prefecture equals your country ;))

[tyler]

tenuously related question: if I were to go to Japan, what would, say, the top 5 prefectures be for kendo? I am applying to teach english there next year and I'm trying to figure out where to go; I realize that Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are huge, but aside from those cities, which prefectures are known for/have plentiful kendo?

tyler

[AlexM]

Sorry I'm a bit out of date. What did Eiga do in Glasgow?

Have you been living under a rock? (or in some kind of haze you West Coast hippy)... :D

I was referring to Eiga's overtime victory by katate-tsuki against Korea in the team final.

[sminki]

tenuously related question: if I were to go to Japan, what would, say, the top 5 prefectures be for kendo? I am applying to teach english there next year and I'm trying to figure out where to go; I realize that Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are huge, but aside from those cities, which prefectures are known for/have plentiful kendo?

tyler

Let's not forget Kanagawa and Hokkaido

[slidercrank]

Let's not forget Kanagawa and Hokkaido
I don't know if Hokkaido as a whole is known for strong kendo... granted that Eiga came from there, and the 2002 US national champion, Hatakeyama, also came from there.

I have had several sempais from Kyushu. I do hear from people that kendo in Kyushu is strong and traditional.

Just hearsay. However, Kyushu is a lot warmer than Hokkaido for sure...

[KATSUJIN]

:( if only i can be there....... osaka kendo is also strong....

[mingshi]

From the AJKF official site (http://www.kendo.or.jp/jp/result/champ51/result-champ51-kekka.htm)

----
Mingshi's Mini Statistics

Out of 63 matches,
7 were won by 2 Ippon,
16 were won by Ippon,
39 were won by Ippon during Encho,
1 was won in a 2:1 situation.

Out of 74 Ippon,
45 were Men,
20 were Kote,
5 were Tsuki,
4 were Do.
(Commentary: Wow, practice does make perfect! More Tsuki scored than Do!!)

Of the Best 8 finishes,
6 are Godan, 2 are Rokudan.
2 entered for the first time, 2 entered for the third time, 3 entered the forth time, 1 entered for the seventh time.
The top two entered the final are both from Aichi-ken. In the Best 8, 2 are from Tokyo, while the rest are from the following prefectures: Fukushima, Kochi, Saga, Kanagawa, Tochigi, Yamagata.

Have fun :D

[AlexM]

Thank you for the stats Jenny...

I want impressions! Who is the guy who won anyway? I don't know from kanji... Ando made the final for the second year in a row which is cool.

I'm sort of hoping that people who were there give us some impressions. Mitsunobu Sato loses in the second round! That bites.

What's with all the encho? Is that normal?

Looking forward to seeing tape of this at some point.

[mingshi]

I want impressions! Who is the guy who won anyway?
Okay... here's what I can find for Chikamoto and Ando (very limited):

Ando Kaigo. 30 years old from Aichi-ken. 5 dan, entering AJKC for the 4th time.
Education: PL Gakuin Junior High -> PL Gakuin High -> Kokushikan University -> Aichi-ken police. Graduated from Kokushikan Uni's Sports Department in 1996, during that time he won the Zen Nihon Kokusei (Uni student) Kendo Taikai for 2 consecutive years. In 1998 he won the Below 4Dan division of the AJ Police Taikai. Winner of last year's AJKC.

Chikamoto Takumi. 32 years old from Aichi-ken. 6Dan (just passed Renshi this year), entering AJKC for the 3rd time.
Education: Gifu Municipal Business High -> Aichi Gakuin Daigaku -> Aichi-ken Police. Finishes of the last few AJ Police Taikai: 1999 -best 8, 2001 -best 8, 2002 -best 4.

***BONUS: FINAL MATCH!!! (http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/2003/11/04/v20031103000100.html)

HTH :)

[Raiza]

Awesome! Thanks, mingshi!

[Kenshi]

guys.... it was great!! heh heh heh heh.

[LNGUYEN]

Sorry can't see it. Any one has the same problem?

[AlexM]

Mingshi,

As usual, YOU ROCK! :D

Thank you!

[kendokamax]

I had the chance to attend to the taikai . Some matches were really exciting.!

Most of the matches were super long, about 20 to 30 min !? The fastest match of the day was actually the final!!

One guy really was impressive, the whole crowd was impressed by him. His name was Shoudai , he is 23 years old, and doing joudan. He lost on the 2nd or third round but he was incredible!! He could do katate men for 3-5 times in consetive time!!!!

Satou lost in a pretty fast match. Anyway the kendo there was of such high level. It was so easy to tell what was ippon. Super clean kendo! Inspiring!!

[slidercrank]

Sorry can't see it. Any one has the same problem?
It's an rpm video file. You need a RealOne Player plug-in for your browser to view that video.

[Aden]

Final was a corker - Ando was under the gun after letting through that first point, and had to go for it. Wait for the Kendo World VCD. Chikamoto was most impressive in going through the comp, I cannot remember if he ever went past regulation time.

Of course the opposite quarter of the draw with Ando, Eiga, Nakao (really good in his first 2 rounds, a bit of a shock when he lost to Hara) was where the attention was. During the round of 16, all eyes were on Ando vs Eiga - you could look down and see the heads of the people in the arena seats all looking one way. One thing, the amount of tsuba-zeri-ai in that quarter was way less than on the other court.

Odd to see 2 blokes doing jodan, one on each court, at the same time in the first round.

Aden

[5ro]

Final was a corker - Ando was under the gun after letting through that first point, and had to go for it. Wait for the Kendo World VCD. Chikamoto was most impressive in going through the comp, I cannot remember if he ever went past regulation time.
Aden


Aden:

Where can I get a hold of this VCD?

[Raiza]

Get a Kendo World magazine subscription. (http://kendo-world.com/magazine/index.php) ;)

[don_lubo]

Check this out
http://61.78.59.235/vod1/kumdo/031021/51jpanoping.wmv

[Manuel]

kendoka max, can you give some information about the IBU please, i'm a 19 year old spanish boy. Now a days i'm shodan. I really want to go to japan so as to practice kendo, and i think IBU is a great option.
doumo arigatou gozaimashita

[olaf]

Hi folks,

I happen to have several video clips of the semifinals and final matches, and am currently in the process of naming those files. Problem is, I don't know the contestants' names!

Who plays Ando in the semifinals? He's in red. The other semi is Hara vs. Chikamoto, right?

Thanks!

[chidokan]

Is Mingshi really Statto from the Baddiel and Skinner show?
One of life's many mysteries that really dont need and answer.... :D

[mingshi]

Hi Olaf,

Best 8
Match 57 Mori vs Fukuya
Match 58 Hara vs Ando
Match 59 Fukuya vs Takanabe
Match 60 Harada vs Chikamoto

Best 4
Match 61 Fukaya vs Ando
Match 62 Tazaki vs Chikamoto

Final
Match 63 Ando vs Chikamoto

-------
Tim, what is that you are talking about??

[Lill Murveln]

Hi Olaf,

Best 8
Match 57 Mori vs Fukuya
Match 58 Hara vs Ando
Match 59 Fukuya vs Takanabe
Match 60 Harada vs Chikamoto

Best 4
Match 61 Fukaya vs Ando
Match 62 Tazaki vs Chikamoto

Final
Match 63 Ando vs Chikamoto

-------
Tim, what is that you are talking about??

Mingshi, If i understood it right match 59 was Tazaki vs. Takanabe not Fukuya vs. Takanabe.

[olaf]

Hi folks,

Thanks for the match info. For those of you interested, the entire tournament tree/results are here:

http://www.kendo.or.jp/jp/result/champ51/result-champ51-kekka.htm

But the names are only in Japanese/Kanji.

For those of you who were there or have seen some of the preliminary matches, did you pay attention to the match between Hara and that jodan fellow (forgot his name)? In countering jodan, Hara constantly swapped his shinai between his left and right hand, holding it almost as if he were playing nito, but with only one shinai! When the shinai was in his left hand, he had it up above his head, almost like jodan, but one-handed. When it was in his right, he was pressing forward/blocking with it, like you would do with a shoto/kodachi.

Can anyone explain the logic behind his methodology?

Thanks!

[olaf]

By the way...

If any of you folks would like video clips of the semi-finals and final matches - and have some means of receiving huge 50+ MB video flies (ie an FTP site) - PM me and I'll send them to you. I also have all the important matches at Glasgow on video.

[don_lubo]

Try this
http://61.78.59.235/vod1/kumdo/031021/51jpanno12.wmv
http://61.78.59.235/vod1/kumdo/031021/51jpanno4_2.wmv

[hamish]

Hi Olaf,

The logic behind Hara's move is pretty simple: 'Don't hit me on a valid area!!'

Hamish

[Eldritch Knight]

Wow. There's a guy from Kagawa-ken? Nice...

[Eldritch Knight]

Wait a sec.... Ishikawa Tsuashi? I know that guy! He used to come in every once in a while to my club to teach us. Nice....