KENDOJIDAI 2024.10
Composition: Teraoka Tomoyuki
Photography: Nishiguchi Kunihiko
Translation: Hoshino Maki
From conquering the All Japan Kendo Championship during his university days to representing Japan on the global stage twice, Takenouchi Yuya has emerged as the cornerstone of Japan’s Kendo team.
“Am I truly worthy of bearing the flag of Japan?”
In this exclusive, we explore Takenouchi’s inner struggles with national representation and the relentless pursuit that led to world victory in Italy.
Read Part 1 here
Losing by One Point or Two —It’s All the Same
A Dramatic Turnaround Born from a ‘Come What May’ Spirit
– What were your thoughts heading into the final match against Korea?
“I wasn’t focused on the score. What I was certain of, however, was that the outcome would inevitably come down to the latter players. Korea is a formidable opponent, but also from experience, I knew the atmosphere in the venue would naturally create that kind of dynamic.”
– In the match, Hoshiko and Matsuzaki secured one-point victories, bringing the team within reach of the championship, but Kusano’s two-point loss shifted the momentum into uncertainty.
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