*Photo image by Ini Roces

Over 200 kendoka from across the country gathered at the Gameville Ball Park, Greenfields District, Mandaluyong City last October 25–26, 2025 for the 7th Philippine National Kendo Tournament (PNKT), hosted by the United Kendo Federation of the Philippines (UKFP).

The two-day event featured both a shinsa (grading examination) and a shiai (tournament), marking one of the largest and most vibrant kendo gatherings in the nation to date.

Record-Breaking Shinsa

The PNKT opened on the morning of October 25 with the official UKFP shinsa, offering kyu ranks (6th to 1st Kyu) and dan ranks (1st to 4th Dan).

A total of 110 kendoka registered, making it the largest grading examination  ever conducted by the UKFP.

Shinsa Results:

6th Kyu – 7 of 9 passed (2 absences)

5th Kyu – 2 of 2 passed

4th Kyu – 4 of 4 passed

3rd Kyu – 18 of 18 passed

1st Kyu – 29 of 36 passed (6 awarded 2nd Kyu, 1 awarded 3rd Kyu)

1st Dan – 21 of 21 passed

2nd Dan – 7 of 10 passed

3rd Dan – 2 of 5 passed

4th Dan – 2 of 4 passed

The consistently high pass rates were credited to the dedication of practitioners and the steady growth of quality instruction among UKFP-affiliated clubs.


Tournament Kicks Off with Distinguished Guests

The shiai (tournament) began in the afternoon of October 25 following the opening ceremonies, which were graced by His Excellency Endo Kazuya, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines, and Mr. Matsuda Shigehiro, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC).

This year’s PNKT drew 145 competitors representing eight clubs from across the Philippines:

Cebu Kendo Club (CKC), Davao Kendo Club (DKC), Davao Kenyukai (Kenyukai), Davao Yushinkai (Yushinkai), IGA Kendo Club (IGAKen), Metro Kendo Club (MetroKen), Negros Shiseikan Kendo Club (NSKC), and Tiger Kendo Club (TKC).

Individual events were held on October 25, while team events took place the following day.

Individual Champions Crowned

Elementary Division

Champion:  Owen Emmanuel Morales (NSKC)

2nd Place: Arnushka Dula (DKC)

3rd Place: Desiree Rabaya (DKC); Hana Otsuka (MetroKen)

Fighting Spirit: Athena Dula (DKC); Canaan Famatiga (IGAKen); Sylin Candido (MetroKen)

Male Junior High School

Champion: Riki Fukushima (IGAKen)

2nd Place: Awit Pulido (DKC)

3rd Place: James Pinlac (Kenyukai); Junseo Ji (TKC)

Fighting Spirit Awards - Nacario, Mark (DKC); Chiongbian, Shane (IGAKen); Okubo, Ryo (IGAKen)

Female Junior High School

Champion: Genesis Famatiga (IGAKen)

2nd Place: Yvaine Stephanie Carmona (NSKC)

3rd Place: Chartreuse Domingo (DKC); Jackie Louise Magpusao (NSKC)

Fighting Spirit Awards - Dacumos, Karylle (MetroKen); Martinez, Maali (NSKC)

Male Senior High School

Champion: Sebastian Bangoy (DKC)

2nd Place: Marco Cainglet (DKC)

3rd Place: Dwayne Morales (DKC); Robert Thomas Martinez (NSKC)

Fighting Spirit Awards - Bolisay, Miguel (IGAKen); Candido, Jozef (MetroKen); Haderly, Yuri (Yushinkai); Marañon, Christopher Luis (NSKC)

Female Senior High School

Champion: Chrizzy Coloso (NSKC)

2nd Place: Hitomi Kimura (NSKC)

3rd Place: Czarina Minoza (DKC); Juneseth Magpusao (NSKC)

Women’s Division

Champion: Suzzane Jean Yu (Yushinkai)

2nd Place: Denise Gonzales (MetroKen)

3rd Place: Arlene Maurillo (DKC); Fin Villa-Abrille (CKC)

Fighting Spirit: Almario, Michelle (Kenyukai); Cruz, Samantha (MetroKen); Mendoza, Lyndi Lou (NSKC); Renovilla, Renoida Jonah (Kenyukai)

Men’s Division

Champion: Robert Carabuena (Yushinkai)

2nd Place: Paul Miñoza (CKC)

3rd Place: Steve Cañete (CKC); Jhan Alfred Timogtimog (Yushinkai)

Fighting Spirit: Javier, Jan Rafael (IGAKen); Logarta, Mike (CKC); Penaco, Aaron (Kenyukai); Villaroya, Ronald (MetroKen)


Team Events Showcase Club Spirit

Men’s 3-Person Team

Champion: Team Yushinkai 1 (Carabuena, Disconte, Timogtimog)

2nd Place: Team IGA North (Bautista, Espiritu, Javier)

3rd Place: Team Shiseikan (Fernandez, Geconcillo, Marañon, Mendoza, Saballero); Team DKC 1 (Bangoy, Cainglet, Macalla)

Fighting Spirit: Enriquez, Tristan Jared; Pinlac, James; Romero, Jomar Paul; Ida, Hiroaki

Women’s Open Team

Champion: Team Metro J (Alfonso-Osawa, Castillon, Dacumos, Gonzales)

2nd Place: Team Metro I (Brillantes, Itoh, Otsuka)

3rd Place: Team DKC C (Domingo, Minoza, Rabaya); Team Shiseikan B (Coloso, Magpusao, Magpusao, Mendoza)

Fighting Spirit: Minoza, Czarina; Otsuka, Maki; Castillon, Melduen; Mendoza, Lyndi Lou

Men’s Open Team

Champion: Team Metro C (Adachi, Gonzales, Itoh, Lozano, Wada)

2nd Place: Team DY Ai Kenyukai (De Gracia, Kitada, Penaco, Shingaki, Bautista)

3rd Place: Team Metro A (Arce, Goda, Ida, Sychingiok, Villarama); Team Metro D (Brillantes; Cruz, Fukunaga, Hiromatsu, Inoue)

Fighting Spirit: Enriquez, Tristan Jared; Yehuda, Bernard; Lee, Ralph; Saballero, Jowash

Team Metro C’s victory in the Men’s Open capped off a strong showing for MetroKen, while Yushinkai and DKC earned multiple podium finishes across divisions. This is also Robert Carabuena’s 4th consecutive Men’s Individual Championship, marking his continued dominance in the local kendo tournament scene.

A Milestone for Philippine Kendo

The 7th PNKT marked a significant milestone in the UKFP’s mission to promote kendo nationwide.

With record-breaking participation in both the shinsa and shiai, the event underscored the growing enthusiasm for the art of Japanese swordsmanship among Filipinos.

The UKFP expressed its gratitude to all participating clubs, officials, volunteers, and guests for making the event a success, and reaffirmed its commitment to further developing kendo in the Philippines.