For the 34th year, the Japanese Junior High School Championships and High School Championships were contested during the summer holidays in July. Both championships were held under the patronage of the Minister of Education, Culture, Science, Sports and Technology (MEXT).

The JOC Junior Olympic Cup 34th All Japan High School was held from July 20-21 at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Bowling Center, Tokyo. Besides MEXT, the event was sponsored by the Japan Sports Association and the Japanese Olympic Committee.

The championship drew 226 players, 134 boys and 92 girls. The top 30 boys and 21 girls after 9 games of qualifying advanced to the final round of 3 games. Champions and winners (top 6) were decided based on total pinfall over 12 games.

Yuhi Shinbata (pictured left) from Myojo Gakuen High School set a new championship record with 2958 12-game total or an average of 246.50 to claim the title in the boys division.

Misaki Mukotani (right), from Chiba Meitoku High School averaged 218 and felled 2616 pins to capture the title in the girls division.

Click on all images to enlarge.

The Junior Olympic Cup was granted by the Japanese Olympic Committee to both champions.

The MEXT Cup 34th All Japan Junior High School Championships formerly held in conjunction with the High School Championships moved to Uji City, Kyoto, last year as an activity to assist regional promotion with the support of Japan Center of Regional Development (JCRD) and governmental funding.

This year's event took place from July 22-24 at Kyoichi Bowl. 201 players, 129 boys and 72 girls, bowled 9 games of qualifying to cut to the top 8 boys and girls who determined the champions in stepladder finals.

Katsuhito Nakano (pictured left) from Fukuoka of Kurume Municipal Kitano Junior High School won his third consecutive boys Junior High School title from the top seeded position. In the title match, Nakano held off No. 8 seed, Mamoru Takanami, 237-207. Nakano has won the championship in all three years in which he was eligible to compete.

Karen Takabuchi (right) from Kurashiki Municipal Tamashima-nishi Junior High School, seeded second, topped No. 1 seed, Miki Ishimoto, 206-191, to win the girls Junior High School title.

The champions received the Minister’s Cup from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

 

JOC Junior Olympic Cup 34th All Japan High School Championships

Shinagawa Prince Hotel Bowling Center in Tokyo, Japan (July 20-21, 2010)

Boys Division (134 participants)
Top 6 with position, City, High School and 12-game total

1. Yuhi Shinbata, Tokyo, Myojo Gakuen H.S. *2958
2. Ryo Kihara, Hiroshima, Josuikan H.S., 2773
3. Yoshihiko Aiba, Aichi, Clark Memorial International H.S., 2732
4. Kodai Iseya, Kanagawa, Kanagawa Prefectural Yokohama Nanryo H.S., 2676
5. Junya Nakagoshi, Ishikawa, Oyamadai H.S., 2664
6. Tatsuya Nishiyama, Hyogo, St. Michael's Senior H.S. affiliated to Kobe International Univ., 2648
* Championship Record.

High Game: 291 - Masashi Kato, Aichi, Seirinkan H.S.,
High Series: 771 - Yuhi Shinbata, Tokyo, Myojo Gakuen H.S.

Pictured right are High School High Game and High Series award winners Kata, Shinbata and Mikie Hamamoto.

 

Girls Division (92 participants)
Top 6 with position, City, High School and 12-game total

1. Misaki Mukotani, Chiba, Chiba Meitoku H.S., 2616
2. Kana Minowa, Tokyo, Horikoshi H.S., 2561
3. Kana Shimoide, Chiba, Kashiwa Municipal Kashiwa H.S., 2508
4. Shinobu Saito, Aomori, Toou Gakuen H.S., 2478
5. Mikie Hamamoto, Okinawa, Okinawa Prefectural Ginowan H.S., 2477
6. Asaki Saito, Fukushima, Fukushima Seikei H.S., 2464

High Game: 290 - Mikie Hamamoto, Okinawa, Okinawa Prefectural Ginowan H.S.
High Series: 718 - Mikie Hamamoto, Okinawa, Okinawa Prefectural Ginowan H.S.

 

MEXT Cup 34th All Japan Junior High School Championships

Kyoichi Bowl Uji in Kyoto, Japan (July 22-24, 2010)

Boys Division (129 participants)
Top 8 with position, City and Junior High School

1. Katsuhito Nakano, Fukuoka, Kurume Municipal Kitano J.H.S.
2. Mamoru Takanami, Fukuoka, Iiszuka Municipal Iizuka J.H.S.
3. Ryo Nagasawa, Shizuoka, Numazu Municupal Dai3 J.H.S.
4. Kenta Morimoto, Aichi, Nagoya Municipal Chigusa J.H.S.
5. Yuto Sairenji, Ibaraki, Hitachinaka Municipal Katsuta Dai3 J.H.S.
6. Yuta Saito, Kanagawa, Yokohama Municipal Kamisato J.H.S.
7. Yukihiro Mori, Shizuoka, Mishima Municipal Nakago J.H.S.
8. Tatsuya Egami, Aichi, Aisai Municipal Saya J.H.S.

Playoff Results:
Shootout Match: #8 Takanami (240) def. #3 Mori (192), #4 Morimoto (237), #5 Sairenji (226), #6 Egami (161) and #7 Saito (226)
Semifinal Match: Takanami def. #2 Nagasawa, 258-218
Title Match: #1 Nakano def. Takanami, 237-207.

High Game: 300 - Ryo Nagasawa, Shizuoka, Numazu Municupal Dai3 J.H.S.
High Series: 769 - Ryo Nagasawa, Shizuoka, Numazu Municupal Dai3 J.H.S.

Pictured right are Junior High School High Game and High Series award winners Nagasawa and Miki Ishimoto.

 

Girls Division (72 participants)
Top 8 with position, City and Junior High School

1. Karen Takabuchi, Okayama, Kurashiki Municipal Tamashima-nishi J.H.S.
2. Miki Ishimoto, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Municipal Yano J.H.S.
3. Ako Ota, Yamanashi, Fuefuki Municipal Kasugai J.H.S.
4. Kaho Sano, Kagawa, Takamatsu Municipal Kyowa J.H.S.
5. Yuki Katakabe, Aichi, Ichinomiya Municipal Kisogawa J.H.S.
6. Ai Yoshida, Miyagi, Sendai Municipal Hakken J.H.S.
7. Emiri Seino, Hokkaido, Kushiro Town-run Beppo J.H.S.
8. Natsuki Mizutani, Aichi, Aisai Municipal Tatsuta J.H.S.

Playoff Results:
Shootout Match: #7 Ota (216) def. #3 Mizutani (159), #4 Sano (211), #5 Katakabe (203), #6 Seino (168) and #8 Yoshida (194)
Semifinal Match: #2 Takabuchi def. Ota, 174-143
Title Match: Takabuchi def. #1 Ishimoto, 206-191

 

High Game: 277 - Miki Ishimoto, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Municipal Yano J.H.S.
High Series: 757 - Miki Ishimoto, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Municipal Yano J.H.S.