The first ever National Bowling Tournament for Primary School Students in Japan was held from Aug. 4-5, 2010 at Inazawa Grand Bowl in Aichi, Japan. Inazawa Grand Bowl is the world's biggest bowling center on one floor featuring 116 lanes on 200 meters width without any pillars.

Pictured left are the participants at Inazawa Grand Bowl during pratice. Click on the image to enlarge it. Pictured right are the 4th grade winners.

The tournament was co-organized by the Bowling Council of Japan (BCJ) and the Japan Bowling Congress (JBC).

A qualifier for the tournament has been held by each JBC prefectural federation and special coaching sessions were conducted by instructors from the Japan Professional Bowlers Association (JPBA) supported by the Proprietors' Association of Japan (BPAJ).

In the coaching session in Inazawa prior to the national tournament, professional bowlers from JPBA and BPAJ were on hand and helped to conduct it (pictured left and right).

182 boys and girls came with their parents from all across Japan to participate in the event. The tournament featured three divisions: 4th, 5th and 6th school grade. Boys and girls bowled in the same division without handicap.

Pictured left ate the 5th grade winners, on the right are the 6th grade winners.

"The tournament was exciting," said Masahiko Kosugi of the JBC "and the scores really surprised the coaching staffs."

Ryuta Yamaura of Anjo Municipal Sakurai Primary School in Aichi claimed the title in the 4th grade division with 1222 six-game total, an average of 203.67, including a high game of 234.

Yuichi Kawahara of Koshigaya Municipal Senmadai P.S. in Saitama used a 254 high game to lead all 5th graders with 1286 pinfall total or an average of 214.33.

Tomoya Fujiwara of Maibara Munipal Ohara P.S. in Shiga averaged 235 on his way to the tournament-high 1410 series to easily win the title in the 6th grade division. Fujiwara also fired the high game of the tournament with 279.

L-R Divisional champions Fujiwara, Kawahara and Yamaura with their High Game awards. Click on the image to enlarge it.

 

6th Grade Division - Final Standings after six Games (Top 10)

Pos	Player	Hometown	School	Total	Ave.
1.	Tomoya Fujiwara	Shiga	Maibara Munipal Ohara P.S.	1410	235.00
2.	Sayato Takahira	Aichi	Okazaki Municipal Azukizawa P.S.	1200	200.00
3.	Takuro Niikura	Tokyo	Nakano Municipal Keimei P.S.	1164	194.00
4.	Yuta Takagi	Mie	Kuwana Municipal Shutoku P.S.	1150	191.67
5.	Tomoya Yamashita	Tokyo	Akiruno Municipal Maeda P.S.	1133	188.83
6.	Yutaro Takahashi	Saitama	Saitama Municipal Higashi-Taisei P.S.	1123	187.17
7.	Naoya Sumita	Shiga	Ritto Municipal Taiho P.S.	1114	185.67
8.	Tomohiro Yoshikawa	Yamanashi	Yamanashi Municipal Goyashiki P.S.	1052	175.33
9.	Takumi Ogura	Tottori	Kurashiki Municipal Kaminada P.S.	1048	174.67
10.	Haruka Horii	Shiga	Otu Municipal Sakamoto P.S.	1042	173.67
High Game	Tomoya Fujiwara	Shiga	Maibara Munipal Ohara P.S.	279

 

5th Grade Division - Final Standings after six Games (Top 10)

Pos	Player	Hometown	School	Total	Ave.
1.	Yuichi Kawahara	Saitama	Koshigaya Municipal Senmadai P.S.	1286	214.33
2.	Ren Morizono	Saga	Saga Municipal Nisshin P.S.	1157	192.83
3.	Nijito Nakamura	Aichi	Aisai Municipal Saya P.S.	1130	188.33
4.	Ren Samejima	Aichi	Ama Muchicipal Ifuku	1088	181.33
5.	Masataka Endo	Saitama	Gyoda Municipal Higashi P.S.	1067	177.83
6.	Ryusuke Motohashi	Tokyo	Higashimurayama Municipal Yasaka P.S.	1059	176.50
7.	Takumi Shishikura	Chiba	Sakura Municipal Kongo P.S,	1040	173.33
8.	Shunsuke Tamura	Aomori	Aomori Municipal Kanazawa P.S.	1040	173.33
9.	Yasuke Uemura	Wakayama	Shingu Municipal Chiho P.S.	1016	169.33
10.	Hiroki Ueda	Chiba	Edogawa Municipal Nakakoiwa P.S.	998	166.33
High Game	Yuichi Kawahara	Saitama	Koshigaya Municipal Senmadai P.S.	254

 

4th Grade Division - Final Standings after six Games (Top 10)

Pos	Player	Hometown	School	Total	Ave.
1.	Ryuta Yamaura	Aichi	Anjo Municipal Sakurai P.S.	1222	203.67
2.	Yuri Oikawa	Ibaraki	Kashima Municipal Hirai P.S.	1059	176.50
3.	Takahiro Yoshikawa	Yamanashi	Yamanashi Municipal Goyashiki P.S	1054	175.67
4.	Ryo Kumagai	Aichi	Toyohashi Municipal Fukuoka P.S.	1048	174.67
5.	Yusuke Maeda	Oita	Usa Municipal Amatsu P.S.	1034	172.33
6.	Riku Amakawa	Tokyo	Setagaya Municipal Chitosedai P.S.	1028	171.33
7.	Shigeki Ebara	Chiba	Shiroi Municipal Sakuradai P.S.	986	164.33
8.	Toshimasa Yoshino	Oita	Saita Municipal Tsukumodai P.S.	939	156.50
9.	Ryuki Ishikawa	Oita	Nakatsu Municipal Josui P.S.	927	154.50
10.	Moeka Haneda	Nagasaki	Nagasaki Municipal Fukabori P.S.	916	152.67
High Game	Ryuta Yamaura	Aichi	Anjo Municipal Sakurai P.S.	234