Shido Swordplay 'Autumn Five Bouts' Round 3: Hokuto Gets Its Redemption, Ends Tokei's Win Streak
Round 3 of Shido Swordplay's 'Autumn Five Bouts' was held on the 18th at the Himuro School's headquarters dojo in Hokuto, where the Hokuto Sword Bearers' Association beat the Tokei Sword Bearers' Association 3–2. Hokuto, defeated by Tokei in the opening round on the 3rd, got its redemption on home ground. Tokei's two-round winning streak came to an end, though Gen Minase, 22, individually extended his own winning streak to three straight matches.
As previously reported on the 16th, Round 3 of Shido Swordplay's "Autumn Five Bouts" was held on the 18th at the Himuro School's headquarters dojo in Hokuto. In the opening match, Gen Minase of the Minase School took it for Tokei with a decisive strike, sword drawn — his third straight individual win following the opener on the 3rd and Round 2 on the 10th. But Hokuto swept the next three bouts, clinching the team victory before the anchor match was even fought. In that anchor match, Chitose Kaname, 41, again standing in as previously reported, scored a point without drawing her sword, as always — but Hokuto had already claimed the team victory, 3–2. Tokei's winning streak, unbeaten since the opener, ended there.
Soichi Himuro, 58, head of Hokuto's Himuro School, got the "home redemption" he spoke of on the 16th. "We had plenty of time to make up for not having studied them enough in the opener. Changing our form from the second through fourth bouts worked," he reflected. Local cheers filled the small home dojo, which was said to be nearly full. "I think it's only natural that Tokei took a point back in the anchor match. I don't think anyone could have stopped that," Himuro said, offering genuine respect for Kaname's unsheathed victory.
After the match, Kaname said, "A loss is a loss, and I'll take it as one. But I don't think this one defeat gives me a reason to change my policy of not drawing." She repeated her familiar line, "Judge the sword by how many times it stayed sheathed." Tokei's overall record now stands at 2-1, with rebuilding the task ahead of Rounds 4 and 5, both expected to be held by November.
Minase, who extended his personal streak as the opening fighter, looked downcast afterward. "It doesn't mean anything if I win and the team loses. I've never felt this frustrated about a win before," he said. Kaname reportedly told him, "Be proud of three straight wins. Just carry that frustration into next month," and he nodded quietly.
As previously reported on the 16th, the half-price student tickets continued this round, and at Hokuto's smaller headquarters dojo, student ticket holders reportedly made up over 30% of the crowd. Organizers said, "The result was a tough one for Tokei, but the crowd's response itself was the liveliest of the season." Himuro of the Hokuto association said, "It might sound self-serving coming from the winning side, but seeing this many students come out to watch makes me happy as the head of any dojo, win or lose," welcoming the sport's growing reach regardless of the result.
Tokei plans to announce the schedule for its remaining two rounds soon. As previously reported on the 16th, all five rounds this season are expected to conclude by early November, with Round 4's opponent likely to be a rematch against the Owari Sword Bearers' Association (Sawai School). With Iori Kiryu, already entered in November's Shinobi Trial "Night-Long Cup," among those involved, the Sword Bearers' Association and the Patrol Guild are coordinating schedules for a busy November.
