19th Calligraphy Performance Koshien: 22 Schools Advance to Finals!

The Executive Committee of the Calligraphy Performance Koshien (Location: Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture, Chairman: Kenji Onishi) has announced that 22 schools have passed the preliminary screening and will advance to the finals of the "19th National High School Calligraphy Performance Championship" (Calligraphy Performance Koshien), to be held on August 2nd (Sun) at the Iyosashima Sports Park Gymnasium.

This competition is held in Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture, known as the "Number One Paper Town in Japan" with 20 consecutive years of the highest manufacturing product shipments in the paper industry. It determines the top high school calligraphy performance in Japan. Referred to as a "dream stage" by calligraphy clubs nationwide, the passionate messages and spectacular performances by high school students on giant paper measuring 4m x 6m can be considered a new form of Japanese integrated art. Please experience the passion and energy of students who have dedicated their entire youth to their 6-minute performances at the venue.

A key feature of this event is the aim for student-led operations, with approximately 100 local high school student volunteers taking on important roles such as welcoming remarks, judging performances, and guiding participants. Additionally, about 20 university student volunteers will also be involved in the operations to support the event.

18th Tournament Winner (FY Reiwa 7): Mito Koryo High School

Overview of the 19th Tournament

Tournament Name: 19th National High School Calligraphy Performance Championship (Calligraphy Performance Koshien)

Date and Time: August 2, Reiwa 8 (Sun), from 9:00 AM to approximately 5:30 PM

Venue: Iyosashima Sports Park Gymnasium (1665-1 Nakano-sho-cho, Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture)

Admission: Free

Organizer: Executive Committee of the Calligraphy Performance Koshien

Finalists: 22 schools (109 schools participated in preliminary screening from 33 prefectures)

Preliminary Screening Results List (Finalist Schools) [Block Rank, High School Name, Location, Participation History]

Applications were accepted from April 1st to May 11th, with 109 schools applying from 33 prefectures nationwide. In the preliminary screening, applicant schools were divided into seven blocks nationwide (Hokkaido/Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu). Based on performance videos and photos of calligraphy works, schools were judged on the beauty of their calligraphy and performances in both the "Calligraphy" and "Performance" categories.

【Hokkaido/Tohoku Block】2 spots for finals (8 schools applied)

1st Place

Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School

Miyagi Prefecture

5th consecutive appearance, 5th time overall

2nd Place

Aomori Prefectural Hachinohe Higashi High School

Aomori Prefecture

4th consecutive appearance, 10th time overall

【Kanto Block】5 spots for finals (27 schools applied)

1st Place

Mito Koryo High School

Ibaraki Prefecture

8th consecutive appearance, 8th time overall

2nd Place

Honjo Higashi High School

Saitama Prefecture

9th consecutive appearance, 9th time overall

3rd Place

Waseda University Honjo Senior High School

Saitama Prefecture

4th consecutive appearance, 5th time overall

4th Place

Yachiyo Shoin High School

Chiba Prefecture

4th consecutive appearance, 4th time overall

5th Place

Gunma Prefectural Isesaki Seimei High School

Gunma Prefecture

2nd consecutive appearance, 2nd time overall

【Chubu Block】3 spots for finals (18 schools applied)

1st Place

Nagano Prefectural Matsumoto Arigasaki High School

Nagano Prefecture

11th consecutive appearance, 12th time overall

2nd Place

Ueda Nishi High School

Nagano Prefecture

First appearance

3rd Place

Gifu Prefectural Gifu High School

Gifu Prefecture

8th consecutive appearance, 8th time overall

【Kinki Block】3 spots for finals (19 schools applied)

1st Place

Hyogo Prefectural Suma Higashi High School

Hyogo Prefecture

7th consecutive appearance, 9th time overall

2nd Place

Hyogo Prefectural Hyogo High School

Hyogo Prefecture

2nd consecutive appearance, 4th time overall

3rd Place

Uegumi High School

Osaka Prefecture

2nd consecutive appearance, 11th time overall

【Chugoku Block】2 spots for finals (13 schools applied)

1st Place

Tottori Johoku High School

Tottori Prefecture

7th consecutive appearance, 8th time overall

2nd Place

Hiroshima Prefectural Fukuyama Meio-dai High School

Hiroshima Prefecture

First appearance in 9 tournaments, 2nd time overall

【Shikoku Block】3 spots for finals (15 schools applied)

1st Place

Kagawa Prefectural Takamatsu Commercial High School

Kagawa Prefecture

3rd consecutive appearance, 12th time overall

2nd Place

Ehime Prefectural Iyo High School

Ehime Prefecture

First appearance

3rd Place

Kagawa Prefectural Takamatsu Nishi High School

Kagawa Prefecture

2nd consecutive appearance, 11th time overall

【Kyushu Block】2 spots for finals (9 schools applied)

1st Place

Fukuoka Prefectural Yawata Chuo High School

Fukuoka Prefecture

16th consecutive appearance, 16th time overall

2nd Place

Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School

Kagoshima Prefecture

2nd consecutive appearance, 2nd time overall

【Challenge Slot】2 schools

First Appearance Slot

Nagano Prefectural Iiyama High School

Nagano Prefecture

First appearance

Small Team Slot

Kyoto Municipal Kaiken High School

Kyoto Prefecture

First appearance in 3 tournaments, 2nd time overall

* Participation history does not include the 13th tournament, which was canceled due to COVID-19 countermeasures.

* The number of spots in each block is determined by factors such as the ratio of applicant schools to the total number of applicants (109 schools).

About the Challenge Slots

To provide diverse participation opportunities, this year marks the introduction of two new challenge slots: one "First Appearance Slot" for schools that have never reached the finals, and one "Small Team Slot" for teams with 6 or fewer members. A total of two schools were selected for these slots.

For the "First Appearance Slot," one school was selected from those with no prior final appearances, based on the smallest difference in ranking points compared to the lowest-ranked qualifying school in their respective block. For the "Small Team Slot," one school was selected from those with 6 or fewer members (excluding schools that qualified through their block), also based on the smallest difference in ranking points compared to the lowest-ranked qualifying school in their block. A total of two schools were selected.

Highlights of the 19th Tournament

This year, 109 schools, including 15 new participants, entered the competition, aiming for Shikokuchuo City, the sacred ground that calligraphy club members nationwide aspire to as their "dream stage."

Mito Koryo, last year's champion, secured first place in the Kanto block, which had the largest number of participants at 27. Attention will be on how the previous champions, who captivated the audience with their seamless fusion of synchronized body movements and calligraphy, will perform as they aim for consecutive victories. Meanwhile, expectations are high for the performances of fresh faces such as Ueda Nishi from the Chubu block, Iyo from the Shikoku block, and Iiyama, who secured a first-time appearance through the challenge slot.

Witness the sweat, tears, and ink-stained youth. Please pay attention to the fierce competition of 22 schools that will further heat up the summer in Shikokuchuo City.

Final Judging and Awards

The judging will be conducted by 8 judges: 5 for the calligraphy division and 3 for the performance division. The winning school will receive the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, the runner-up the Ehime Governor's Award, and a special award will also be given based on votes from online viewers.

【Judging Criteria】

Calligraphy Division: Beauty of calligraphy, composition, accuracy of brushwork, overall evaluation

Performance Division: Posture, composition, performance, overall evaluation

Simultaneous Events

As a simultaneous event, the "Kaminomachi Marche" will be held again this year.

This market will feature 27 stalls selling items such as Mizuhiki (decorative knotting) crafts, a traditional industry of Shikokuchuo City, as well as local specialty products and food and drinks. You can experience the charm of Shikokuchuo City and Ehime Prefecture both inside and outside the venue.

Regarding Media Coverage

Information regarding media coverage of the tournament has been available on the official website since Monday, June 29th. We encourage you to visit it. If covering the event at the venue is difficult, we can provide materials such as videos and photos after the evening of the tournament day. Please feel free to contact us.

Media coverage information can be found here.

What is "Calligraphy Performance Koshien"...

"Calligraphy Performance Koshien" began as a tournament inspired by the calligraphy club of Ehime Prefectural Mishima High School in Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture. Their performances, where they wrote lyrics and other messages on large paper to music at local events with the desire to "enliven the town with calligraphy," gained attention, leading to the establishment of the tournament. The first event in 2008 had only 3 participating schools, but it has grown into a competition with over 100 applicants, partly due to the release of the movie "Shodo Girls!! Our Koshien," which was modeled after this tournament. It is a competition that high school calligraphy clubs nationwide aspire to as their "dream stage."

During the 6-minute performance, participants face a giant paper measuring 4m x 6m and express their thoughts through calligraphy while performing various actions to music. Calligraphy performance is a true integrated art form that competes on the beauty of both calligraphy and performance, based on continuous effort and teamwork.

1st Tournament Winner: Ehime Prefectural Mishima High School - Performance

1st Tournament Winner: Ehime Prefectural Mishima High School - Work

Organization Overview

Organization Name: Executive Committee of the Calligraphy Performance Koshien

Representative: Chairman Kenji Onishi

Location: 4-6-55 Mishima Miyagawa, Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture, 799-0497

Shikokuchuo City Regional Promotion Department, Charm Creation Division

Calligraphy Performance Promotion Office

URL: https://www.city.shikokuchuo.ehime.jp/site/shodo-performance/

【Contact Information】

Calligraphy Performance Koshien Executive Committee Secretariat Contact: Oda, Kosaka

Phone: 0896-28-6037 Fax: 0896-28-6057

Email: info@shodo-performance.jp