The Draw That Wins Championships: Inside Japanese Team Budo

In Japan, some of the biggest titles in kendo and judo are not won by a single champion. They are won by a line of seven fighters, where a hard-fought draw can matter as much as an ippon. At the 2026 university judo championships, Meiji beat Kokushikan 3-1 in a final where three bouts ended level. What does it mean to fight for the team rather than for yourself, and why do Japanese universities treat these tournaments as a question of identity? 

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