by Jonas Stock
On the weekend of October 5th and 6th, the annual Inazuma Tournament took place once again in Mainz, Germany. For those unfamiliar, it’s a tournament organized by PSV Mainz (led by Ines Klose and Martin Röthig) where beginners, up to and including Shodan, can put their Engi and Shiai skills to the test. The tournament is preceded by a seminar typically divided between beginners and more advanced practitioners. Additionally, more advanced practitioners can get a taste of what it’s like to be a Shinpan (under the guidance of INF-certified Shinpan, of course).
This year, both groups generally covered the same content but with varying levels of detail. The advanced seminar group also featured Alain Guillaume Sensei from France, who provided even more detailed explanations alongside Bettina from his dojo, who translated between German and French so that all practitioners could fully understand the teachings.
This year’s tournament was notably international for such a “small” beginner’s event: it included 7 Naginataka from JCMA (Naginata Maison Alfort in France), 3 Swiss Naginataka, and a total of 13 German Naginataka from five different dojos (Kenshinkai Berlin, KuS Dellfeld, Ingelheim, PSV Mainz, and USC Mainz), making up a total of 7 Engi Teams, with 14 participants in the Shiai tournament!

Saturday:
Our group’s seminar began with Ines Klose’s session, where we practiced exercises related to Ki-Ken-Tai-Ichi, focusing on how our body should feel and move to become a unified whole when making strikes. We worked on understanding which muscles are needed for specific movements, later applying these exercises in Shiai practice with additional technical feedback from Guillaume Sensei.
In the afternoon, we switched instructors and worked on technical details with Martin Röthig, who had designed various exercises. These exercises ranged from performing accurate blocks to reacting spontaneously to a lack of signal, then executing either a simple Sune strike or completing Yonhonme. Guillaume Sensei offered further guidance to help everyone improve their understanding of the fourth kata, particularly its complex, dynamic rhythm.
After a day filled with feedback, fun, and Naginata practice, we concluded the evening at a lovely Indian restaurant, just 10 minutes from the gym. We all enjoyed the meal, relaxed, and shared conversations with old and new friends alike. With thoughts of the tournament lingering, we eventually decided to rest up for the next day.

Sunday:
Sunday started like many tournaments do: some people were searching for their misplaced weapons (though each one was eventually returned to its rightful owner!), while others finished up their Sendanmaki in preparation for the weapon check. Others casually warmed up by stretching or doing last-minute practice with their Engi partner, as the helpers were briefed on their roles to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Before the Engi began, we rehearsed the procedures for entering and leaving the Shiaijo, as not all participants had prior competition experience. Then, at last, it was time to start the competition!
For the Engi-kyogi, seven teams competed for first place. Spectators enjoyed impressive performances from all participants, and with very few unanimous decisions by the referees, it’s fair to say the overall Engi level was quite consistent across teams, despite a range of experience and training backgrounds. The teams were divided into two round-robin pools, with the top two teams advancing to a third pool where the final four teams competed against one another, again in a round-robin format, allowing participants additional chances to showcase their skills.

The final results were:
- 4th place: Joachim Schenkel and Nicolas Adalid Braun of PSV Mainz.
- 3rd place: Susanne Koch and Johannes Hafner from the Swiss Naginata Federation.
- 2nd place: Carsten Kaspar and Jonas Stock from KuS Dellfeld Dojo (for the second year in a row).
- 1st place: Medard Solecki and Hugo Soleau, an impromptu pair who had never practiced together until the day before—what a feat!

With the Engi concluded, participants quickly prepared for the Shiai portion. Soon, the gym echoed with the energetic shouts of fighters warming up, while organizers finalized last-minute details. The stage was set, beginning with pool rounds: two pools of four fighters and two pools of three fighters, totaling 14 competitors. In the pool rounds, matches that ended in a 0-0 or 1-1 draw were counted as Hikiwake (draw), while in the knockout rounds, each match could have one or two Encho (extensions) followed by a Hantei (referee decision) if necessary.
The pool matches were thrilling, varying from carefully calculated strikes to intense shootouts testing each fighter’s endurance under constant pressure. Spectators and participants cheered from the sidelines, celebrating every well-earned point scored on Men, Sune, and Kote. One highlight was Heloise Tan’s impressive E-Sune attack, which drew audible gasps from the audience! As with previous rounds, the final match led to two extensions and ended with a referee decision, as neither competitor managed to secure a decisive victory.
The final rankings were:
- Inazuma Prize (awarded for the fastest fight, in line with Inazuma meaning “lightning”): Katharina Koch (KuS Dellfeld), who won her match in just 12 seconds!
- 3rd Place: Jonas Stock (KuS Dellfeld), who won the small final over Nicolas Adalid Braun (PSV Mainz).
- 2nd Place: Heloise Tan, whose quick counterattacks were especially impressive.
- 1st Place: Johannes Hafner (SNF), who demonstrated outstanding stamina and continuous offense.
Finally, I’d like to extend my gratitude to everyone who made this tournament possible: from the translators to the organizers, who handled all the background work for the seminar and tournament, to the participants who traveled from different countries, and to the Sensei from France and Germany for sharing their knowledge. Here’s to many more events like this in the future!