1st National High School Baseball Championship Ceremonial First Pitch, August 18, 1915The opening ceremony of 89th National High School Baseball Championship, 2006
The National High School Baseball Championship (全国高等学校野球選手権大会, Zenkoku Kōtō Gakkō Yakyū Senshuken Taikai) of Japan, commonly known as "Summer Koshien" (夏の甲子園, Natsu no Kōshien), is an annual nationwide high school baseball tournament. It is the largest scale amateur sport event in Japan.
In the past teams from overseas have participated in the tournament. Korea fielded teams from 1921 to 1940; both Taiwan and Manchuria had teams participate from 1923 to 1940.
The 49 schools taking part in the final tourney represent regional champions of each of the prefectures of Japan (with two from Hokkaidō and Tokyo). From mid-June until July, regional tournaments are held to decide who is sent to Koshien.[1]
The rules are the same as in the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament. It is a single elimination tournament with nine inning games. Until 2021, games were declared official after seven complete innings in the case of suspension (due to weather, et cetera), except for the championship game which must be played to completion. Starting in 2022, games must last nine innings unless the run rule is in effect. If a game is suspended for inclement weather, the game will resume at point of interruption and will play the full length of game. For the regional tournaments, games are ended if one team leads by at least ten runs after five innings or seven runs after seven innings, except in the championship games. Designated hitters are not used. Four umpires are used, except for night games in which two outfield line umpires are added.
The first round pairings and byes are decided by lottery. 34 teams meet in the first round, and 15 teams with byes join at the second round (32 teams play in the second round). Therefore, it takes either five or six wins for a team to win the championship. Until 2002, the four quarter finals were played in one day, but this was changed to two a day over two days to give the players time off. If rain outs continue for more than three days, four games are played in one day. This occurred in 2003, so the first time the quarter finals were played over two days was actually 2004. To accommodate the extra day, the long tradition of starting the tournament on August 8 was changed to start a day or two early.
Up to four games are played each day until the quarter finals. The starting times of each day's games is shown below. Following games are begun about 30 minutes after the previous game ends. Due to the fast pace of the pitching, four games in one day are usually completed before sunset.
Day of the tournament
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
A
12
Round
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st/2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
3rd
3rd
Rest
Quarter
Games
Start time
Rest Days
3
10:20
4
8:00
4
8:00
4
8:00
3
9:00
4
8:00
4
8:00
4
8:00
3
9:00
4
8:00
4
8:00
1st
Rest Day
4
8:00
Day of the tournament
B
13
C
14
Round
Rest
Semis
Rest
Final
Games
Start time
Rest Days
2nd
Rest Day
2
9:00
3rd
Rest Day
1
10:00
Extra innings
For tournaments previous to 1958 there were no extra inning limits for a game tied after nine innings of play. In 1933, Masao Yoshida had pitched a complete game during a 25 inning shutout in the semifinal, an all-time record. Yoshida had thrown 336 pitches during that game.
In 1958, games were limited to 18 innings, with a full replay required after that on a future day. The first pitcher to pitch a complete game 18 innings was Eiji Bando in a 1958 quarterfinal game. Daisuke Matsuzaka became the last pitcher to pitch a complete game over 15 innings (17 innings in 250 pitches, 1998). Pitchers are currently limited to 15 innings.
From 2000 to 2017, games were capped at 15 innings with a full replay required on a future day. In 2006, the replay rule was implemented after a 15 inning tie in the final.
In 2018, the Japan High School Baseball Federation capped regular play to 12 innings (except in the championship final), but games will continue with the World Baseball Softball Confederation baseball tiebreaker with runners on first and second base (the previous two players relative to the current player in the batting order) starting with in the 13th inning.
Starting in 2023, the tiebreaker rules begin in the tenth inning.
In addition, if the game is suspended because of inclement weather or curfew in extra innings, the game is declared a tie and a replay will be implemented at the earliest possible date.
Traditions
The tournament theme song is "The Laurels of Victory Shine on You" (Japanese: 栄冠は君に輝く, Hepburn: eikan wa kimi ni kagayaku).
Usually air sirens are used to signal the start and the end of the games, the earlier registers of this tradition are from 1936. Its origins are unknown, but considering the time of its origin, before the advent of mass communication, it is considered that its use was the same as it is nowadays: to signal the start and the finish of a match for spectators and stadium workforce.[2]
Every five years, the tournament celebrates the anniversary of the founding of the tournament, and a deep crimson is used for the championship flag for commemorative purposes. Also, on those editions, the number of participants on the final part of the tournament also grows, a exception was made in 2024 (106th) in order to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the building and the tournament move to Koshien Stadium.
For third year students, a loss at the tournament signifies an end to their high school baseball career, as there are no other major tournaments for the rest of their academic career. It is common for players to cry in sorrow after tight games and/or their losses.
Players collecting Koshien infield dirt during the 87th Tournament (2007)
Another common tradition after games is the act of collecting soil from the Koshien Stadium infield as a souvenir. The dirt collected by the chosen players is shared among the baseball club members of their schools. The dirt is kept as memorabilia for the third year players and shared between first and second years as a way to motivate them to reach the Koshien spot once again, but sometimes, first and second years refuse to receive the soil as a way to motivate them to return to Koshien.
Some teams also decide take part of the soil and throw the soil into the infield of their training practice as a way to bring good luck for them into the next year's tournament.
An interesting exception to this tradition happened in 1958. At the time, Okinawa was under U.S. rule. In that year, Okinawa's Shuri baseball team participated for the first time in both spring and summer. After losing to Tsuruga (from Fukui) in the first round of the summer tournament, they decided to pick up the infield soil after the game. However, they were not allowed to bring the dirt back to Okinawa, having to discard it at the port as the soil was considered "foreign soil".[3] Volunteer flight attendants from Japan Airlines learned of the story and decided to pick up stones from the coast of Nishinomiya and donate them to Shuri. The stones are still displayed in the school yard as a monument called Monument of Friendship (友愛の碑, Yūai no ishibumi), celebrating the team's first appearance at the Koshien.[4]
Kagi Nōrin was the only team from Taiwan to make it to the finals when they participated in the tournament from 1923 to 1940
17
1932
Chukyōdai Chukyō (2)
Matsuyama
4–3
18
1933
Chukyōdai Chukyō (3)
Heian
2–1
19
1934
Gokou Central
Kumamoto Kougyou
2–0
20
1935
Matsuyama
Ikuei
6–1
21
1936
Gifu
Heian
9–1
22
1937
Chukyōdai Chukyō (4)
Kumamoto Kougyou
3–1
23
1938
Heian
Gifu
2–1
24
1939
Kaisou Central
Shimonoseki
5–0
Seiichi Shima threw the first no-hitter in the finals
25
1940
Kaisou Central (2)
Shimada
2–1
1942–45
From 1942 to 1945 the tournament was not held due to World War II
26
1946
Naniwa
Kyoto Dai-ni Central
2–0
27
1947
Kokura Central
Gifu
6–3
28
1948
Kokura
Touin
1–0
29
1949
Shounan
Gifu
5–3
30
1950
Matsuyama Higashi
Naruto
12–8
31
1951
Heian
Kumagai
7–4
32
1952
Ashiya
Yatsuo
4–1
33
1953
Matsuyama
Tosa
3–2
34
1954
Chukyōdai Chukyō (5)
Shizuoka
3–0
35
1955
Yokkaichi
Sakaide
4–1
36
1956
Heian
Gifu
3–2
37
1957
Hiroshima
Hosei Dai-ni
3–1
38
1958
Yanai
Tokushima
7–0
39
1959
Saijo
Utsunomiya Kougyou
8–2
40
1960
Hosei Dai-ni
Shizuoka
3–0
41
1961
Nami
Touin
1–0
42
1962
Sakushin Gakuin
Kurume
1–0
43
1963
Myojo
Shimonoseki
2–1
44
1964
Kochi
Hayatomo
2–0
45
1965
Miike Kougyou
Choshi
2–0
46
1966
Chukyōdai Chukyō (6)
Matsuyama
3–1
47
1967
Narashino
Kouryo
7–1
48
1968
Kokoku
Shizuoka
1–0
49
1969*
Matsuyama (2)
Misawa
0–0 (18)< BR> 4-2
First Game capped at 18 inning limit. Second game was played because of tie. Koji Ohta pitched all 18 innings in the first game, and appeared in the second game.
50
1970
Tōkaidai Sagami
PL Gakuen
10–6
51
1971
Tōin Gakuen
Iwaki
1–0
52
1972
Tsukumi
Yanai
3–1
53
1973
Hiroshima
Shizuoka
3–2
54
1974
Choshi Shogyo
Hofu
7–0
55
1975
Narashino
Niihama
5–4
56
1976
Obirin
PL Gakuen
4–3
57
1977
Toyodai Himeji
Higashikuni
4–1
The game was won with a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning
Waseda Jitsugyo's Yuki Saito threw 6 complete games, 69 innings, and 948 pitches over the 2-week span, including 4 complete games, 43 innings and 553 pitches, in the final 4 days of the tournament. Game went the full 15 innings before being called by rule. Current rules now call for both the pitcher being pulled after 15 innings and the WBSC two-runner tiebreaker starting in the tenth inning.
87
2007
Saga Kita
Kōryō
5–4
Kouryou took a 4–0 lead lead by their ace pitcher, Nomura. In the bottom of the 8th, Nomura gives up a bases loaded walk followed by a grand slam home run by Soejima which lifts Saga Kita to the title.
Okumura hits a grand slam home run to open the first inning as Osaka Tōin's offensive juggernaut overwhelmed Tokoha Kikugawa. Osaka Toin's ace Fukushima Yuuto pitches a complete game 5-hit shutout for the win.
89
2009
Chukyōdai Chukyō (6)
Nihon Bunri
10–9
Chukyo holds a 10–4 lead into the 9th inning. Their ace Doubayashi Shouta goes back on the mound for the final inning. But with 2 outs Nihon Bunri comes back with a comeback for the ages, forcing Doubayashi off the mound and scoring 5 runs. The tying runner stood on 3rd base when Wakabayashi lines out to 3rd base to end the game. Nihon Bunri would have been the first team from Niigata to win the title had they completed the comeback.
90
2010
Kōnan
Tōkaidai Sagami
13–1
Shimabukuro Yousuke and Kounan dominate the field, giving the first ever Summer Koshien champion to an Okinawan school.
91
2011
Nichidai-san
Kōsei Gakuin
11–0
Kentaro Yoshinaga throws a 5-hitter, while Shun Takayama hits a 3-run homer in this rout of a match
Shintaro Fujinami strikes out 14 batters while conceding only two hits to wrap up the title, as Osaka Tōin becomes the 6th school to win the spring and summer Koshiens in the same year.
93
2013
Maebashi Ikuei
Nobeoka Gakuen
4–3
Kona Takahashi allows his first runs in six games this tournament but still gets the win. Kaito Arai drives in the winning hit in the 7th inning.
First time in 18 years that a Big 6 affiliated school wins Summer Koshien (2006 with Keio's Main Rival, Waseda). Also, was the first title of the school in 107 years (last being in 1916).[8]
Tournament was organized as part of the celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of the Hanshin Koshien Stadium. First use of WBSC tiebreaker in the final (now used in the 10th inning), and the first time in 107 years a international school wins the tournament.
In popular culture
Some of the most famous appearances of the Japanese High School Baseball Championship in popular culture are in the manga and anime series Touch, H2 and Cross Game by Mitsuru Adachi, Ace of Diamond by Yūji Terajima, and Major by Takuya Mitsuda. Those series follow the struggles of different high school teams' bids to make it to the Kōshien tournament.
The 2014 hit Taiwanese film Kano is based on the true story of a high school baseball team from the Kagi Nōrin (Agriculture) High School (now known as National Chiayi University) team in Kagi (now known as Chiayi), Taiwan who qualified for the tournament for the first time in 1931 after never having won a game in its first three seasons. The team was made up of ethnic Japanese, Han Chinese and Taiwanese aborigines. The team won three games to make it to the championship game before losing 4–0 to Chukyō Shōgyō from Nagoya. This was the first of four appearances at the tournament for the Kano team, who later qualified in 1933, 1935 and 1936.
In 2023, TBS made a live action drama based in the book Gekokujō Kyūshi. The book tells about the story of Hakusan High school, a small Mie school that managed to pull a historic upset win in the 2018 Prefectural tournament, taking the school for the first time ever into Summer Koshien. [9][10][11]
The Summer Koshien Tournament has a longstanding tradition of launching the careers of many famous players, many of whom get drafted to the NPB and eventually make their way to MLB. Names include 2001 AL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Ichiro Suzuki,[12]2006 World Baseball Classic MVP and 2007 World Series Champion Daisuke Matsuzaka,[13] as well Yu Darvish,[14] a five-time MLB All-Star, and Shohei Ohtani,[15] who won the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year, 2021 and 2023 AL Most Valuable Player.
^"甲子園に鳴り響くサイレン、いったい何のため？" [What is the purpose of the sirens sounding at Koshien?]. J-CAST News (in Japanese). August 10, 2019. Archived from the original on August 25, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
^"〈甲子園アルバム１１〉港で捨てた「外国の土」" [Memories of Koshien 11: "Foreign Soil" was discarded at the Port] (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. July 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^"高校野球１００年のものがたり: 海に捨てられた思い出は「友愛の碑」に" [100 Years of High School Baseball in Japan: Memories Discarded at Sea Become a "Monument of Friendship"]. Sanspo (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. August 16, 2015. Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
