National High School Baseball Championship

The National High School Baseball Championship of Japan, commonly known as "Summer Koshien", is an annual nationwide high school baseball tournament and was first held in 1915. The tournament, organized by the Japan High School Baseball Federation and Asahi Shimbun, takes place during the school summer vacation. It culminates in a two-week final tournament stage in August of 49 teams at Hanshin Koshien Stadium.

The 49 schools taking part represent each of the prefectures of Japan (with two from Hokkaido and Tokyo). The participating teams are the winners prefectural qualification tournaments held from June to August. Thus thousands of teams participate as opposed to the much smaller invite-only National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament held in the spring.

The preliminary brackets are determined by random draw several days prior to the tournament. Because of the odd number of teams, about two-thirds of the teams will have to play one extra game to make it to the "Best 8". Once reaching the "Best 8" another random draw determines the matchups. Another draw is done on the 2nd day of "Best 8" matches to determine semifinal matches. This can make for serious drama as teams hope to pick a favorable draw.

The tournament was first held at Koshien in 1924, prior to that it had been held at Toyonaka Sports Ground (1915-1916) and Naruo Baseball Stadium (1917-1918).

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.

Finals Results

Year	Qualifying Teams	Finals Teams	Date	Champion	Score	Runner-up	Notes
1 1915	73	10	August 23	Kyoto Number Two Central (Kyoto)	2 - 1	Akita Central (Akita)
2 1916	115	12	August 20	Keio University High School (Tokyo)	6 - 2	Ichioka Central (Osaka)
3 1917	118	12	August 20	Aichi Number One Central (Aichi)	0 - 1 1 - 0	Kansai Gakuin Central (Hyogo)	The first game was rained out after 3 innings
4 1918	137	14	The tournament was cancelled due to the Rice Riots.
5 1919	134	14	August 19	Kobe Ichi Central (Hyogo)	7 - 4	Nagano Shihan (Nagano)
6 1920	157	15	August 19	Kansai Gakuin Central (Hyogo)	17 - 0	Keio Futsubu (Tokyo)
7 1921	207	17	August 18	Wakayama Central (Wakayama)	16 - 4	Kyoto Number One (Kyoto)
8 1922	229	17	August 18	Wakayama Central (Wakayama)	8 - 4	Kobe (Hyogo)
9 1923	243	19	August 20	Kouyou Central (Hyogo)	5 - 2	Wakayama Central (Wakayama)
10 1924	263	19	August 19	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)	3 - 0	Matsumoto (Nagano)
11 1925	302	21	August 23	Takamatsu (Kagawa)	5 - 3	Waseda Jitsugyo (Tokyo)
12 1926	337	22	August 20	Shizuoka Central (Shizuoka)	2 - 1	Tairen (Manchuria)
13 1927	389	22	August 20	Takamatsu (Kagawa)	5 - 1	Kouryo Central (Hiroshima)
14 1928	410	22	August 22	Matsumoto (Nagano)	3 - 1	Heian (Kyoto)
15 1929	465	22	August 20	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)	3 - 0	Kaisou Central (Wakayama)
16 1930	541	22	August 20	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)	8 - 2	Suwa Sanshi (Nagano)
17 1931	634	22	August 21	Chukyo (Aichi)	4 - 0	Yoshimi Gi Nourin (Taiwan)
18 1932	660	22	August 21	Chukyo (Aichi)	4 - 3	Matsuyama (Ehime)
19 1933	671	22	August 20	Chukyo (Aichi)	2 - 1	Heian (Kyoto)
20 1934	675	22	August 20	Gokou Central (Hiroshima)	2 - 0	Kumamoto Kougyou (Kumamoto)
21 1935	666	22	August 21	Matsuyama (Ehime)	6 - 1	Ikuei (Hyogo)
22 1936	665	22	August 20	Gifu (Gifu)	9 - 1	Heian (Kyoto)
23 1937	654	22	August 20	Chukyo (Aichi)	3 - 1	Kumamoto Kougyou (Kumamoto)
24 1938	633	22	August 21	Heian (Kyoto)	2 - 1	Gifu (Gifu)
25 1939	608	22	August 20	Kaisou Central (Wakayama)	5 - 0	Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi)	Seiichi Shima throws a no-hitter.
26 1940	617	22	August 19	Kaisou Central (Wakayama)	2 - 1	Shimada (Shizuoka)
27 1941	The 27th annual tournament was to be held but cancelled due to World War II
From 1942 to 1945 the tournament was not held due to World War II
28 1946	745	19	August 21	Naniwa (Osaka)	2 - 0	Kyoto Number Two Central (Kyoto)
29 1947	1125	19	August 19	Kokura Central (Fukuoka)	6 - 3	Gifu (Gifu)
30 1948	1256	23	August 20	Kokura (Fukuoka)	1 - 0	Touin (Wakayama)
31 1949	1365	23	August 20	Shounan (Kanagawa)	5 - 3	Gifu (Gifu)
32 1950	1536	23	August 21	Matsuyama Higashi (Ehime)	12 - 8	Naruto (Tokushima)
33 1951	1633	23	August 19	Heian (Kyoto)	7 - 4	Kumagai (Saitama)
34 1952	1653	23	August 20	Ashiya (Hyogo)	4 - 1	Yatsuo (Osaka)
35 1953	1701	23	August 20	Matsuyama (Ehime)	3 - 2	Tosa (Kochi)
36 1954	1705	23	August 22	Chukyo (Aichi)	3 - 0	Shizuoka (Shizuoka)
37 1955	1721	23	August 17	Yokkaichi (Mie)	4 - 1	Sakaide (Kagawa)
38 1956	1739	23	August 20	Heian (Kyoto)	3 - 2	Gifu (Gifu)
39 1957	1769	23	August 20	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)	3 - 1	Hosei Number Two (Kanagawa)
40 1958	1807	47	August 19	Yanai (Yamaguchi)	7 - 0	Tokushima (Tokushima)
41 1959	1864	29	August 18	Saijo (Ehime)	8 - 2	Utsunomiya Kougyou (Tochigi)
42 1960	1903	30	August 21	Hosei Number Two (Kanagawa)	3 - 0	Shizuoka (Shizuoka)
43 1961	1941	30	August 20	Nami (Osaka)	1 - 0	Touin (Wakayama)
44 1962	1996	30	August 19	Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi)	1 - 0	Kurume (Fukuoka)
45 1963	2106	48	August 20	Myojo (Osaka)	2 - 1	Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi)
46 1964	2270	30	August 18	Kochi (Kochi)	2 - 0	Hayatomo (Yamaguchi)
47 1965	2363	30	August 18	Miike Kougyou (Fukuoka)	2 - 0	Choshi (Chiba)
48 1966	2415	30	August 24	Chukyo (Aichi)	3 - 1	Matsuyama (Ehime)
49 1967	2460	30	August 20	Narashino (Chiba)	7 - 1	Kouryo (Hiroshima)
50 1968	2485	48	August 22	Kokoku (Osaka)	1 - 0	Shizuoka (Shizuoka)
51 1969	2523	30	August 18 August 19	Matsuyama (Ehime)	0 - 0 4 - 2	Misawa (Aomori)	The first game was called after 18 innings; Koji Ohta pitched every inning and then appeared again the next day.
52 1970	2547	30	August 20	Tokai Dai Sagami (Kanagawa)	10 - 6	PL Gakuen (Osaka)
53 1971	2569	30	August 16	Touin Gakuen (Kanagawa)	1 - 0	Iwaki (Fukushima)
54 1972	2614	30	August 23	Tsukumi (Oita)	3 - 1	Yanai (Yamaguchi)
55 1973	2660	48	August 22	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)	3 - 2	Shizuoka (Shizuoka)
56 1974	2709	34	August 19	Choshi Shogyo (Chiba)	7 - 0	Hofu (Yamaguchi)
57 1975	2798	38	August 24	Narashino (Chiba)	5 - 4	Niihama (Ehime)
58 1976	2893	41	August 21	Obirin (West Tokyo)	4 - 3	PL Gakuen (Osaka)
59 1977	2985	41	August 20	Toyodai Himeji (Hyogo)	4 - 1	Higashikuni (Aichi)	The game is won on a three-run sayonara homerun in the bottom of the tenth.
60 1978	3074	49	August 20	PL Gakuen (Osaka)	3 - 2	Kochi (Kochi)
61 1979	3170	49	August 21	Minoshima (Wakayama)	4 - 3	Ikeda (Tokushima)
62 1980	3270	49	August 22	Yokohama (Kanagawa)	6 - 4	Waseda Jitsugyo (East Tokyo)
63 1981	3394	49	August 21	Houtoku Gakuen (Hyogo)	2 - 0	Kyoto (Kyoto)
64 1982	3466	49	August 20	Ikeda (Tokushima)	12 - 2	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)
65 1983	3568	49	August 21	PL Gakuen (Osaka)	3 - 0	Yokohama (Kanagawa)
66 1984	3705	49	August 21	Toride Number Two (Ibaraki)	8 - 4	PL Gakuen (Osaka)
67 1985	3791	49	August 21	PL Gakuen (Osaka)	4 - 3	Ube (Yamaguchi)
68 1986	3847	49	August 21	Tenri Koukou (Nara)	3 - 2	Matsuyama (Ehime)
69 1987	3900	49	August 21	PL Gakuen (Osaka)	5 - 2	Josou Gakuin (Ibaraki)
70 1988	3958	49	August 22	Hiroshima (Hiroshima)	1 - 0	Fukuoka Number One (Fukuoka)
71 1989	3990	49	August 22	Teikyo (East Tokyo)	2 - 0	Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
72 1990	4027	49	August 21	Tenri Koukou (Nara)	1 - 0	Okinawa Suisan (Okinawa)
73 1991	4046	49	August 21	Osaka Toin (Osaka)	13 - 8	Okinawa Suisan (Okinawa)
74 1992	4059	49	August 25	Nishi Nihon Tandai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)	1 - 0	Takudai Koryo (Chiba)
75 1993	4071	49	August 23	Ikuei (Hyogo)	3 - 2	Kasugabe Kyoei (Saitama)
76 1994	4088	49	August 21	Saga (Saga)	8 - 4	Shounan (Kagoshima)
77 1995	4098	49	August 21	Teikyo (East Tokyo)	3 - 1	Seiryo (Ishikawa)
78 1996	4089	49	August 21	Matsuyama (Ehime)	6 - 3	Kumamoto Kougyou (Kumamoto)
79 1997	4093	49	August 21	Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama)	6 - 3	Heian (Kyoto)
80 1998	4102	55	August 22	Yokohama (East Kanagawa)	3 - 0	Kyoto Seishou (Kyoto)	Daisuke Matsuzaka throws a no-hitter.
81 1999	4096	49	August 21	Kiryu Number One (Gumma)	14 - 1	Okayama Ridaifu (Okayama)
82 2000	4119	49	August 21	Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama)	11 - 6	Tokaidai Urayasu (Chiba)
83 2001	4150	49	August 22	Nichidai Number Three (West Tokyo)	5 - 2	Oumi (Shiga)
84 2002	4163	49	August 21	Meitoku Gijuku (Kochi)	7 - 2	Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama)
85 2003	4163	49	August 23	Josou Gakuin (Ibaraki)	4 - 2	Tohoku (Miyagi)
86 2004	4146	49	August 22	Komadai Tomakomai (South Hokkaido)	13 - 10	Saibi (Ehime)
87 2005	4137	49	August 20	Komadai Tomakomai (South Hokkaido)	5 - 3	Kyoto Gaidai Nishi (Kyoto)
88 2006	4112	49	August 20 August 21	Waseda Jitsugyo (West Tokyo)	1 - 1 4 - 3	Komadai Tomakomai (South Hokkaido)	Waseda Jitsugyo's Saitou Yuuki 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.
89 2007	4081	49	August 22	Saga Kita (Saga)	5 - 4	Kouryou (Hiroshima)	Kouryou takes a 4-0 lead behind the efforts of ace P Nomura who faces one more than the minimum through 7 innings. In the bottom of the 8th, the game suddenly falls apart as Nomura gives up a bases loaded walk followed by a grand slam home run by Soejima to lift Saga Kita to the title.
90 2008	4059	55	August 18	Osaka Toin (Osaka)	17 - 0	Tokoha Gakuen Kikugawa (Shizuoka)	Okumura opens the game with a grand slam home run in the first inning as the offensive juggernaut overwhelmed Tokoha Kikugawa. Tokoha never got the big inning that propelled the team all the way to the championship, and Osaka Toin's ace Fukushima Yuuto pitches a complete game 5-hit shutout for the win.
91 2009	4041	49	August 24	Chukyo High School (Aichi)	10 - 9	Nihon Bunri (Niigata)	Chukyo holds a 10-4 lead going into the 9th. They place struggling ace Doubayashi Shouta 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 to end the game. Had they completed the comeback, they would have been the first Niigata team to win the title.
92 2010			August 21	Kounan High School (Okinawa)	13 - 1	Toukaidai Sagami (Kanagawa)	Shimabukuro Yousuke and Kounan dominate the field, completing the 6th Haru-Natsu sweep in Koshien history while giving Okinawa their first ever Natsu Koshien champion.
93 2011			August 20	Nichidaisan High School (Tokyo)	11 - 0	Kosei Gakuin (Aomori)	Kentaro Yoshinaga throws a 5-hitter, while Shun Takayama hits a 3-run homer in the romp
94 2012			August 23	Osaka Toin High School (Osaka)	3 - 0	Kosei Gakuin (Aomori)	Shintaro Fujinami fans 14 in a 2-hitter to wrap up the title, as Osaka Toin becomes the 6th school to win the spring and summer Koshiens in the same year.
95 2013		49	August 22	Maebashi Ikuei High School (Gunma)	4 - 3	Nobeoka Gakuen High School (Miyazaki)	Kona Takahashi allows his first runs in six games this tournament but still gets the win. Kaito Arai drives in the winner in the 7th.
96 2014		49	August 25	Osaka Toin High School (Osaka)	3 - 2	Mie High School (Mie)	Kosuke Fukushima goes the distance for the win while Makoto Nakamura's 2-run, 2-out single in the bottom of the 7th is the big hit.

Further Reading

• Michael Clair: "Summer Koshien: Dreams are made, crushed", mlb.com, August 26, 2021. [1]