Experience the Fervor of High School Baseball!
At the beginning of August, everyone in Japan turns their attention to the National High School Baseball Championships—better known as Koshien. When the gates of Hanshin Koshien Stadium swing open, fans flock out in droves in support of their team, with TV stations broadcasting play live every day.
By Jinichi Segawa
The opening ceremony sees all 49 qualifying teams from each region of Japan step onto the field. While teams across the country train diligently to make it here, only the top team from each region will be able to enter Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
A total of 18 players fill each team's bench, an honor reserved only for this small selection of hard-fought champions.
Seats are cramped to capacity, with some 50,000 fans in attendance to watch the most anticipated games and tournament finals. Since the teams come from all over Japan and act as representatives of their respective regions, fans are feverish in their support for their local team.
Before each game starts there's an incredibly long line at the entrance. The official support seats for each team's fans are in the Alps Section along either side of the outfield. While other seats are available for the day, guests in the Alps seats have change out every match to allow the next fans their turn.
All About's photography guide is a professional photographer who also offers seminars, with tips on techniques from scenery to product shots all over Japan. He studied at the University of Wisconsin and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. His work in All About Japan focuses on Japanese traditional and pop culture, as well as photography.
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