The National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (選抜高等学校野球大会 senbatsu kōtō gakkō yakyū taikai) of Japan, commonly known as "Spring Kōshien" (春の甲子園 haru no kōshien) or "Senbatsu" (センバツ), is an annual high school baseball tournament.

Background The tournament, organized by the Japan High School Baseball Federation and Mainichi Shimbun, takes place each year in March at Hanshin Koshien Stadium in the Koshien district of Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan.

Teams are chosen for the tournament by a committee from the Japan High School Baseball Federation based on a set of criteria. While it is not a guaranteed path, teams winning a regional tournament held annually in the fall are usually invited. For instance, in the 2008 Fall Tournament in the Tōhoku region, Ichinoseki Gakuin was the runner-up. However, they were passed over for 3rd place Hanamaki Higashi for the 2009 invitation tournament.

Of the 32 bids, 29 are awarded on a regional basis: Hokkaido - 1 Tōhoku - 3 Kantō - 4 or 5Six teams are chosen between Kanto and Tokyo, though the committee can choose the sixth team from either region. Tokyo - 1 or 2 Tōkai - 3 Hoku-shin'etsu - 2 Kinki - 6 Chūgoku - 2 Shikoku - 2 Kyushu including Okinawa - 4

The region of the winning team in the Meiji Jingu Fall Tournament (which consists of all fall regional champions) receives an additional bid.

The final two slots are awarded to "21st Century Teams" which are a way to give teams a chance to compete who have not gotten close to qualifying but who have served as a model school by engaging in the community or having overcome adverse circumstances such as having few players, lacking a baseball field to train on, or having been impacted by a natural disaster.

Finals (R)Replay*Game went to extra innings

List of champions

List of champions Number Year Champion Runner-up Final Score11924Takamatsu Commercial High SchoolWaseda Jitsugyo School2-021925Matsuyama Commercial High SchoolTakamatsu Commercial High School3-231926Koryo High SchoolMatsumoto Commercial High School7-041927Wakayama High SchoolKoryo High School8-351928Kwansei Gakuin High SchoolWakayama High School2-161929Shinko ShōgyōKoryo High School3-171930Shinko Shōgyō (2)Matsuyama Shōgyō6-181931Hiroshima Commercial High SchoolChukyo Commercial High School2-091932Matsuyama Commercial High SchoolAkashi High School1-0101933Gifu Commercial High SchoolAkashi High School1-0111934Toho Commercial High SchoolNaniwa Commercial High School2x-1121935Gifu Commercial High School (2)Koryo High School5-4131936Aichi Commercial High SchoolKiryu High School2x-1141937Naniwa Commercial High SchoolChukyo Commercial High School2-0151938Chukyo Commercial High SchoolToho Commercial High School1-0161939Toho Commercial High School (2)Gifu Commercial High School7-2171940Gifu Commercial High School (3)Kyoto Commercial High School2-0181941Toho Commercial High School (3)Ichinomiya High School5-2 Canceled191947Tokushima Commercial High SchoolKokura High School3-1201948Kyoto First Commercial High SchoolKyoto Second Commercial High School1x-0211949Kitano High SchoolAshiya High School6-4221950Nirayama High SchoolKochi Commercial High School4-1231951Naruto High SchoolNaruo High School3x-2241952Shizuoka Commercial High SchoolNaruo High School2-0251953Sumoto High SchoolNaniwa Commercial High School4-0261954Idaosahime High SchoolKokura High School1-0271955Naniwa Commercial High SchoolKiryu High School4x-3281956Chukyo Commercial High SchoolGifu Commercial High School4-0291957Waseda Jitsugyo High SchoolKochi Commercial High School5-3301958Seiseiko High SchoolChukyo Commercial High School7-1311959Chukyo Commercial High SchoolGifu Commercial High School3-2321960Takamatsu Commercial High SchoolYonago Higashi High School2x-1331961Hosei Second High SchoolTakamatsu Commercial High School4-0341962Sakushin Gakuin High SchoolThe Third High School of Nihon University1-0351963Shimonoseki Commercial High SchoolHokkai High School10-0361964Kainan High SchoolOnomichi Commercial High School3-2371965Okayama Higashi Commercial High SchoolWakayama Municipal Wakayama Commercial High School2x-1381966Chukyo Commercial High SchoolTosa High School1-0391967Tsukumi High SchoolKochi High School2-1401968Omiya Technical High SchoolOnomichi Commercial High School3-2411969Mie High SchoolHorikoshi High School12-0421970Minoshima High SchoolHokuyo High School5x-4431971The Third High School of Nihon UniversityDaitetsu High School2-0441972Sakuragaoka High School of Nihon UniversityThe Third High School of Nihon University5-0451973Yokohama High SchoolHiroshima Commercial High School3-1461974Hotoku Gakuen High SchoolIkeda High School3-1471975Kochi High SchoolSagami High School of Tokai University10-5481976Sutoku High SchoolOyama High School5-0491977Minoshima High SchoolNakamura High School3-0501978Hamamatsu Commercial High SchoolFukui Commercial High School2-0511979Minoshima High SchoolNamisyo High School8-7521980Kochi Commercial High SchoolTeikyo High School1x-0531981PL Gakuen High SchoolInba High School2x-1541982PL Gakuen High School (2)The High School of Nishogakusya University15-2551983Ikeda High SchoolYokohama Commercial High School3-0561984Iwakura High SchoolPL Gakuen High School1-0571985Ino Commercial High SchoolTeikyo High School4-0581986Ikeda High SchoolUtsunomiya Minami High School7-1591987PL Gakuen High School (3)Kanto First High School7-1601988Uwajima Higashi High SchoolToho High School6-0611989Toho High School (4)Uenomiya High School3x-2621990The High School of Kinki UniversityNitta High School5-2631991Koryo High SchoolMatsusyo Gakuen High School6x-5641992Teikyo High SchoolSagami High School of Tokai University3-2651993Uenomiya High SchoolOmiya Higashi High School3-0661994Chiben Gakuen Wakayama High SchoolJoso Gakuin High School7-5671995Kanonji Central High SchoolChoshi Commercial High School4-0681996Kagoshima Jitsugyo High SchoolChiben Gakuen Wakayama High School6-3691997Tenri High SchoolChukyo High School of Chukyo University4-1701998Yokohama High School (2)The First High School of Kansai Universityl3-0711999Okinawa Shogaku High SchoolMito Commercial High School7-2722000Sagami High School of Tokai UniversityChiben Gakuen Wakayama High School4-2732001Joso Gakuin High SchoolSendai Ikuei High School7-6742002Hotoku Gakuen High SchoolNaruto Technical High School8-2752003Koryo High SchoolYokohama High School15-3762004Saibi High SchoolMeiden High School of Aichi Institute of Technology6-5772005Meiden High School of Aichi Institute of TechnologyKamimura Gakuen High School9-2782006Yokohama High School (3) Seiho High School21-0792007Tokoha Kikugawa High SchoolOgaki High School of Nihon University6-5802008Okinawa Shogaku High SchoolSeibo Gakuen High School9-0812009Seiho High SchoolHanamaki Higashi High School1-0822010Konan High SchoolThe Third High School of Nihon University10-5832011Sagami High School of Tokai UniversityThe High School of Kyushu International University6-1842012Osaka Toin High SchoolKosei Gakuin High School7-3852013Urawa Gakuin High SchoolSaibi High School17-1862014Heian High School of Ryukoku UniversityRiseisya High School6-2872015Tsuruga Kehi High SchoolThe fourth High School of Tokai University3-1882016Chiben Gakuen High SchoolTakamatsu Commercial High School2x-1892017Osaka Toin High School (2)Riseisha High School8-3902018Osaka Toin High School (3)Chiben Gakuen Wakayama High School5-2912019Toho High School (5)Narashino High School6-0922020All 32 teams played one game each in replacement Invitational Games. No tournament (pandemic)932021Tokai University Sagami High SchoolMeiho High School3-2942022Osaka Toin High School (4)Ohmi High School18-1952023Yamanashi Gakuin High SchoolHōtoku Gakuen High School7-3962024Takasaki High School of Takasaki University of Health and WelfareHōtoku Gakuen High School3-2972025Yokohama High School (4)Chiben Gakuen Wakayama High School11-4982026Osaka Toin High School (5)Chiben Gakuen High School7-3

See also High school baseball in Japan Japan High School Baseball Federation Japanese High School Baseball Championship ("Summer Koshien") Hanshin Koshien Stadium

References