Koshien Stadium

Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, built in 1924, is one of Japan's most deeply felt sports institutions. Every summer and spring, high school baseball teams from across the country compete here in tournaments watched by millions, and the intensity of those young players and their supporters is unlike any professional sporting event. It is also the home ground of the Hanshin Tigers, whose fans are legendary for their coordinated cheering, crowd songs, and pre-game rituals. The on-site Koshien History Museum traces a century of the venue's legacy. Catching a game here during the season, surrounded by ivy-covered outfield walls and a roaring crowd, is one of the great spectator experiences in Japan.