Koshien Stadium
| Koshien | |
 |
|
| Former names | Koshien Large Sports Field (1924–) Koshien Stadium (–1964) |
|---|---|
| Location | Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan |
| Coordinates | 34°43′16.34″N 135°21′41.84″E / 34.7212056°N 135.3616222°ECoordinates: 34°43′16.34″N 135°21′41.84″E / 34.7212056°N 135.3616222°E |
| Owner | Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Operator |
Hanshin Tigers Co. Hanshin Engei Co. |
| Capacity | approx. 60,000 (from the opening) approx. 80,000 (after the completion of all the seats) approx. 55,000 (–2001) approx. 53,000 (2003) 50,454 (2002, 2004–2007) 46,229 (2008) 47,808 (2009–2011) 47,757 (2012–)[1] |
| Field size |
1924–1949 1949–1991 Foul line: 95m (311 ft) Power alley: 118m (387 ft) Center: 118m (387 ft) Ground area: approx 13,000m² |
| Construction | |
| Opened | August 1, 1924 |
| Expanded | 2007–2010 |
| Architect | Ōbayashi gumi |
| Tenants | |
|
Hanshin Tigers (Central League/NPB) – (1936–present) National High School Baseball Championship (JHSBF) – (1924–1940, 1947–present) National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (JHSBF) – (1925–present) |
|
1924–1949
Foul line: 110m (360 ft)
Power alley: 128m (420 ft)
Center: 120m (394 ft)
1949–1991
Foul line: 91m (299 ft)
Power alley: 119m (390 ft)
Center: 120m (394 ft)
Hanshin Koshien Stadium (阪神甲子園球場 Hanshin Kōshien Kyūjō?) is a baseball park located near Kobe in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The stadium was built to host the national high school baseball tournaments, and opened on August 1, 1924. It was the largest stadium in Asia at the time it was completed, with a capacity of 55,000.
The name Kōshien (甲子園) comes from the Sexagenary cycle system. The year of the stadium's founding, 1924, was the first year kōshi (甲子) in the cycle. The design of the stadium was heavily influenced by the Polo Grounds in New York City. In 1936 it became the home stadium for the Osaka Tigers (current Hanshin Tigers), now with the Central League. On February 14, 1964, Hanshin, the Tigers' owners, was appended to the name of Koshien Stadium.
In addition to the annual National High School Baseball Championship, played in August, the stadium hosts the annual National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament in March, a smaller, invitational tournament. Both tournaments are generally known simply as Kōshien. The high school tournaments are given a higher priority, with any tournament games that need to be rescheduled forcing the Tigers to postpone conflicting home games. It also hosts Japan's American college football national championship game, the Koshien Bowl.
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