Kyoto high school baseball tournament kicks off with 75 schools

The 108th National High School Baseball Championship Kyoto tournament opened on July 4 at Wakasa Stadium in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward. The opening ceremony featured 75 schools fielding 71 teams, all competing for a berth at the Koshien tournament.

A archival feature also revisits the 1977 Kyoto tournament, noting that early rounds were dominated by large margins before most matches from the third round onward were decided by slim differences. The 1977 final marked a private‑school showdown between a team from Kyoto city and a northern prefecture team, the first such meeting in 14 years.

Both pieces highlight the enduring popularity of high school baseball in the Kyoto region and its role as a stepping stone to the national Koshien competition.