Traveling 3 hours round-trip and spending 31,800 won to watch the 'regional preliminary' instead of the Koshien finals: How Japanese high school baseball moves people [The Road to Koshien ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

Mr. Sanonomiya and Mr. Mitsuhashi from Shochifukaya High School in Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture, traveled 1 hour and 30 minutes by train one-way to Omiya Park Baseball Stadium to cheer for their alma mater.

This was the first time these two students watched a high school baseball regional preliminary match at the stadium. As supporters of their alma mater, they wore their school uniforms. The round-trip train fare from Fukaya City to Omiya Park Station was approximately 2,260 yen. Upon arriving at the stadium, they paid 800 yen for admission tickets and ate 400 yen shaved ice from a food truck while waiting for the game. The total amount spent by the two students to watch the match that day was at least 3,460 yen (approximately 31,800 won).

The round-trip travel time alone was three hours, and on this day, humidity was high with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius. What motivated these two students, who were not even passionate fans of high school baseball? Mr. Sanonomiya, whom I met at the scene, stated, "Koshien (including regional preliminaries) is the final tournament for third-year players; if they lose, they must retire. Thus, there is a clash of hearts and pride where no one can back down. In that sense, I believe it has another charm distinct from professional baseball."

The three-hour round-trip investment proved worthwhile. Their alma mater, Shochifukaya High School, defeated Kasukabe High School 8-6 in the "108th National High School Baseball Championship (Summer Koshien) Saitama Prefecture Regional Preliminary Second Round" held on the 12th at Omiya Park Baseball Stadium in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, advancing to the third round.

However, these two students were not unique. Approximately 1,000 spectators gathered at the venue to watch a single match. In addition to students and parents from the school, local residents and general spectators who came alone also filled the stands.

Like the two students, I also visited the stadium using public transportation. While Japanese searches yielded more accurate results, thanks to AI development, entering "Saitama Prefecture Koshien regional preliminary schedule" in Korean allowed me to confirm the game schedule and venue.

From Omiya Park Station to Omiya Park Baseball Stadium was just about a 10-minute walk. Although no separate tournament promotional signs were noticeable, Google Maps made navigation easy. As game time approached, crowds of spectators heading in the same direction continued to form.

Access by car was also convenient. Despite being an outdated stadium primarily used for high school baseball and independent league teams, the parking lot was spacious enough to accommodate most spectators. Parking and spectator movement guidance were handled by officials from the Saitama Prefecture High School Baseball Federation responsible for tournament operations.

An official from the Saitama Prefecture High School Baseball Federation I met at the scene told StarNews, "While the Saitama City government is responsible for stadium facility management, the operation of Koshien regional preliminary tournaments is handled by the Saitama Prefecture Regional High School Baseball Federation. Regional preliminaries are operated through cooperation between local municipalities and high school baseball federations."

He further added, "There is no system involving separate volunteers; instead, our federation and participating school students assist in tournament operations. Companies do not participate fundamentally. Given that all schools participate in the tournament, it is operated with local schools and municipal governments as the central partners."

It was impressive that a paid viewing structure involving ticket, booklet, and food/beverage sales existed even without prominent corporate involvement. In fact, convenience stores near the station with various food options were packed with people.

Even without visiting convenience stores, food trucks and vending machines placed throughout the area near the stadium provided sufficient options for simple meals. Items frequently purchased by spectators included 400 yen shaved ice and 200 yen frozen drinks. Although prices were higher compared to regular vending machine cold beverages (100-150 yen), queues formed in front of sales stands amidst the heat.

Official tournament booklets containing information on participating schools, players, and match schedules were also sold for 500 yen. With three games held at a single stadium, lower-grade high school baseball team members from each school assisted with entry at the stadium entrance and sold booklets for every game.

An official from the Saitama Prefecture High School Baseball Federation stated cautiously, "I believe Koshien regional preliminaries have a sufficient economic effect on the local economy. With so many people visiting, not only surrounding shops but also sales from food trucks entering the stadium must differ significantly from usual."

Spectators naturally participated in maintaining order at the venue. After games ended, some spectators, without separate instructions or announcements, placed trash in plastic bags, cleaned their seats, and left the stadium.

The charm of high school baseball confirmed from the two students was echoed in answers from other spectators. Mr. Kentaro, who came to watch the game with his family, cited Japan's long-standing baseball culture as the background for why high school baseball is rooted in local communities. He said, "Even among my father's generation, baseball was overwhelmingly more popular than soccer or basketball. As this culture and history continued, high school baseball naturally took root in local areas."

It was impossible to calculate the effect of high school baseball on the local economy based solely on one day's game. Statistics showing surrounding shop sales or average spending per spectator were also unavailable.

However, what could be confirmed at the scene was that high school baseball in Japan serves as another content that moves people even in regions without professional teams. Shochifukaya students willingly traveled three hours round-trip despite expensive transportation costs, and general spectators lined up paying 800 yen. Inside and outside the stadium, various food items and content were consumed.

It was not even the nationally focused Koshien finals; it was merely a single regional preliminary match. Yet, the stands were filled with people connected through their alma mater, local community, family, and personal experiences—not just players' families and school officials. On the road to Koshien, those cheering for their alma mater and local area willingly invested time and money to join that journey.

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*This content was translated by AI.