1.
Koshien Stadium; the national high school baseball tournament held there
Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. Home of the Hanshin Tigers professional baseball team and, more importantly in cultural terms, the venue for Japan's national high school baseball tournaments. By extension, 甲子園 often refers to the tournaments themselves, which are a major cultural event.
Hanshin Koshien Stadium (阪神甲子園球場) is one of Japan's most iconic sports venues. It hosts two major high school baseball tournaments each year: the 選抜高等学校野球大会 (Spring Invitational, commonly called 春の甲子園) and the 全国高等学校野球選手権大会 (Summer Championship, 夏の甲子園). These tournaments are a cultural phenomenon, broadcast nationally, and the word 甲子園 itself symbolizes youthful aspiration and dedication.
Common collocations
- 甲子園を目指す: to aim for Koshien (goal of high school baseball players)
- 甲子園に出場する: to compete at Koshien
- 夏の甲子園: the Summer Koshien tournament
- 春の甲子園: the Spring Koshien tournament
- 甲子園球場: Koshien Stadium
Cultural note
The word 甲子園 has become metaphorical — other competitions for young people are sometimes called 「○○の甲子園」 (the Koshien of XX), meaning the pinnacle competition in that field.