【Project Activities】

A five-day tournament was held at GBK Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. Eight teams, comprised of players aged 14-18 representing various Indonesian provinces, gathered to compete in what aims to be Asia’s premier student baseball tournament, reminiscent of Japan’s Koshien. From Japan, a team of umpires, trainers, and coaches (also serving as former Japanese national team players) provided instruction and interacted with participants. Additionally, brass bands and cheerleaders participated as cheering squads, creating an enthusiastic atmosphere akin to the actual Koshien.

【Project Background】

As part of educational activities to discover and develop future professional baseball talent in Japan, this project was conceived to export Japan’s Koshien culture to Southeast Asia, aiming to create a “Koshien movement.” In cooperation with the local Garuda Baseball Softball Club, the 1st tournament was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in December 2024.

【Project Objective】

1. To export Japan’s Koshien brand to Asia.

2. To create opportunities for international exchange through baseball.

【Project Area】

Promotion of sports

【Methods】

Event/Competition Support

【Outcomes】

The inaugural tournament was a great success, with the 2,000-capacity venue completely full on the final day for the championship game. In addition to the tournament matches between all eight teams and the final, an exhibition match featuring “Indonesian All-Stars vs. Former Koshien Players Japan Representatives” was also held, which greatly invigorated the venue. Through the tournament operations, not only baseball skills and passion but also the culture of “manners and etiquette” cherished in Japanese baseball was conveyed to the local players, leading to significant growth not only in technical aspects but also in their mindset.

【Voices from Participants and Partners】

Indonesian Children: “We haven’t seen Japan’s Koshien, but we were surprised at how much the organizing committee and all the Japanese people generated excitement, the number of media outlets, TV broadcasts, and the unprecedented celebration at the after-party. We realized that Koshien is a more iconic Japanese content than we imagined, and we’re looking forward to next year.”Japanese Participants: “We are happy that Indonesian children and adults watching learned about Koshien, which is commonplace for Japanese people. Through this initiative, we hope to further demonstrate Japan’s presence and create cross-national connections through Koshien.”Japanese Spectator: “As an adult, I rarely get deeply moved by work or daily life, but watching the brass band, cheerleaders, and former Japanese Koshien players passionately compete against the Indonesian team, I got goosebumps and tears, thinking ‘Japan’s Koshien is happening in Indonesia.’ I was deeply moved to witness such a historically significant step and hope it continues to grow.”

【Challenges and Lessons Learned】

Over the five-day tournament, a total of 2,000 spectators visited the stadium, making for a grand and exciting first event. However, in terms of media exposure, 80% was aimed at Japan and only 20% at Indonesia. This highlighted the hurdle of generating excitement for “Koshien” locally. To make the tournament more appealing, it is a challenge to position it as an “event people want to participate in and watch” for festival-loving Indonesians and to attract more visitors in the years to come.

【URL】

https://event.nbacademy.jp/asiakoshien2024
https://www.instagram.com/asiakoshien/
https://www.instagram.com/nb.academy2022/
https://www.instagram.com/s_shogo0413/