024 Kokoyakyu – High School Baseball (JET Talks Series)

Welcome to a special JET Talks Edition of the Let’s Talk Japan Podcast. This episode features a panel discussion with the producers of “Kokoyakyu,” a documentary about high school baseball in Japan and the quest to qualify for the national summer baseball tournament at historic Koshien Stadium. High school baseball in Japan is a national obsession, and the Koshien summer tournament is a wonderful event through which to gain insight into Japanese society.

The 96th National Summer Baseball Tournament will be played at Koshien Stadium beginning Saturday, August 9th, and will end with the championship game on Saturday, August 23 at 1pm (JST). Here is a list of this year’s teams, a schedule of the games, and the internet live stream link.

Here are some other great Japan baseball related resources:

• You Gotta Have Wa & The Meaning of Ichiro, by Robert Whiting
• Banzai Babe Ruth, by Rob Fitts
• Japan Baseball Weekly Podcast
• Yakyu Baka website

“JET Talks” is a speaker series organized by the JET Program Alumni Association of Washington, DC (“JETAADC”). JET Talks is loosely modeled after the TED Talks concept and features dynamic and interesting speakers with the goal of inspiring innovative ideas and conversations on Japan-related themes.