Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Koshien Bowl

Koshien Bowl
Mainichi Koshien Bowl
甲子園ボウル
StadiumKoshien Stadium
LocationNishinomiya
Previous stadiumsNishinomiya Stadium (1960)
Nagai Stadium (2007 — 2008)
Previous locationsOsaka (2007 — 2008)
Operated1947-present
Sponsors
Mainichi Shimbun
Nissin Foods (1985 — 1987)
Sanwa Group (1988 — 1991)
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (1992 — 1999)
House Foods (2000 —)
Mitsubishi Electric (2016 —)
Former names
Mainichi Bowl (1960)
Mainichi Koshien Bowl in Nagai (2007 — 2008)
2023 matchup
Hosei vs. Kwansei Gakuin (Kwansei Gakuin 21-61)
2024 matchup
TBD

The Koshien Bowl (甲子園ボウル) is the annual Japanese American college football national championship game,[1] usually played in December at Koshien Stadium.

From the 1949 season until 2008 season, the game was held as the final game of Japan University American Football Championship. From the 2008 season until 2023, the game was held between 2 universities from East Japan (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto) and West Japan (Tokai, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chushikoku, Kyushu).

On December 4th, 2023, the Japan American Football Association announced it will move the Japan University American Football Championship to a 12 team format, eliminating regional matchups in favor of a mixed-conference bracket beginning in 2024.[2]

Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters is the most successful team with 34 titles (4 shared). Nihon University Phoenix is second with 21 titles (2 shared).

Game results

Season Date Played Kanto Score Kansai Note
1946 1947 April 13 Keio 45-0 Doshisha  
1947 1948 January 1 Meiji 0-6 Kansai  
1948 1949 January 9 Keio 14-7 Kansai  
1949 1949 December 18 Keio 7-25 Kwansei Gakuin  
1950 1950 December 10 Keio 6-20 Kwansei Gakuin  
1951 1951 December 9 Rikkyo 19-14 Kwansei Gakuin  
1952 1952 December 7 Rikkyo 20-0 Kwansei Gakuin  
1953 1953 December 6 Rikkyo 7-19 Kwansei Gakuin  
1954 1954 December 5 Rikkyo 7-15 Kwansei Gakuin  
1955 1955 November 23 Nihon 26-26 Kwansei Gakuin Draw
1956 1956 November 23 Nihon 0-33 Kwansei Gakuin  
1957 1957 November 24 Nihon 14-6 Kwansei Gakuin  
1958 1958 December 7 Nihon 13-12 Kwansei Gakuin  
1959 1959 December 6 Nihon 42-0 Kwansei Gakuin  
1960 1960 December 4 Rikkyo 36-16 Kwansei Gakuin held at Nishinomiya Stadium
1961 1961 December 10 Nihon 14-6 Kwansei Gakuin  
1962 1962 December 2 Nihon 28-24 Kwansei Gakuin  
1963 1963 December 8 Nihon 30-18 Kwansei Gakuin  
1964 1965 January 15 Nihon 48-14 Kwansei Gakuin  
1965 1965 December 5 Rikkyo 22-22 Kwansei Gakuin Draw
1966 1966 December 4 Nihon 40-12 Kwansei Gakuin  
1967 1967 December 10 Nihon 12-31 Kwansei Gakuin  
1968 1968 December 15 Meiji 36-38 Kwansei Gakuin  
1969 1969 December 14 Nihon 30-14 Kwansei Gakuin  
1970 1970 December 13 Nihon 6-34 Kwansei Gakuin  
1971 1971 December 12 Nihon 28-22 Kwansei Gakuin  
1972 1972 December 10 Hosei 34-20 Kwansei Gakuin  
1973 1973 December 9 Nihon 7-24 Kwansei Gakuin  
1974 1974 December 8 Nihon 20-28 Kwansei Gakuin  
1975 1975 December 14 Meiji 7-56 Kwansei Gakuin  
1976 1976 December 12 Meiji 22-29 Kwansei Gakuin  
1977 1977 December 11 Nihon 20-51 Kwansei Gakuin  
1978 1978 December 10 Nihon 63-7 Kwansei Gakuin  
1979 1979 December 9 Nihon 48-0 Kwansei Gakuin  
1980 1980 December 13 Nihon 42-7 Kwansei Gakuin  
1981 1981 December 13 Nihon 42-31 Kwansei Gakuin  
1982 1982 December 12 Nihon 65-28 Kyoto  
1983 1983 December 11 Nihon 14-30 Kyoto Starting in 1983, the winner would play an X-League team in the Rice Bowl.
1984 1984 December 9 Nihon 42-42 Kwansei Gakuin Draw; Nihon participated in the Rice Bowl
1985 1985 December 8 Meiji 46-48 Kwansei Gakuin
1986 1986 December 14 Nihon 28-49 Kyoto  
1987 1987 December 13 Nihon 17-41 Kyoto  
1988 1988 December 11 Nihon 35-28 Kwansei Gakuin  
1989 1989 December 17 Nihon 45-14 Kwansei Gakuin  
1990 1990 December 16 Nihon 34-7 Kyoto  
1991 1991 December 15 Senshu 20-25 Kwansei Gakuin  
1992 1992 December 13 Hosei 7-17 Kyoto  
1993 1993 December 19 Nippon Sports Science 10-35 Kwansei Gakuin  
1994 1994 December 18 Hosei 22-24 Ritsumeikan  
1995 1995 December 17 Hosei 17-24 Kyoto  
1996 1996 December 15 Hosei 21-28 Kyoto  
1997 1997 December 20 Hosei 21-21 Kwansei Gakuin Draw; Hosei participated in the Rice Bowl
1998 1998 December 19 Hosei 17-25 Ritsumeikan  
1999 1999 December 19 Hosei 13-52 Kwansei Gakuin  
2000 17 December 2000 Hosei 28-21 Kwansei Gakuin  
2001 16 December 2001 Hosei 6-24 Kwansei Gakuin  
2002 15 December 2002 Waseda 14-51 Ritsumeikan  
2003 21 December 2003 Hosei 6-61 Ritsumeikan  
2004 19 December 2004 Hosei 17-38 Ritsumeikan  
2005 18 December 2005 Hosei 17-14 Ritsumeikan  
2006 17 December 2006 Hosei 45-43 Kwansei Gakuin  
2007 16 December 2007 Nihon 38-41 Kwansei Gakuin held at Nagai Stadium
2008 21 December 2008 Hosei 8-19 Ritsumeikan held at Nagai Stadium
Season Date Played East Japan Score West Japan Attendance Note
2009 13 December 2009 Hosei 38-50 Kansai  
2010 19 December 2010 Waseda 21-48 Ritsumeikan 29,000  
2011 18 December 2011 Nihon 3-24 Kwansei Gakuin 35,000  
2012 16 December 2012 Hosei 17-20 Kwansei Gakuin 29,000  
2013 15 December 2013 Nihon 9-23 Kwansei Gakuin 32,000  
2014 14 December 2014 Nihon 10-55 Kwansei Gakuin 32,000  
2015 13 December 2015 Waseda 27-28 Ritsumeikan 33,000  
2016 12 December 2016 Waseda 14-31 Kwansei Gakuin 35,000  
2017 13 December 2017 Nihon 23-17 Kwansei Gakuin 36,000  
2018 16 December 2018 Waseda 20-37 Kwansei Gakuin -  
2019 15 December 2019 Waseda 28-38 Kwansei Gakuin -  
2020 13 December 2020 Nihon 24-42 Kwansei Gakuin -  
2021 19 December 2021 Hosei 7-47 Kwansei Gakuin -  
2022 18 December 2022 Waseda 17-34 Kwansei Gakuin -  
2023 17 December 2023 Hosei 21-61 Kwansei Gakuin
2024 15 December 2024 Hosei 35-45 Ritsumeikan

Winners

In Italics title shared.

Rank University Region Wins Years won
1 Kwansei Gakuin Fighters  Hyōgo 34 1949, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
2 Nihon Phoenix  Tokyo 21 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2017
3 Ritsumeikan Panthers  Kyoto 9 1994, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2024
4 Kyoto University  Kyoto 6 1983, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1996
5 Hosei University  Tokyo 5 1972, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2006
6 Rikkyo University  Tokyo 4 1951, 1952, 1960, 1965
7 Keio Unicorns  Tokyo 2 1946, 1948
7 Kansai University  Osaka 2 1947, 2009

See also

References