[Japanese School Anthems] A Hot Topic at Koshien! From Beautiful Anthems to Unique Ones, All Introduced at Once

School Song of Takasaki University of Health and Welfare Takasaki High School

School Song of Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Takasaki High School

Takasaki Health and Welfare University Takasaki High School in Gunma Prefecture was originally a girls’ school, but it became coeducational in 2001 (Heisei 13).

Just ten years later, in 2011 (Heisei 23), it made its first appearance in the National High School Baseball Championship and earned its first national victory.

The school song’s lyrics were written by Kayoko Fuyumori, and the music was composed by Koichi Sakata.

Incidentally, the school’s uniforms are said to have been designed by the world-renowned designer Hanae Mori.

School Song of Niigata Sangyo University Affiliated High School

[Championship] Niigata Sangyo University Affiliated High School School Song (2024, 106th Tournament)

A song that drew great attention when it debuted at the Summer Koshien in August 2024.

Exceptionally rare for a school anthem, it’s written in a three-beat waltz tempo, and its graceful, rhythmic melody was praised on social media as “just like Studio Ghibli music.” The lyrics evoke grand imagery—endless skies, seas that carry culture, and distant peaks—richly expressing the boundless hopes of youth and the strong bonds of friendship.

This beautiful melody rang out triumphantly in moments of victory, surely leaving a deep impression on many hearts.

Meitoku Gijuku High School Anthem

[Championship] Meitoku Gijuku High School School Song (2024, 106th Tournament)

That school anthem from Kochi—the one that plays with every victory at Koshien and is surely familiar to many baseball fans.

From a campus surrounded by majestic nature, the lyrics conjure up refreshing scenes like clear skies and sparkling water.

The song carries a passionate message to young people: walk straight along the “path of truth.” It became widely known through its use at the National High School Baseball Championship.

When the team won its first title in the summer of 2002, the resounding melody etched itself into many people’s memories.

It’s a heartening piece whose dignified march rhythm powerfully propels those who single-mindedly strive toward their goals.

Suwa Seiryo High School Song

Suwa Seiryo High School Anthem No. 1: “High in the East”

Famous as the longest school anthem in Japan, this work has been sung for generations at Suwa Seiryo High School in Nagano Prefecture.

Adopted as the school song in 1903, it is a grand two-part composition: the first half nobly celebrates the region’s beautiful nature, such as the Yatsugatake Mountains and Lake Suwa, while the second half elevates the lofty aspirations of youth.

You can almost picture friends raising their voices together to the beat of handclaps and taiko drums.

If you’d like to experience a sweeping epic intertwined with memories of youth, be sure to listen closely at least once.

Osaka Toin High School Song

[Championship] Osaka Toin High School School Song (2024, 106th Tournament)

A song that plays with every victory at Koshien and has become familiar to many baseball fans.

It was created around 1988, when the school became independent, and is notable for its majestic, dignified organ sound.

The lyrics powerfully depict young people single-mindedly striving and honing their skills together, inspiring not only the ballplayers who advance steadily toward their goals but also anyone devoted to a pursuit.

The episode of professional baseball player and alumnus Shintaro Fujinami posting a line from the lyrics on social media in December 2024 also shows how this piece has become a source of support for many.

Chiben Wakayama High School Song

[Championship] Chiben Wakayama High School School Song (2025, 107th Tournament)

Many of you have likely heard that solemn melody that symbolizes victory at Koshien.

It’s the school song of Chiben Wakayama High School, established in February 1982.

The lyrics were written by the principal at the time, and the music was composed by Yasuo Sueyoshi, renowned in the field of contemporary music.

Paying homage to the land’s history and nature, and to the school’s founding spirit of pursuing truth, the song is carried by a powerful melody.

When sung in unison with friends, it stirs a heartfelt elation, sharing pride and glory for the future.

It’s a masterpiece that conveys the radiant spirit of earnest youth and a strong will to strive toward one’s goals.

Seirei Christopher High School Song

[Championship] Seirei Christopher High School School Song “Hymn No. 393” (2025, 107th Tournament)

A solemn melody that resounded through the Alps stands at Koshien became a hot topic.

The original song for Seirei Christopher High School’s alma mater—cherished since the school’s founding—is, remarkably, a Protestant hymn.

The lyrics’ message of caring for others and striving together toward the light is deeply connected to the school’s ethos of “love your neighbor as yourself.” Its performance at the 2025 Summer Koshien made its sacred, beautiful sound known throughout the country.