Tokyo Big6 Baseball League


The Tokyo Big6 Baseball League is an intercollegiate baseball conference that features six prominent universities in the Tokyo area. It is the oldest collegiate baseball conference in Japan and the oldest baseball league overall in Japan. Before the start of the Japanese [High School Baseball Championship] on following year of 1915, the 1936 establishment of the Japanese Baseball League and subsequent growth of Nippon Professional Baseball, the Big6 League was widely considered the highest level of baseball in Japan.
All games are played at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku in downtown Tokyo. Games are known to be rowdy and celebratory, with Ōendan and bands working themselves and the crowd into a frenzy.
It is also the origin of the Tokyo 6 Universities nickname that is given to the same six universities.

History

The league has its origins in the Waseda, Keio, and Meiji University League, a three-school conference that began play in 1914. Waseda and Keio had held their first match in 1903. Hosei University joined the league as a guest in 1916 and officially in 1917; the "Four Universities League" expanded to admit Rikkyo in 1921 and Tokyo in 1925. That year, the suspended Waseda-Keio series was revived for the first time in 19 years, leading to the foundation of the Six Universities League.
In 1926, with the cooperation of the federation, the Meiji Jingu Stadium was completed, and was later expanded to a capacity of 55,000 people in 1931. The Regents Cup was awarded for the fall league match. The league was suspended in 1943 due to World War II, but immediately after the end of the war, on October 28, 1945, a six-college alumni game was held, culminating in a game between Waseda and Keio University at Meiji Jingu on November 18.
Since the end of the US occupation of Japan in 1952, there have been no interruptions in conference play.
On April 1, 2013, the league registered as a general incorporated foundation, the Tokyo Six Universities Baseball Federation.
According to the league's website, 119 players and executives associated with Tokyo Big6 have been inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

Schedule and rules

The six teams play short, eight-weekend seasons in the spring and autumn of each year. Each team plays a short series against each of the five other teams in the league. The series format is similar to a three-game playoff, where the first to two wins is given a series victory. Home field is alternated, and all games are played at Meiji Jingu Stadium. Should a team sweep the first two games, the third game is not played.
The champion of the league is determined by the team with the most series victories. The champion team is given the Emperor's Cup. This is unique in Japan in that the other Emperor's cups are given to national champions in other sports such as Emperor's Cup of Football. The spring champion is allowed to participate in the while the fall champion is allowed to compete in the.
The league uses rules that are similar to that of Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League : the designated hitter rule is not used, and the pitcher is required to bat. Also, unlike American college baseball, non-wood bats are banned.

Members

InstitutionLocationBaseball team foundedJoinedAll-time
record		TitlesLast
title		TypeColors
Hosei UniversityChiyoda, Tokyo191519171234–912–13246Spring
2020		Private
Keio UniversityMinato, Tokyo189219141271–884–10540Autumn
2023		Private
Meiji UniversityFuchū, Tokyo191019141302–867–11743Spring
2023		Private
Rikkyo UniversityToshima, Tokyo19091921972–1180–10813Spring
2017		Private
Bunkyo, Tokyo19171925257–1728–63——List of [national universities in Japan|Public]
Waseda UniversityShinjuku, Tokyo190119141339–804–9749Spring
2025		Private

''Current as of spring 2025''

Champions

Waseda University has the most league championships with 49. Hosei University has 46 titles, Meiji University has won 43 times and Keio University has captured 40 league titles. Rikkyo trails with 13, while the University of Tokyo has yet to win a championship.
UniversityNumber of championships
Waseda49
Hosei46
Meiji43
Keio40
Rikkyo13
Tokyo0

''Current as of spring 2025''

Rivalry

Waseda vs. Keio: ''Sōkeisen''

The series between Waseda and Keio, Sōkeisen, attracts the most attention and is greatly enjoyed by the students, not least because it causes classes at both universities to be canceled. The game is still broadcast on NHK and it is the only series played during the last week of the season.
The Sōkeisen actually predates the establishment of the Tokyo Big6 League by over 20 years, beginning in 1903. The games often caused much tension between the two student bodies, often spilling out of the stadium and leading to the cancellation of games.
The addition of Meiji, Hosei and Rikkyo would do little to remedy the rivalry. This state would continue until the addition of Tokyo Imperial University and the official establishment of the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League.
The name is a combination of the two university's names first kanji characters and the character for battle or match, sen. Sō, is the alternate reading of Wa in Waseda, while Kei is the first character of Keio.

Notable alumni

Hosei alumni