Toujin Highschool Baseball Association

Toujin Highschool Baseball Association

Current season, competition or edition: 2020 Highschool Baseball Season
Sport	Baseball
Founded	1986
Commissioner	Masaki Satou
Divisions	22 Prefectural Divisions
No. of teams	124
Country	Toujin Republic
Most recent champion(s)	Yakamatsu High (2019)
Most titles	Sendai Tech (17)
Qualification	Toujin Regional Qualifiers (2019-2020)

The Toujin Highschool Baseball Association (THBA) was founded in 1986, and is the primary organizer for inter-high baseball competitions. The association itself hosts two nation-wide tournaments known as ''Spring Nationals'' and ''Summer Nationals'' both taking place in their respective seasons. In addition to the nation-wide tournaments, the association sets up inter-prefecture play between local highschools as well as qualifier tournaments throughout the year. At its founding the THBA had 12 teams, all coming from the Tarabashi territory. However, the association has expanded its reach throughout the Toujin Republic and has expanded its league to 124 baseball programs from all 22 prefectures.

The THBA is considered the most competitive and exciting highschool level sporting event, and often attracts foreign visitors from neighboring countries to watch the matches. During the spring and summer national tournaments, the association is hosted by professional baseball teams from the Toujin Baseball League (TBL), giving the spring and summer tournaments an extremely large venue for a highschool sporting event.

Similar to collegiate leagues and professional leagues, the highschool baseball played during the spring and summer tournaments are often broadcasted on national television. Star players in these tournaments often receive scholarships to colleges, and in some rare cases even offers at the professional level. The rigor and competitiveness of the THBA has attracted scouts from around the world to recruit young talent from these highschool baseball programs.

While prohibited to grant scholarships to students in the highschool system based off athletic prowess, many schools offer benefits to their athletes such as on-site housing and connections to future prestigious universities. Notable highschools within the THBA are often from the Tarabashi Territory, where the league was initially founded. Powerhouse schools such as Yakamatsu High and Sendai Technical have long histories within the THBA, and extremely strong baseball programs.

THBA Format

The THBA is divided into two seasons, spring and summer. The Spring season begins the second week of March, and contains 10 weeks of regular season play. These games include 6 inter-prefecture games as well as 4 non-prefecture games for a total of 10 games. The teams with the two best records are then admitted into the Spring National Tournament. A similar process goes into the summer league which begins the first week of August, and lasts 16 weeks. The top 2 teams are admitted into the Summer National Tournament. While both tournaments are large events, the summer tournament takes place in a professional stadium and is nationally televised and is often considered the major tournament. Teams admitted into the tournament are giving a ranking in the nation which determines their seeding in the tournament. Highly seeded teams may sometimes earn a bye for the first round of the tournament, depending on the format.

The Spring Tournament is seen as a pre-season event where the summer season and Summer Tournament is considered to be the national championship. The Summer Tournament is featured in TBL stadiums across the country and are nationally televised throughout the nation. The Summer Tournament, also known as nationals, is one of the most watched sporting events throughout the country of Toujin, and is a national event.Denial of participation, however, can be given to teams who violate THBA guidelines. This includes substance abuse, physically enhancing drugs, breaking rules regarding age and play restriction as well as scholarship misconduct. While rare, there have been a number of cases in which schools are banned from the THBA and must re-enter the qualification tournament at a later date. Teams who violate THBA guidelines are also to forfeit any trophies or championships they won during their period of misconduct, and are reprimanded appropriately.

Members of the THBA

There are 124 registered teams from all 22 prefectures within the Toujin Republic. Each prefecture has any number from 5-8 teams. New teams are added annually through a registration process and qualification league.

Tarabashi Territory

The Tarabashi Territory is the most populated territory within the Toujin Republic. Naturally it also has the most participating schools as well as the most National Tournament victories. Notable schools include Yakamatsu High known for its outstanding baseball program, as well as Tarabashi High, one of the most prestigious state schools in the nation. The Tarabashi Territory is comprised of 5 different prefectures, with each prefecture containing 6-8 teams.

Tarabashi Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Tarabashi High	1986	Tarabashi	12/14
Tarabashi Technical	1995	Tarabashi	5/3
Jinseki International	1998	Tarabashi	0/0
Kokusai High	1996	Tarabashi	4/1
Yokohama Central High	1986	Yokohama	6/3
Midoriyama High	1999	Yokohama	1/2
Taeko High	1988	Taeko	5/8
Shinsen Prep	2010	Taeko	1/0

Yakamatsu Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Yakamatsu High	1986	Yakamatsu	14/14
Yakamatsu Prep	2001	Yakamatsu	0/0
Hiromori High	1995	Yakamatsu	3/1
Sendo High	1995	Sendo	6/8
Yakushi High	1992	Yakushi	2/4
Rokugo Industrial	1986	Yakushi	9/7
Tottori Kitano High	1997	Tottori	0/0

Kobayatsu Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Kobayatsu High	1986	Kobayatsu	7/3
Kobayatsu International	2004	Kobayatsu	2/3
Taishogun Academy	1986	Kobayatsu	9/10
Kokusai Senior High	1998	Kobayatsu	3/2
Totaru High	1986	Totaru	6/8
Masugawa Prep	2006	Masugawa	3/2
Maisei High	2000	Maisei	1/0

Sendai Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Sendai Central High	1986	Sendai	9/5
East Mizaki High	1986	Sendai	1/0
Sendai Tech	1999	Sendai	14/21
Akayama International	2007	Sendai	0/0
Masuno High	1986	Masuno	4/3
Mifune High	1986	Mifune	2/1
Jinseki Tech	2010	Mifune	4/1

Kokaitsu Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Kokaitsu High	1986	Kokaitsu	6/9
Nagayama Central High	1997	Kokaitsu	5/10
West Inashiro High	1986	Inashiro	1/0
Inashiro Industrial	2007	Inashiro	14/16
Kasegawa Prep	2009	Inashiro	3/0
Kimitori High	1986	Kimitori	1/0
Setsu Tech	2010	Kimitori	0/0
Nakate High	1986	Nakate	3/1

Hajimari Territory

The Hajimari Territory is the most industrial focused territory within the Toujin Republic, home to the largest port in the entire country: Port Hajimari. With a strong maritime influence and numerous cities with a strong industrial base, the Hajimari Territory is home to many of the country's best technical schools such as Hajimari Industrial and Fukurodani Tech. The Hajimari Territory is comprised of 4 prefectures each with 5-7 teams.

Hajimari Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Hajimari Central High	1986	Hajimari	8/7
Hajimari Industrial	1986	Hajimari	10/8
Hajimari Maritime Academy	1986	Hajimari	2/5
West Itsu High	2002	Itsu	5/6
East Itsu High	1986	Itsu	3/1
Owakami High	1990	Owakami	3/4
Kumamoto Tech	2011	Owakami	5/6

Kageyama Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Kageyama High	1986	Kageyama	10/11
Koishikawa Academy	1992	Kageyama	2/0
Mizuno High	1986	Kageyama	7/8
Nikkitsuma Central	1986	Nikkitsuma	3/1
Yonsei High	1996	Nikkitsuma	8/6
Nishi-Ayatsu Central	1986	Nishi-Ayatsu	6/9

Noiburo Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Noiburo High	1986	Noiburo	10/12
Adachi Senior High	1992	Noiburo	7/7
Tachikawa Prep	2006	Noiburo	1/3
Ryokogu High	1986	Ryokogu	13/10
Ryokogu International	2004	Ryokogu	3/2

Fukurodani Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Fukurodani Central	1986	Fukurodani	8/11
Fukurodani Tech	1986	Fukurodani	10/13
Ueno International	2010	Fukurodani	1/0
Takehaya Prep	1986	Fukurodani	5/2
Hachioji Central	1986	Hachioji	12/9

Sunohara Territory

The Sunohara Territory is the most populated and diverse territory within the Toujin Republic. Consisting of 7 prefectures, the Sunohara territory is home to numerous mountainous and coastal communities alike, and baseball is a strong staple of highschools in the territory. Notable schools are Tohoku International, the largest international highschool in the nation, as well as Wakatori High and their strong baseball program. The Sunohara territory is comprised of 7 prefectures with 5-7 teams.

Wakatori Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Wakatori High	1986	Wakatori	14/16
Wakatori Tech	1986	Wakatori	4/1
Inashiba Tech	2001	Wakatori	4/3
Rausu High	1996	Wakatori	9/6
Moseushi High	1986	Moseushi	10/11
Betsukai International	1992	Moseushi	0/0

Tohoku Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Tohoku International	1992	Tohoku	8/8
Central Tohoku High	1986	Tohoku	2/4
Aoyama Senior High	1986	Tohoku	5/6
Yahaba High	1986	Tohoku	7/4
Numata High	1998	Numata	8/10
Niseko High	1986	Niseko	2/1
Niseko Tech	2001	Niseko	3/5

Jinto Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
East Jinto High	1986	Jinto	14/16
Jinto International	1990	Jinto	1/0
Shiwa High	2004	Jinto	3/3
Yoichi High	1986	Yoichi	6/4
Sumita Tech	2001	Yoichi	0/1

Jiharamatsu Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Jiharamatsu Senior High	1986	Jiharamatsu	8/9
Jiharamatsu Maritime Academy	1986	Jiharamatsu	11/10
Hiraizumi High	2006	Jiharamatsu	0/1
Jihara Tech	2010	Jiharamatsu	3/2
Sobetsu High	1986	Sobetsu	7/5
Sobetsu Industrial	1999	Sobetsu	3/4

Hyogo Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
West Hyogo High	1986	Hyogo	6/7
Hyogo Military Academy	1990	Hyogo	1/2
Utsunomia High	1992	Hyogo	4/3
Misato High	2002	Hyogo	5/8
Urakawa High	1986	Urakawa	10/6
Urakawa Prep	2011	Urakawa	0/1

Nagano Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Nagano High	1986	Nagano	13/15
Nagano Tech	2008	Nagano	2/4
East Nagano Prep School	2010	Nagano	1/0
Ikawa Tech	2004	Nagano	2/3
Takasu High	1986	Takasu	6/5
Takasu Academy	1994	Takasu	8/9

Tottori Prefecture Participants

School/Institution Name	Year Joined	Resident City	Appearances (Spring/Summer)
Tottori Central High	1986	Tottori	8/10
East Tottori High	2000	Tottori	5/6
Tottori Maritime Academy	1986	Tottori	2/0
Asahi High	1993	Tottori	3/5
Aibetsu High	1986	Aibetsu	7/6
Aibetsu Industrial	1995	Aibetsu	10/8