The tradition of Summer Koshien and the concept of gaman go hand-in-hand in Japanese society. Gaman is a notion that encompasses endurance, patience, perseverance, and the strength to carry on even in adverse conditions. It is regularly on display at Summer Koshien, the annual National High School Baseball Championship Series, which is a widely-followed, tradition-rich tournament held each August at historic Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. One team from each prefecture reaches the finals of the 4,100-team tournament, and with each game from the finals broadcast to a rapt nation, Summer Koshien is followed with an intensity similar to that of the NCAA men's basketball championship in the United States. The single-elimination format lends itself to extraordinary individual performances as teams scrap to remain alive in the tournament.

The All-Japan Little League championship -- Little Koshien to many observers -- came to Koshien Stadium for its opening ceremonies in 2004. The sixteen participating teams marched across the ivy-covered stadium's famed red dirt infield before adjourning to nearby Naruo Beach Seaside Ballpark for the single-elimination tournament.

Sendai Higashi Little League took the spirit of Koshien to heart, demonstrating plenty of gaman in the championship game of the All-Japan tournament. The Tohoku representative rallied for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to stun Tokyo Kitasuna Little League 14-10 and capture the All-Japan championship.

With the win, Sendai Higashi advanced to the Asian Region tournament in Hagatna, Guam.

Sendai Higashi and Tokyo Kitasuna used eight pitchers and hit a combined eight home runs in a wild championship game. Sendai jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Tokyo champions responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Sendai scored in each of the game's first four innings, and reclaimed a 7-6 lead before another four-run rally re-established Kitasuna's advantage.

Team captain Keisuke Abe delivered the key blow in the decisive sixth inning rally, and reliever Takenori Sato secured the final outs to give Sendai Higashi its second Japanese championship in three years. Only five leagues have won multiple Japanese championships since the inaugural All-Japan tournament was held in 1967.

Junki Iwama homered twice for Sendai in the championship game, while Kazuyuki Imai and Keisuke Abe also homered for the winners. Sendai hit at least three home runs in each of its four All-Japan tournament games, with six players combining to hit 17 home runs overall. Iwama and Tatsuya Ishibashi homered four times each in the tournament, while Hiroki Ishiguro added three of his own.

Sendai Higashi's gaman helped produce last-inning heroics in three of the team's four victories in the 38th annual Japanese championship tournament. After slamming six home runs in a 16-5 win over Omachi in their opener -- Ishiguro and Iwama hit two apiece -- Sendai needed extra innings to scrape past Yukuhashi Little League and Yachiyo Little League and reach the championship game.

Sendai scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Yukuhashi 6-2, then outlasted Yachiyo 12-8 in eleven innings in the semifinal round. Sendai had blown three leads, including a 6-0 advantage in the fourth inning, before overcoming Yachiyo.

Ishibashi held Yukuhashi's bats in check in the quarterfinal round before giving way to Iwama. Ishibashi homered twice in the game, while Keisuke Abe and Kazuki Abe also homered.

Ishibashi and Kazuki Abe also homered against Yachiyo, as did Ishiguro, the starting pitcher.

Hirotoshi Betsumiya, who threw a no-hitter in Yachiyo's opening round win over Machida Little League, homered twice for the Higashikanto champions in the loss.

Tokyo Kitasuna allowed only two runs at the All-Japan tournament prior to the championship game. The Tokyo representatives shut out Iyo Masaki Little League and Izumisano Little League on the tournament's opening day. Pitcher Tomohiro Naramoto threw a complete game in Tokyo Kitasuna's 4-0 opening round win over Iyo Masaki, while Kenta Iwama and Keita Takarada combined to edge Izumisano 1-0.

The shutouts moved Tokyo Kitasuna into a semifinal round matchup with Totsuka Little League. The Kanagawa champions had allowed no hits in their opening day wins, with Shouhei Wako's fourteen-strikeout perfect game against Ryugasaki Little League highlighting the day. Home runs from Hayato Hasama and Takarada helped Tokyo Kitasuna edge Totsuka 3-2 in seven innings and reach the Japanese championship game for the second time in four years.

Sendai Higashi's championship game win advanced the Miyagi Prefecture team to the Asian Region tournament at Guam's Paseo Stadium. Sendai Higashi defeated Korea and Hong Kong, and a mandatory play violation reversed an 8-2 loss to Shou-Tien Little League (Kao Hsuing, Chinese Taipei), giving Sendai Higashi an undefeated record in round-robin games. In a championship game rematch against the Chinese Taipei representative, home runs by Junki Iwama and Keisuke Abe keyed a five-run third inning rally that gave Sendai Higashi a 5-2 lead. Shou-Tien struck for five runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, and held on for a 7-5 victory that returned Chinese Taipei to the Little League World Series for the first time since 1996.

Linescores:

Opening Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11		R
Iyo Masaki	0	0	0	0	0	0							0
Tokyo Kitasuna	0	0	0	1	3	x							4
Opening Round
Matsusaka	0	2	0	0	0	0							2
Izumisano	4	0	0	0	0	x							4
Opening Round
Totsuka	0	0	1	0	0	1							2
Ryugasaki	0	0	0	0	0	0							0
Opening Round
Okayama	1	1	0	1	0	1							4
Ageo Nishi	0	0	0	2	0	0							2
Opening Round
Yachiyo	0	0	1	1	0	1							3
Machida	0	0	0	0	0	0							0
Opening Round
Sapporo Toyohira	1	0	3	0	0	0	5						9
Kyoto Kita	0	2	0	1	1	0	2						6
Opening Round
Sendai Higashi	5	3	0	2	6	0							16
Omachi	0	3	2	0	0	0							5
Opening Round
Yukuhashi	0	0	0	0	0	2							2
Toyota	0	0	0	0	0	0							0
Quarterfinal Round
Tokyo Kitasuna	0	0	1	0	0	0							1
Izumisano	0	0	0	0	0	0							0
Quarterfinal Round
Totsuka	0	1	0	0	3	1							5
Okayama	0	0	0	0	0	0							0
Quarterfinal Round
Yachiyo	4	0	1	0	0	0							5
Sapporo Toyohira	0	0	2	0	1	0							3
Quarterfinal Round
Sendai Higashi	0	0	0	1	1	0	4						6
Yukuhashi	0	0	0	0	2	0	0						2
Semifinal Round
Totsuka	0	0	0	0	2	0	0						2
Tokyo Kitasuna	2	0	0	0	0	0	1						3
Semifinal Round
Sendai Higashi	0	1	2	3	0	0	0	1	0	1	4		12
Yachiyo	0	0	0	3	2	1	0	1	0	1	0		8
Championship Game
Sendai Higashi	3	1	1	2	0	7							14
Tokyo Kitasuna	4	2	0	4	0	0							10

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