The Koshien Bowl is the equivalent of the Japanese national college football championship held in every December and Koshien Stadium, the oldest and most storied stadium in Japan, is the stage for the annual extravaganza.
The Koshien Bowl is the oldest college Bowl game started in 1947. The game draws more than 30,000 fans every year. The 78th game will be played on December 17 this year.
The Koshien Bowl had long been the stage where the divisional champions of the East and West college leagues (Kanto Collegiate Football Association and Kansai Collegiate American Football Association respectively) meet.
Since the 2009 season, the Bowl has become the championship game for the national college championships tournament, which is held between eight leagues around the country.
GAME RESULT
| 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
| 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 |
