News

The Waseda University Baseball Club, celebrating its 125th anniversary, embarked on its first US tour in three years (since 2023) from February 23 to March 6, 2026. In addition to holding exhibition games against prestigious American schools known worldwide for their academic and athletic excellence, the club also plans to hold baseball clinics for children living in the US.

The Baseball Club was the first Japanese baseball team to tour the United States in 1905. This tour is historically regarded as a major innovation in Japanese baseball, bringing “authentic baseball” back to Japan, including tactics such as bunting and pickoff pitches that are now taken for granted, equipment such as gloves and spikes, and various training methods. Since then, the Baseball Club has continued to “challenge America” ​​on a regular basis, with this latest tour marking their 14th time.

This trip was funded by donations raised through a crowdfunding* campaign launched in October of last year, making it a journey undertaken with the encouragement and backing of many fans and supporters.
*Website in Japanese

2026 US Tour Schedule (Planned)

■Dates：2026/2/23 (Mon.)-3/6 (Fri.)
■Open Game Schedule:
2/24 (Tues.) (Local Time) vs ＠Santa Clara University　18:05PB
2/25 (Weds.)（Local Time) vs @Stanford University　15:35PB
3/2（Mon.）（Local Time) vs @California State University, Los Angeles　18:05PB
3/3（Tues.）（Local Time) vs @California State University, Long Beach　18:05PB
3/4（Weds.）（Local Time) vs @ University of Southern California　18:05PB
*The schedule may change due to weather or other circumstances.
*There are no ceremonies, press conferences, etc. scheduled at the airport upon departure or arrival.

Coach Satoru Komiyama

This US tour relies heavily on the generosity of many people, and as a member of the Baseball Club, I would like to express my gratitude. Without their generosity, this tour would not have been possible.

Founded in 1901, our Club is celebrating its 125th anniversary, and we take pride in having led the world of student baseball, as evidenced by our history of being the first independent Japanese team to tour the United States in 1905. We laid the foundations for modern baseball, and in 1925 saw the formation of the Tokyo Big Six Baseball League. As we approach the 100th anniversary of this founding in 2025, we are reminded once again of the truly important role that the Waseda University Baseball Club played by traveling to the United States.

In this day and age when it has become commonplace for many Japanese players to travel overseas and succeed in the MLB, the fact that the Waseda University Baseball Club, a Japanese university, can continue to have ties with the United States is entirely thanks to the support and efforts of all those involved.

I hope that the students will learn a lot from this trip, grow as people, and look upon it as a valuable experience that will be useful in their future.

Captain Kazuki Kozai（3^rd year student, School of Sport Sciences）

Thank you very much for your continued support and encouragement of the Waseda University Baseball Club.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Waseda University Baseball Club. We are embarking on a tour of the United States to write new history while carrying on the traditions and pride that our predecessors have built up over the years.

This challenge has been made possible thanks to the support of our partners who have long supported us, as well as those who have generously donated through crowdfunding, and we would like to express our deepest gratitude to them. Your support has given us this invaluable opportunity. All of us Club members will take this opportunity to heart and strive to repay it with responsible actions and results.

The United States, which we are visiting this time, is the birthplace of baseball and a constant source of learning for us. In 1905, the Waseda University Baseball Club became the first Japanese team to tour the United States, laying the foundation for Japanese baseball through cross-cultural exchange. Carrying on the aspirations of those predecessors, we are once again on a mission to foster exchange through baseball and acquire cutting-edge technology. Through serious competition with local universities, we hope to use this opportunity to learn about values ​​and attitudes toward the sport and to reexamine our own way of life.

Furthermore, thanks to the efforts of many people, we have been given this valuable opportunity to participate in this tour. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for their generosity. We view this tour not simply as an opportunity to play games, but as a major challenge that influence the future of the Waseda University Baseball Club. With the pride and responsibility of being challengers in our hearts, we are prepared to give our all in each and every game.

◆Crowdfunding Project Page (Website in Japanese)

早稲田大学野球部 世界へ！アメリカ名門大学と究める文武両道への挑戦