The match between Keio University and Waseda University is called sō-kei sen in Japanese which means Waseda-Keio Baseball Games. Sō stands for Waseda, taken from the first Japanese character of the university’s name 早, while kei represents Keio. The term sō-kei sen has evolved to symbolize the ultimate battle between two formidable entities, with some Keio affiliates proudly referring to the games as the kei-so sen intentionally flipping the order to have Keio first. The two teams are fierce rivals, and an equal or sometimes greater emphasis is placed on winning the Waseda-Keio matchup games than the overall championship itself at the end of the season.
I had the opportunity to witness the Waseda-Keio Game on October 29th, following Waseda's narrow victory in the previous day's matchup 3-2. The game took place at the Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium from 1 pm. Since the resident assistant in our dormitory invited the residents to the game and arranged to buy the tickets for us (which cost 500 yen for Keio students), we sat together as a dormitory. Keio took an early lead with two runs in the first inning, and again in the 7th inning, Keio emerged victorious with a final score of 4-0.
With each team having won a match, a playoff was scheduled for the following day to determine the season's ultimate winner. The stakes were high for Keio, as a victory on the 29th meant classes would be canceled on the 30th to encourage students to watch the game. In the third match, Keio triumphed over Waseda with a score of 5-3, securing their status as the victors of the "Kei-so-sen '' for the Fall 2023 season.
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