NEW YORK — Koshien Stadium is home to one of Japan's most sacred traditions: the annual high school baseball tournament.

But according to many players and fans, Koshien, located near Kobe and home to the Hanshin Tigers, also hosts an "ominous, powerful force . . . that even prayer and ritual can't exorcise," according to a recent book about ballparks around the world.

While researching the book, coauthor Dan Gordon spent much time at Koshien Stadium interviewing players, coaches, fans and journalists, and experienced firsthand the intensity and passion of the high school tournament.