Japan's national high school soccer tournament is thriving after more than 100 years, attracting huge crowds, with millions watching on TV, and breeding future stars, despite professional clubs trying to lure away young talent.
The annual tournament kicked off on Saturday and is still regarded as the pinnacle of amateur soccer, with young players dreaming of playing in the final in front of tens of thousands at National Stadium in Tokyo.
Matches are a massive occasion for the whole school as student cheering squads wave flags, bang drums and roar on their teams in a spectacle of noise and color.
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