The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are the team every other club chases: 12 Japan Series titles, seven in a decade, and a 2025 comeback that confirmed the dynasty is still running.
The dynasty
From 2011 to 2020 the Hawks won seven championships in ten years, building a machine of elite pitching, disciplined defense and clutch hitting. After a five-year gap, they returned to the top in 2025, beating Hanshin 4–1 in the Japan Series — including a 3–2 extra-inning clincher at Koshien. First baseman Hotaka Yamakawa, who homered in three straight games, was named Series MVP.
The club
Founded in 1938 as Nankai, the club became Daiei and then SoftBank, moving to Fukuoka in 1988. They play at the Mizuho PayPay Dome — a dome with a roof that opens — and pair big-game baseball with one of NPB's most famous mascot duos, Harry and Honey Hawks.
A dynasty is just a habit of showing up in October.
Why they keep winning
The Hawks invest heavily in player development and analytics, and their farm system is one of the strongest in NPB. The Pacific League's designated hitter rule suits a lineup built for power, and the team's 2025 run — four straight wins after losing Game 1 — showed the mental edge that separates dynasties from contenders.
2026: the three-peat pennant
Nobody caught them. The Hawks clinched the 2026 Pacific League pennant on September 17 — their third straight (2024, 2025, 2026) — finishing 91–49–3 with the league's best run production (707 runs, .261 average). Because both Pacific League challengers finished more than ten games back, the Hawks begin the Climax Series Final Stage at the Mizuho PayPay Dome on October 14 with a two-game advantage in a best-of-seven. Win, and they defend their 2025 Japan Series title from October 24 — a 13th title would move them past the Seibu Lions into third place all-time. For the full schedule, see the postseason guide.