In Kansai, the Tigers aren't a team — they're a religion. The Hanshin Tigers combine Japan's loudest fanbase with one of sport's great underdog myths: the 38-year wait that ended in 2023.
The club
Founded in 1935, the Tigers play at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo — the most sacred ground in Japanese baseball, also home of the famous national high-school tournament. Their yellow and black colors are everywhere in Osaka and Kobe, and their supporters' songs are sung with a volume that makes Tokyo Dome feel polite.
The Curse of the Colonel
After the 1985 title, fans celebrated by tossing a Colonel Sanders statue into the Dotonbori river — and the drought that followed became legend. The "Curse of the Colonel" wasn't lifted until 2023, when the Tigers won their first Japan Series in 38 years, sparking scenes of joy across Kansai.
Koshien is not a stadium. It's the cathedral of Japanese baseball.
2025: the pennant returns
The Tigers won the 2025 Central League pennant and pushed the defending champion SoftBank Hawks to five games in the Japan Series, winning Game 1 in Fukuoka — their first Japan Series win in the Hawks' park — before falling in the clincher at Koshien. The future looks bright: young talent, a loud park, and a fanbase that treats every game as an event.
2026: history in the making
The Tigers did it again. On October 3, 2026, Hanshin clinched its eighth pennant — the first back-to-back league title since the two-league system began in 1950 (79–62–2). Under second-year manager Kyuji Fujikawa and with new closer Taisei Kudo, the Tigers also finished a game ahead of the Giants: the first time in the two-league era that Hanshin ended a season in first with Yomiuri in second. The Climax Series Final Stage begins at Koshien on October 14 — and if they advance, the Japan Series opens at home on October 24.
Giants vs. Tigers
NPB's greatest rivalry is class versus passion: the Giants of Tokyo against the Tigers of Kansai. Their meetings — especially the season opener — are cultural events, and the rivalry explains much of how Japanese baseball fandom works. See our Giants guide for the other side.
How to experience it
Visiting Koshien is a pilgrimage: arrive early, join the ōendan drills, and try the stadium curry. Tickets sell fast for big games — see our ticket guide and Koshien guide.