Ballpark Locations

The Tigers always play a couple of games at Nishikyogoku each season, but I believe they've played them all this year.

The closest you're going to get to a game in Kyoto is the Tigers at Koshien Stadium or the Buffaloes at Osaka Dome.

To get to Koshien from Kyoto Station, take a JR train to Osaka Station, then change to the Hanshin Railway; on game day, just about every Hanshin train stops at Koshien Station. Alternatively, you could stay on the JR line and go through to Koshien-guchi Station, but it's a bit of a trek form there.

Similarly, for Osaka Dome, go to Osaka Station as above, then change to the JR Loop Line and get off at Taisho Station. On game day, just follow the crowds to the park.

OK, the closest you're gonna get is Orix at the Osaka Dome located at JR Taisho (I wanna say, someone correct me if I'm wrong) on the Loop Line. Other than that, the next closest team is the same team in Kobe at Sogoundokoen (say that 3 times fast) on the Seishin-Yamate subway line (they have 2 home stadiums due to a corporate merger last year - welcome to Japan - 2 home stadiums, with 2 home jerseys).

We've got some good teams coming pretty soon, and my friend and I have made friends with the foreign right fielder. It'd be great to have another foreigner out there to join in the fun!

As far as schedules are concerned, you can go to the Orix Buffaloes home page and look for where it says "schedule" on the right side of the page. It's pretty self-explanatory from there [in Japanese only].

And slap me silly and call me Susan, I forgot about the Hanshin Tigers. From Osaka, take the Hanshin Line to Koshien (where everyone else will get off), and don't plan on getting tickets the day of the game. And don't go to cheer for another team - these people are crazy.