October Schedule

Checking with the official NPB web site, they have Central League and Pacific League schedules for September and December.

The only two sure games in that time frame in the Central League are two make up games in Hiroshima between the Carp and Swallows on the 12th and 13th. You'll probably want to rest the 10th, but the Swallows will host the Dragons on that evening of the if you're staying in downtown Tokyo (I'm assuming you're coming in at Narita). If a Tigers-Carp game on the 10th is rained out at Koshien, it'll be made up on the 11th (although it doesn't look like either game will fit your ittinerary).

The Pacific League has games scheduled for the 10th and 11th at Chiba Marine Stadium between the Marines and Fighters. But that's it. More domed stadiums in the Pacific League means less make-up games in October.

The Nippon Series starts from October 18. It looks like you're going back just a day (or week, depending on your perspective) too soon.

Chiba Marine Stadium appears to be an easy train ride from Tokyo. It also looks like a few more October games are being added. So I will be able to see a game after all. Thanks!

Chiba Marine is an easy train ride, but it's about a 15 minute walk to the stadium from the station.

Bring a jacket. It will be cold there.

[Westbaystars added: Yes, a jacket is a very good idea. Think Candlestick Park in the evening.]

Thanks for the advice about bringing a jacket. Having been to Wrigley many times in April, I will heed the advice.

Looking at the babelfish translation of the October Central League schedule, I see for Oct 17:

SC, YBC common spare

and for Oct 14:

TC, CS common spare

I know S=Swallows, C=Carp, YB=BayStars & T=Tigers, but I don't understand "common spare."

Also, I know this is off-topic, but I don't know where else to ask: Is there any chance the Cubs-Marlins games will be on TV or radio in Japan?

Oh, that's the first time I'd seen it with kyotsu ("common"). I would translate "spare" as "tentative," as in just in case one of the make-up games gets rained out, it'll be made up on that date. It looks like the "common" means that it'll be the make-up game for either case as one of the teams is the same both times. I wonder if they'll do a double-header - first against one team, then the other. That would be interesting.

As for the MLB play-offs on TV, NHK BS1 appears to be carrying several of the games. But I don't have a schedule of which ones. Your hotel will most likely have BS1 available.

Have a good trip.

I've learned from this reply that the Japan Series is scheduled to begin Oct 18. Could you describe the format: best of seven? Two games here and then two games there?

I get to watch games broadcast on NHK's BS1 and would like to see as many as they show. How could I get a broadcast schedule from them?

Thanks for your great site! It's really enhanced my understanding of what I've been watching - a lot!

Regards,
Jon Zatkin

Five of the seven games will be on BS1, so you're in luck (unless it's decided on Game 6). For details, I've posted the schedule here.

For those of you still wondering, the remainder of the schedule from October 12 is:

12 (Sun): Yakult at Hiroshima 14:00
12 (Sun): Orix at Lotte 13:00
13 (Mon): Yakult at Hiroshima 13:30
15 (Tue): Hiroshima at Yakult 18:20
16 (Wed): Hiroshima at Yakult 18:20

Should any of those games be rained out, the current make-up schedule is:

13 (Mon): Orix at Lotte 13:00
14 (Tue): Yakult at Hiroshima (TBA)
17 (Fri): Hiroshima at Yakult 18:20

The Nippon Series start from the 18th in Fukuoka. See this thread for details.