2005 Schedule

It's still too early. Usually the next season schedule isn't made up until after the Nihon Series ("World Series" of Japan) in October, but with more competition with concert scheduling, the powers-that-be have decided to make the schedules earlier. Or so they announced last year. When they'll actually do it is anybody's guess.

As for March, though, you may get a few pre-season games in the area on the weekends if you're lucky. The Central League season generally starts in April (or the last days of March if it's a weekend), with the Pacific League starting a week earlier.

Wish I could have been of more help.

Thank you very much. It sounds like we won't get lucky, as we are only in Yokohama on a Sunday night through Friday morning, March 13-18, which is too early for regular ball and not on the weekends when we would need to be there for pre-season ball.

Where does the Pacific League play, what cities/areas? Maybe we can set our itinerary to catch them the week of March 21 through 25 (again, a Monday through Friday). We would certainly be willing to go where the baseball is - it's a big deal for us (especially my son).

Don't get discouraged yet. I took my 13 year old over this spring (stayed in Tokyo) and caught a preseason game in Chiba on March 11 (Thursday) and one in Yokohama on March 12 (Friday) - so there may be some hope that you can catch one - especially if you are willing to get on a train for a game in greater Tokyo area.

The Spring schedule did not come out until after the New Year, and then it was not translated. The good people at this site were a big help to me. Keep checking in.

Thanks! Very inspiring response! There is hope anew now. You've made my weekend (and my son's)!

It is encouraging to see positive posts like these. People who want to catch Japanese (NPB) and Korean (KBO) baseball have plenty of opportunities other than the regular season and playoffs. There are spring and autumn games in both countries.

Also, some teams have early spring training in places like Australia, Guam, Hawaii, and Saipan. A few Japanese and Korean teams practice in Arizona and Florida each year.

Hi, Eileen here again. I am just checking back again since it is now 2005 and trying to see if anyone has info on the 2005 pre-season schedule yet. We are open to any games in Tokyo or Yokohama on March 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 (a Sat.), and 20th through 25th anywhere around Osaka/Kyoto or Hiroshima.

Will the 2005 pre-season schedule be posted on this site?

Thanks in advance. My son and I are are really hoping to see a game there.

The Hanshin Tigers' official web site has the following schedule:

Sunday, March 20: Hiroshima vs. Hanshin @ Kurashiki
Monday, March 21: Orix vs. Hanshin @ Osaka Dome
Tuesday, March 22: Hanshin vs. Orix @ Osaka Dome

Good luck. Hope you get to see a game.

Thanks very very much! That last game in Osaka might work, as we are in Kyoto then and could go to Osaka for both the game and sumo tournament in one day perhaps.

Does anyone else have info on pre-season Yokohama games or Tokyo or Carps in Hiroshima? Or the web sites I can check (if they are in English)?

Also, I am assuming we can just walk up and get tickets since these are pre-season games, correct?

Torakichi: Does the site have the times for those three games? I would appreciate that info if it is available and if it is not too much trouble.

Thank you again.

I've now entered the "open sen" or "pre-season" schedule. Times have not been released anywhere that I've seen, so there are no times. However, other than Giants' games at Tokyo Dome, most pre-season games tend to be day games.

You can get the schedules for the various teams here.

Thank you so much! Now we can make plans around the games.

Can I walk up to the preseason games and get tickets at the stadium? If not, how do you purchase beforehand? We are thinking specifically of the Tigers at Osaka Dome, BayStars at Yokohama, Swallows at Jingu, and Giants at Tojyo Dome (if we can get tickets).

You'll probably get some form of ticket at the venue. Pre-season games can be pretty well attended, but I don't think there'd be a sell-out.

Tip: the real action at the sumo happens between 16:30 and the last bout at 18:00, so you might not be able to see a full game of baseball before that. Anyway, Osaka Dome is a short distance from Namba (where the sumo is held) as the crow flies, but neither of the railway lines that stop at Osaka Dome go directly to Namba Station (go figure). Take a cab and you'll get there with much less fuss.

...neither of the railway lines that stop at Osaka Dome go directly to Namba Station...

Actually there are plans to build a railway line that will link the Hanshin line, Osaka Dome, and Namba, so in the future you'll be able to go all the way from Namba to Koshien without much trouble.

I thought I had a brochure around here somewhere, but I can't find it.

I wonder if you could point me where to get tickets for May 25th thru the 29th. We're gonna be in Tokyo. Can you refer to me a site?

I appreciate it very much. If you are ever in New York - PLEASE tag me and I'll help you as well.

As mentioned in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), the only on-line site that I know of is e-plus. They have been around for a number of years and have expanded to cover all of the teams this year (before it was just a few teams). Unfortunately, you must be able to read/type in Japanese to make reservations through them.

For the most part, you should have no problem getting tickets on game day. The Giants are often sold out, especially on weekends, but if you get to the ticket gates early on a weekday, tickets are still often available. You shouldn't have any problems for non-Giants games.

Thanks for that info on the sumo and game - maybe we will need to go to Osaka two different days to catch both sumo and baseball.

Another question: How will I find out the time of the pre-season games? Will they be listed in the Japanese newspapers when I get there? I could have the hotel concierge read it in the newspaper if it is posted there. Or will there be a way to find out before the day of the game?

I never had any problem walking up and getting a ticket for a pre-season game for the Swallows at Jingu. Never saw a sellout. In fact, last June when I returned for a visit, I got walkup tickets at Jingu and they were playing the Giants. So, with the possible exception of the Tigers in Osaka where the Tigers' faithful are wonderfully crazy, you shouldn't have any problems.

It might be a little tougher getting walkup tickets to sumo.

I checked this thread again after so many months because we are going back to Japan again in April and I started thinking of this site again. I wanted to let you know that we were easily able to go to game at Osaka Done (Hanshin Tigers vs. Orix) and then went directly to the Sumo tournament match from there. The baseball game was at 1 pm and we left early at about 3, got to Sumo at like 3:30. It was perfect timing to see the best matches of the day. We got walk-up seats for both the game and Sumo, no problem.

In Tokyo we did go the day before to get tickets to an evening Giants vs. Tigers game. But we didn't need to do that, could have walked up and gotten same great seats right before the game.

At Osaka Done we sat in the Tigers fan section and we were all dressed up in Tigers stuff, jackets, shirts, hats, noisemakers that we had bought at the Tokyo Dome store. At the stretch, the lady behind us tpped me and pointed to the big screen up in the Dome and they had flashed my son and me on the screen, all decked out in our Tiger's outfits. Our 15 seconds of fame in Japan. It was unforgetable. I hope to take my daughter to another game at Osaka Done in April 2006. I think the only reason the Tigers were playing at Osaka Dome instead of Koshien is because the high school championship was going on at Koshien then. I will be checking for the 2006 schedules here in a few months.

Thanks for all of your help in getting to those games last March.