Tigers Game @ Koshien

Is the Tigers-Swallos matchup a big deal these days? I have stopped tracking the Japanese ball, so I don't know what is hot. It used to be the Tigers-Giants rivalry that was big.

I am looking at the ticket availability for 7/31 vs the Swallows right now (on the Koshien website). The right field, where the crazy Tigers fans will be, is sold out. Left field reserved seats are available aplenty (1700 yen). With the infield, the "orange" section (3500 yen) is plenty available, while "yellow" (3500 yen) and the first-base side "Alps" stand (2500 yen) are either just about sold out or sold out. There are plenty of seats in the third base "Alps" stand (2500 yen).

The funnest seats are always in the home team's cheering section. But for 7/31, those seats are already gone. You can go to the left field "visitor cheering section" to mingle with the Swallows fan. If so, though, you'd better pray that the Tigers win, or you may receive a rather hostile treatment on your way out after the game. Tigers fans can be dangerous. I was once maltreated by Tigers fans in the Tigers cheering section after the team lost, even though I was cheering for the Tigers the whole time (was told we lost because we weren't cheering hard enough). Imagine what could happen to the fans of the other team....

The easiest way to buy a ticket is to go to a Lawson, Family Mart, Sunkus, or Circle K convenience store. All these places sell the tickets.

If the rivalry is really hot, then you will want to get a ticket in advance. If it isn't, you can probably buy a ticket on the day of the game. But why risk it, when you can just go to a convenience store ahead of the time to get a ticket?

I go to many Tiger games every year and love it there. If the Right field section is sold out, you should have your brother try to order you tickets from Yahoo Auction or go to a discount ticket shop in Downtown Osaka. Right Field is the place to sit because that is where the Tigers cheering section is. Anywhere else in the stadium isn't the same and you will find yourself watching the right field stands the whole game wishing that you were there.

The Yakult fans sit in the left field and aren't as loud and crazy as the Tiger fans. They do throw umbrellas around which is pretty cool but the whole stadium is full of Tiger fans so the Yakult side will be pretty boring.

Foreigners are a rare site at a Japanese baseball game so you will quickly make friends with the people sitting around you. I ended up going out to drink after the game with the fans behind me the last game I went to a few months back. Try to get some Hanshin gear too so that you blend in with the rest of the fans. Also you should buy the balloons which people let fly during the 7th inning stretch. You can buy them at the gift shop before the game for like 300yen for a pack of 4. You can also go to the 100yen shop and buy balloons there if you want to save the cash. I would love to go with you but I have to work too.