Hanshin Koshien Stadium

If you have a day free in Osaka and the Tigers are in town, this is a MUST DO. I don’t want to spoil the fun by discussing all the zaniness that will occur at the game, but suffice it to say that you will never look at baseball the same way again. The fan experience here was way different than any place I’d caught a game in the US — in a good way! Special props to the Asahi beer girls. How they run up and down those stairs for 3 hours with a keg on their back, smiling the whole time, is beyond me. Why don’t we have that in the USA?
Pro Tips:
Getting tickets to a Tigers game can be a challenge, so plan ahead. We looked up the team schedule when it was released in February, and had our hotel concierge buy us tickets as soon as they were released. Even with such advance planning, the seats along the first base line were already sold out so we got third base («Breeze») seats, which were perfectly great.
If going to a day game, I recommend sitting in the infield, about row 30 or higher to be under the shade the entire game! Note that the outfield will be in the sun for the whole game.
Unlike in the USA, the stadium allows outside food and beverage — even beer! There are a couple convenience stores outside the stadium. Once you enter, the team even has stations with paper cups for you to pour your beer into since cans are not allowed inside! I LOVE JAPAN.
Finally, be sure to buy some balloons before you head inside!

The Fenway Park of the Japanese Baseball league. If, Fenway had fans serenading its team nonstop for nine innings plus post game festivities. Incredible atmosphere plus amazing food. The baseball fan experience done right. Seeing is believing.

I’m not a Tigers fan. I heard that Tigers fans were generally enthusiastic. I sometimes pass such fans in the happi coat, having the stuffed toys of the mascot character in their hand, when I walk the neighborhood of Umeda Station of the Hanshin railway in the evening on weekend.
I got three pieces of tickets from the work-​related acquaintance of my husband and went to Koshien Stadium with him. We tried to give the remaining ticket to a stranger who came alone around the wicket. Unfortunately everybody came with his or her friend, in a group, or family, and we could not easily search for the person who was alone. At last we found the woman who seemed to come alone and tried to present a ticket to her, but the staff approached and stopped us. He seemed to misunderstand that we resold the ticket to her. We solve the misunderstanding of the staff and presented the ticket to the woman. I imagined that she was alone, but she came here with her family members. She handed the ticket to her husband, and watched the baseball game with her child at the outfield bleachers.
Our seat was Alps seat of the first base side. I watched the game clearly.
Long time no watch the baseball game. To tell the truth, the baseball club of my senior high school participated in a spring tournament at Koshien Stadium approximately 25 years ago, and won the first game. I was moved that the school song of the alma mater was sung by players in the baseball stadium.
I am not totally interested in watching athlete games, but after all was excited when I watched the game close. The defense of both teams was too tight to get a score easily. Because I was tired with sitting still and became hungry and thirsty, I craved for something to eat or drink. I looked for some drink or food indoors. Oh, my god! Everything was so expensive! I regretted that I should buy something in an outside mini super. I bought one ice-​cream cup approximately 450 yen and shared it with my husband unwillingly. Big sized French fries which seemed to have popularity looked very delicious, but I gave it up because it took a little time to fry.
The happening occurred! Shouts of joy suddenly broke out outside while I looked for food at a stand of the inside. A rookie of Hanshin hit a home run. How regrettable! I have missed the decisive scene. The cheering section is wrapped in fever.
In the end, Hanshin had lost in the game, but I was overwhelmed in the heat of the cheering section. Everybody flied balloons almost simultaneously near the finale. I looked up balloons whirled up high in the sky. A one-​third of the fan almost went away after the defeat was decided. The way back was crowded very much and I saw off some trains. Watching a baseball game after a long absence was fun. But I will never pay out of my own pocket.