koshien

Around Koshien – Beat Tamashii Shop

Around Koshien – Beat Tamashii Shop

“We don’t create officially licensed goods,” the store’s owner, Takeshi Matsuda (designerMa2da) explained to me. “Most of the gear you find in other shops are player-centered. I wanted to create items that were more fan-centered. Things they could wear whether at games or not.” But he’s also got some of those items you’ve seen hardcore…

2017 – T-Ray’s Personal Top 5 Tigers Things

2017 – T-Ray’s Personal Top 5 Tigers Things

This was another incredible year of following the Hanshin Tigers via this website, the Facebook page, Twitter, and the recently started Instagram account! Here are some of my personal highlights, both as a fan and an amateur reporter. 5) Correctly Predicting the CL Standings Back at the end of March on the podcast, I opened…

Susano Shrine, a.k.a. Koshien Shrine

Susano Shrine, a.k.a. Koshien Shrine

We all want our home team to win. Every game. But they can’t. They don’t. The best of the best teams (in nearly any sport) will only win about 3 out of every 4 games. Fans are often told they make a difference in the team’s success. How many times have you heard players say…

The Ponta Deck Seats @ Koshien

The Ponta Deck Seats @ Koshien

This past Thursday night, a whole bunch of us friends at H-TEN (and Crossroad Church Nishinomiya) occupied one of two Ponta Deck sections on the first base side of the best stadium in all of Japan: Hanshin Koshien Stadium. Situated in the far corner of the first base Alps, there are two sections that have…

You Need These Balloons!

You Need These Balloons!

Balloon launches are no longer part of the stadium festivities (due to Covid-19) If and when you go to Koshien Stadium for a Hanshin Tigers game, you will want to be part of all the fan festivities. In order to do so, you will want to enjoy the 7th inning balloon release. Of course, you…

The Babe Ruth Monument (Mizuno Square)

The Babe Ruth Monument (Mizuno Square)

Did you know that the legendary Babe Ruth played a baseball game at Koshien Stadium? That’s right, el Bambino came to the stadium in 1934 when it was still just 10 years old! He was in the twilight years of his career, and legend has it that he was going through a rough period in…

Around Koshien – Tigers Goods “Tora Tora”

Around Koshien – Tigers Goods “Tora Tora”

If you were to head out of Koshien directly behind the museum entrance, you will see a shopping mall called Lalaport Koshien. Follow the road south past Lalaport, and on the same side of the road, you will come across this shop: Its name says タイガースグッズ、虎虎. The first part is easy – Tigers Goods. The…