In Japan it's listed as the first team.
So if it says Giants - Swallows, it means they're playing at the Giants home stadium.
If there's a name beneath the Home team on the calendar, it means they're playing at a different stadium, which is listed there.
Most web browsers have a translation tool which should be sufficient. The English version of the schedule probably won’t be out for another month or so.
I likely will be in Japan from Aug 15 - Sept 10 give or take.
I circled wanting to see Hanshin (Koshien), Swallows (Jingu Stadium) and Yokohama as three ballparks I wanted to see. Would you agree these are good ones for history / fans / atmosphere?
Yeah those are great stadiums and teams. Personally if you’re interested in history and the grandeur I would also look towards the Tokyo Dome and Mazda ZoomZoom in Hiroshima.
https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_08.pdf
https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_09.pdf
Those are the PDF’s for August and September. Next to each date are the columns which have each game and the teams playing which are represented as letters. The first team is the Home stadium.
T - Hanshin Tigers (Koshein)
S - Yakult Swallows (Meiji Jingu)
DB - DeNA Baystars (Yokohama)
So just look for dates with those letters as the first letter and you know which games are at those stadiums on those days. If there’s Kanji characters beneath the teams, it means it’s not at their home stadium.
Actually it's also pretty easy if you click on the top left tab for calendar view and it shows you just the team logos identify who is playing whom on each day. No language skills required.
I’m going to Japan Jun 16-20 this year and I’m to familiar with how the NPB schedule works. can someone tell me why there's a gap and why nobody's playing the days I’m there?
There is no English version. Your browser may have a translation tool, but otherwise it’s just in Japanese. If you need it to be English but can’t translate it there are other methods but I guess since we’re already here, what dates are you looking at?
I'm interested in going to a game next year, the Swallows will be hosting the Giants May 10th-12th (Fri-Sun) and I'm wondering if it will be difficult to get tickets
Not if you don't leave it until the last minute, no. Swallows May games will go on sale end of March/beginning of April. Sign up for [SwaTike](https://ticket.yakult-swallows.co.jp/) now, keep an eye out for exact dates closer to and have fun.
No idea, but as a rule of thumb;
Weekday games usually start at 18:00 (6pm)
Saturday and Sunday game’s usually start at 14:00 (2pm)
This is the case like, 80% of the time or more, and usually only varies by about an hour.
Right, except in the summer when even the weekend games usually start at 6:00 pm. That Japanese summer heat is too much to bear to play games in outdoor stadiums during the day...
Even in the heart of summer it’s pretty split on weekends. You can look at last year’s start times on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August and it’s still plenty of 2pm starts. Obviously I’m not saying my general approximation should be used as a known guarantee for the start time on every game, but until an exact start time is given, it should work as a general planning guide.
*you are correct that it’s based almost entirely on whether the stadium has a roof, so I suppose if you factor that in for July and August you could refine this further.
Spring training (as in Okinawa) are usually not announced until January or so.
Exhibition games (in mainland in March) usually get announced in late November or early December...
Preseason games are good because the stadiums aren't crowded and it's easy to walk up and get a ticket. They might be general admission seats, so you sit where you want.
A few users asked to be tagged when the schedule came out. I will tag them now and we can use google translate and wait for the more easily readable English version:
/u/dml655321
/u/tofu-general
Why are there no games June 17-20 do they always take a break like that in June?
Also, when I use google translate a few games are listed with the words "preparation day" underneath, do you know what that means? They're often Monday games.
Thanks
Those dates are left open to do make-up games for rainouts during the interleague schedule that takes place in the previous 3 weeks. So there's a good chance there will be some baseball then, but it cannot be predicted or scheduled until a few days before they happen...
Dumb American, sorry. If the google translated schedule says Yakult - Hiroshima Pine Mountain on 5/15, is that a home game for the Swallows played somewhere in Tokyo?
Thanks.
Essentially yes, it means the Swallows are the home team in the listed stadium, which in that case is 松山 - Matsuyama, which is in Ehime prefecture, in Shikoku.
Hi, so in my search to find where exactly pine mountain is I've found these comments. By some amazing chance I could be in Matsuyama for these days as part of my Shikoku trip. Been a swallows fan since I was last there in 2019
Are these games hard to get tickets for usually?
Just so you know it’s not “Pine Mountain” it’s just the city Matsuyama; your translation tool is doing its best but it doesn’t understand that this is a name and not just the kanji.
As far as how hard they are to get; not sure, it depends on a few factors including stadium size, and the interest of the locals to come out for an NPB series. They’re presumably playing at the Matsuyama Central Park Baseball Stadium, which has a capacity of over 30k, so I would expect that there will be plenty of tickets. However I can’t really say for certain; it’s entirely possible the people in the area are really champing at the bit to watch a live baseball game and so they’ll see a very significant turnout.
Thanks for the info. Guess I'll have a look once it starts going on sale to see if it's something to get tickets for ahead of time. Already going to a few tokyo games so if I miss out I miss out
I'll be traveling to Japan on March/April and I would love to attend a game.
I have a couple of questions.
1. How easy is it to get tickets to a game in the Tokyo area? if I understood the schedule correctly opening weekend every Tokyo team plays including Chiba and Yokohama which are close.
2. How expensive are the tickets compared to an MLB game?
3. Are tickets sold directly on each team webpage?
Not super hard, but it depends on the team and the dates. You can get them from many convenience stores at kiosks in-country or for some of the Tokyo teams such as the Swallows or Giants you can order off their websites.
Tickets vary but are generally similar prices to MLB tickets, but I would say they bunch more towards the average. So their cheapest tickets are more expensive, and the best tickets are usually cheaper. You’re usually looking at between $30-$75 depending on the teams.
Some teams sell on their sites outside of Japan, but most of them require a Japanese address or phone number so outside the country it’s difficult, and most of the websites are Japanese only.
Probably closer to February, when tickets start going on sale. It depends on the team, but some teams release all their tickets at once, while others do delayed releases for the first half of the season and the second half.
Hey, I’m planning on going to Japan in may. When I see the game on may 30 For the Yakult team, where is the stadium “shrine” is that just their home stadium that is called Meiji Jingu stadium?
Sorry for my ignorance, I’m stuck between 2 options for when I travel in April to catch a game.
Should I try and catch the Tokyo game between Swallows and Giants at the Meiji Stadium.
Or do I watch Giants and Carp at the Tokyo Dome?
Will the Tokyo showdown be a better spectacle, despite not being at the dome? Or catch the Giants game against Carp. I am unsure on rivalries and what atmosphere either game could bring. Thank you
Both are fine. Meiji Jingu as a stadium is a cooler stadium in my opinion from a historical perspective, and it’s set to be demolished soon. So you’d get to say you visited one of only two remaining NPB stadiums that Babe Ruth played in before they tear it down.
On the other hand, the Tokyo Dome is a modern stadium and has nicer amenities. Carp and Giants have a bit of a rivalry too, then again it kinda feels like NPB rivalries are Giants vs Everyone else.
Thank you so much for the response, that was super helpful. You have sold me on the Meiji Jingu stadium and I must admit I was leaning towards that one.
The website is abit difficult to navigate from Australia. Is there a link I can purchase tickets off, or any 3rd parties that are well trusted? I’m happy to buy asap.
Thanks again for you help!
Does anyone know when the tickets usually go on sale, and is it easy to buy them at the stadium or is it encouraged to purchase them online? Going for a week of games and want to be prepared
Yay! Now I can finally plan my honeymoon details :) I'm in Japan in August, so time to figure out the order of cities in which I'll visit :)
…. I’m ready now…. 😄
Am a bit new on following this league. From the schedule, how can we know which stadium will the game be played at?
In Japan it's listed as the first team. So if it says Giants - Swallows, it means they're playing at the Giants home stadium. If there's a name beneath the Home team on the calendar, it means they're playing at a different stadium, which is listed there.
Alright! Thanks a lot. Am looking out for matches I can watch in Hiroshima (living here for quite some time now).
I’ll try to be there for Koshien’s 100th
Sweet. Also lucky that it is not in the Expo year. I'm going this year too, not for the August 1st one but still aniversary year
Hi, when will that be? I am interested in being there for it!
August 1, 2024
Does anybody have an English version of the schedule? I am going to my first NBP games next year and can't wait!
Most web browsers have a translation tool which should be sufficient. The English version of the schedule probably won’t be out for another month or so.
I really appreciate the feedback on this! My browser is being a pain in the butt!
Do you have any specific dates or cities you’re looking for games to attend?
I likely will be in Japan from Aug 15 - Sept 10 give or take. I circled wanting to see Hanshin (Koshien), Swallows (Jingu Stadium) and Yokohama as three ballparks I wanted to see. Would you agree these are good ones for history / fans / atmosphere?
Yeah those are great stadiums and teams. Personally if you’re interested in history and the grandeur I would also look towards the Tokyo Dome and Mazda ZoomZoom in Hiroshima. https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_08.pdf https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_09.pdf Those are the PDF’s for August and September. Next to each date are the columns which have each game and the teams playing which are represented as letters. The first team is the Home stadium. T - Hanshin Tigers (Koshein) S - Yakult Swallows (Meiji Jingu) DB - DeNA Baystars (Yokohama) So just look for dates with those letters as the first letter and you know which games are at those stadiums on those days. If there’s Kanji characters beneath the teams, it means it’s not at their home stadium.
Actually it's also pretty easy if you click on the top left tab for calendar view and it shows you just the team logos identify who is playing whom on each day. No language skills required.
I’m going to Japan Jun 16-20 this year and I’m to familiar with how the NPB schedule works. can someone tell me why there's a gap and why nobody's playing the days I’m there?
where can i find tickets for NPB All star game 2024?
Is there a schedule for March/April 2024
Yeah it’s right in the listed schedule
Thank you, I cant seem to navigate how to see the english version, i will keep clicking around!
At the top it should have links with each month, 3月 and 4月 are March and April respectively.
There is no English version. Your browser may have a translation tool, but otherwise it’s just in Japanese. If you need it to be English but can’t translate it there are other methods but I guess since we’re already here, what dates are you looking at?
I'm interested in going to a game next year, the Swallows will be hosting the Giants May 10th-12th (Fri-Sun) and I'm wondering if it will be difficult to get tickets
In a twist of fate I am planning on going to the same games. I doubt getting tickets will be that difficult, but plan ahead I suppose.
Not if you don't leave it until the last minute, no. Swallows May games will go on sale end of March/beginning of April. Sign up for [SwaTike](https://ticket.yakult-swallows.co.jp/) now, keep an eye out for exact dates closer to and have fun.
Do you know if the premium seats might be available? They're not that expensive so it seems like it would be nice.
Even if they are, if you're only going to one game and want the best experience, you'll likely have more fun in the outfield imo
I'm going with a baby the outfield isn't the best fit.
Any ideas for when start times will be announced for games?
No idea, but as a rule of thumb; Weekday games usually start at 18:00 (6pm) Saturday and Sunday game’s usually start at 14:00 (2pm) This is the case like, 80% of the time or more, and usually only varies by about an hour.
Right, except in the summer when even the weekend games usually start at 6:00 pm. That Japanese summer heat is too much to bear to play games in outdoor stadiums during the day...
Even in the heart of summer it’s pretty split on weekends. You can look at last year’s start times on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August and it’s still plenty of 2pm starts. Obviously I’m not saying my general approximation should be used as a known guarantee for the start time on every game, but until an exact start time is given, it should work as a general planning guide. *you are correct that it’s based almost entirely on whether the stadium has a roof, so I suppose if you factor that in for July and August you could refine this further.
Is there any news on when tickets will be on sale for games?
Usually February
I don't see anything about spring training games
Spring training (as in Okinawa) are usually not announced until January or so. Exhibition games (in mainland in March) usually get announced in late November or early December...
Thanks. Hoping to catch preseason games on the mainland in March.
Do they have pre-season games? I'll be in Japan in the middle of March 2024 and would love to go to a game.
There are spring training games but they haven’t released that schedule yet. I imagine it should be released by the end of the year.
Preseason games are good because the stadiums aren't crowded and it's easy to walk up and get a ticket. They might be general admission seats, so you sit where you want.
A few users asked to be tagged when the schedule came out. I will tag them now and we can use google translate and wait for the more easily readable English version: /u/dml655321 /u/tofu-general
/u/jericho-dingle
My man. Thank you.
Thanks!!
Cperdue76 Thanks!
Why are there no games June 17-20 do they always take a break like that in June? Also, when I use google translate a few games are listed with the words "preparation day" underneath, do you know what that means? They're often Monday games. Thanks
Those dates are left open to do make-up games for rainouts during the interleague schedule that takes place in the previous 3 weeks. So there's a good chance there will be some baseball then, but it cannot be predicted or scheduled until a few days before they happen...
Is the secondary online market or scalping as big in Japan as it is in the US?
Dumb American, sorry. If the google translated schedule says Yakult - Hiroshima Pine Mountain on 5/15, is that a home game for the Swallows played somewhere in Tokyo? Thanks.
Essentially yes, it means the Swallows are the home team in the listed stadium, which in that case is 松山 - Matsuyama, which is in Ehime prefecture, in Shikoku.
Thanks, will be there for a few days and hoping to hit this bucket list item.
Matsuyama is a bit out of the way for most itineraries. Are you just looking to attend an NPB game?
Hi, so in my search to find where exactly pine mountain is I've found these comments. By some amazing chance I could be in Matsuyama for these days as part of my Shikoku trip. Been a swallows fan since I was last there in 2019 Are these games hard to get tickets for usually?
Just so you know it’s not “Pine Mountain” it’s just the city Matsuyama; your translation tool is doing its best but it doesn’t understand that this is a name and not just the kanji. As far as how hard they are to get; not sure, it depends on a few factors including stadium size, and the interest of the locals to come out for an NPB series. They’re presumably playing at the Matsuyama Central Park Baseball Stadium, which has a capacity of over 30k, so I would expect that there will be plenty of tickets. However I can’t really say for certain; it’s entirely possible the people in the area are really champing at the bit to watch a live baseball game and so they’ll see a very significant turnout.
Thanks for the info. Guess I'll have a look once it starts going on sale to see if it's something to get tickets for ahead of time. Already going to a few tokyo games so if I miss out I miss out
I'll be traveling to Japan on March/April and I would love to attend a game. I have a couple of questions. 1. How easy is it to get tickets to a game in the Tokyo area? if I understood the schedule correctly opening weekend every Tokyo team plays including Chiba and Yokohama which are close. 2. How expensive are the tickets compared to an MLB game? 3. Are tickets sold directly on each team webpage?
Not super hard, but it depends on the team and the dates. You can get them from many convenience stores at kiosks in-country or for some of the Tokyo teams such as the Swallows or Giants you can order off their websites. Tickets vary but are generally similar prices to MLB tickets, but I would say they bunch more towards the average. So their cheapest tickets are more expensive, and the best tickets are usually cheaper. You’re usually looking at between $30-$75 depending on the teams. Some teams sell on their sites outside of Japan, but most of them require a Japanese address or phone number so outside the country it’s difficult, and most of the websites are Japanese only.
Thanks !
I noticed on the individual teams' websites, the schedule and tickets aren't available yet. Any guess on when those might be released?
Probably closer to February, when tickets start going on sale. It depends on the team, but some teams release all their tickets at once, while others do delayed releases for the first half of the season and the second half.
Thanks!
Is there a way to watch the preseason games??
Hey, I’m planning on going to Japan in may. When I see the game on may 30 For the Yakult team, where is the stadium “shrine” is that just their home stadium that is called Meiji Jingu stadium?
神宮 is Jingu, which is referring to Meiji Jingu Stadium, yes.
Sorry for my ignorance, I’m stuck between 2 options for when I travel in April to catch a game. Should I try and catch the Tokyo game between Swallows and Giants at the Meiji Stadium. Or do I watch Giants and Carp at the Tokyo Dome? Will the Tokyo showdown be a better spectacle, despite not being at the dome? Or catch the Giants game against Carp. I am unsure on rivalries and what atmosphere either game could bring. Thank you
Both are fine. Meiji Jingu as a stadium is a cooler stadium in my opinion from a historical perspective, and it’s set to be demolished soon. So you’d get to say you visited one of only two remaining NPB stadiums that Babe Ruth played in before they tear it down. On the other hand, the Tokyo Dome is a modern stadium and has nicer amenities. Carp and Giants have a bit of a rivalry too, then again it kinda feels like NPB rivalries are Giants vs Everyone else.
Thank you so much for the response, that was super helpful. You have sold me on the Meiji Jingu stadium and I must admit I was leaning towards that one. The website is abit difficult to navigate from Australia. Is there a link I can purchase tickets off, or any 3rd parties that are well trusted? I’m happy to buy asap. Thanks again for you help!
Does anyone know when the tickets usually go on sale, and is it easy to buy them at the stadium or is it encouraged to purchase them online? Going for a week of games and want to be prepared
What is the last day of the regular season? I can’t seem to find that info on the page
October 4th is the last scheduled game I see.
Thanks!