Intro to NPB: Nippon Professional Baseball – ZenMarket.jp

Baseball has been in Japan since the 1800s, when it was introduced by American teachers like Horace Wilson of Kaisei Academy. The sport quickly gained popularity, and in 1878, the Shimbashi Athletic Club was formed, Japan’s first formal baseball club.

Another highlight of this early period was the 1896 match between Ichikō High School of Tokyo and the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club. The Ichikō High students won the match, which received a lot of press coverage.

(Image above; First Junior Highschool baseball club)

In the following years, baseball became even more popular in Japan, and it was adopted by universities and high schools. One of the most famous rivalries in Japanese baseball is the one between Keio University and Waseda University, which began in 1903 and continues to this day.

In 1934, media mogul Matsutarō Shōriki founded the Dai Nippon Tokyo Yakyu Kurabu, a professional baseball team that would later become the Yomiuri Giants. The team faced off against popular American baseball players like Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth, and even traveled to the United States, where they won 93 out of 102 games against semi-professional and minor league teams.

To appeal to the American audience, the team rebranded to Tokyo Kyojin, which means “Tokyo Giants.“ They also adopted the New York Giants’ uniforms which is now, San Francisco Giants.

 (Image above; San Francisco Giant’s Jersey in comparison to Yomiuri Giants’ jersey)

Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) is the highest level of baseball in Japan. It consists of 12 teams, divided into two leagues: the Central League and the Pacific League. The regular season runs from late March to October, and each team plays 143 games. The top three teams from each league advance to the Climax Series, a two-stage playoff.

(Image above; sea of people wearing yellow in support of hanshin tigers)

In the First Stage, the second- and third-place teams in each league play a best-of-three series. The winners advance to the Final Stage, where they face the first-place teams in each league in a best-of-five series. The two winners of the Final Stage then face each other in the Nippon Series, a best-of-seven series that determines the champion of NPB.

 Here are some key things to know about the NPB format:

• The regular season is shorter than in Major League Baseball (MLB), which has 162 games.
• The Climax Series is a unique playoff format that allows more teams to compete for the championship.
• The Nippon Series is a best-of-seven series, but games can end in a tie.
• The winner of the Nippon Series receives the Nippon Series Championship Flag.

Japanese and American baseball teams have a lot in common. They often have similar uniforms, are named after animals or mythical creatures, and are based in cities all over their home countries.

They also have similar rivalries. Just like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers have been competing for decades.

(img above; Jingu Stadium)

• Established in 1950
• Home Base: Jingu Stadium
• Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo
• Central League Champions: 9 
• Nippon Champions: 6

(Image above; Yokohama stadium)

• Established in 1949
• Home Base: Yokohama Stadium
• Central League Champions: 2 
• Nippon Champions: 2

(Image above; Tokyo dome)

• Established in 1934
• Home Base: Tokyo Dome
• Based in Bunkyo, Tokyo
• JBL Champions: 9
• Central League Champions: 38 
• Nippon Champions: 22
• Often dubbed as the New York Yankees of Japan with how many titles they have

(Image above; Koushien stadium)

• Established in 1935
• Home Base: Hanshin Koshien Stadium
• Based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture
• JBL Champions: 4
• Central League Champions: 5 
• Nippon Champions: 1
• Often compared to the Boston Red Sox, the rivals of the New York Yankees 

(Image above; MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium)

• Established in 1949
• Home Base: MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima
• Based in Hiroshima
• Central League Champions: 9 
• Nippon Champions: 3

(Image above; Vantelin Dome)

• Established in 1936
• Home Base: Vantelin Dome Nagoya
• Central League Champions: 9 
• Nippon Champions: 2
• Similar Jersey to the Los Angeles Dodgers

(Image above;Kyocera Dome)

• Established in 1936
• Home Base: Kyocera Dome Osaka
• Central League Champions: 14 
• Nippon Champions: 5
• The former team of Japanese baseball legend Ichiro Suzuki

(Image above;Fukuoka stadium)

• Established in 1938
• Home Base: Fukuoka Stadium
• JBL Champions: 2

• Central League Champions: 19 
• Nippon Champions: 11

 (Image above;Belluna dome)

• Established in 1959
• Home Base: Belluna Dome
• Central League Champions: 23 
• Nippon Champions: 13

(Image above;Rakuen mobile park miyagi)

• Established in 2004
• Home Base: Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi
• Based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
• Central League Champions: 1
• Nippon Champions: 1

(Image above;ZOZO marine stadium)

• Established in 1949
• Home Base: ZOZO Marine Stadium
• Central League Champions: 5
• Nippon Champions: 4

 (Image above;ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO)

• Established in 1945
• Home Base: ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
• Based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō
• Central League Champions: 7
• Nippon Champions: 3
• Former team of current MLB player Shohei Ohtani

The 2023 NPB regular season is currently underway, and the Hanshin Tigers have won the Central League with a record of 80-44. They are followed by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (69-59) and the Yokohama DeNA BAYSTARS (65-61). The Tigers are one of the most popular teams in NPB, and they have a long and storied history. They have won the Central League championship 11 times and the Nippon Series 6 times.

The Tigers’ biggest rival is the Yomiuri Giants, who are currently in fourth place with a record of 63-64. The Giants are the most successful team in NPB history, having won the Central League championship 38 times and the Nippon Series 22 times.The Giants and Tigers have a fierce rivalry that is known as the “Tokyo Giants War.” The two teams have met in the Nippon Series 14 times, with the Giants winning 10 times.

(Image above;Kinami, Hanshin Batter, getting the winning hit during an extended match)

 The Yokohama DeNA BAYSTARS are also in contention for a playoff spot, and they recently acquired famous MLB player Trevor Bauer. Bauer is a two-time Cy Young Award winner, and he is expected to be a major boost for the BAYSTARS.

 In the Pacific League, the Orix Buffaloes are in first place with a record of 68-40. They are followed by the Chiba Lotte Marines (75-46). The Buffaloes are the defending champions, and they are the favorites to win the Pacific League championship again this year. The Buffaloes was the previous team of Japanese legend Ichiro Suzuki, who had a successful career in MLB. 
The 2023 NPB playoffs are scheduled to begin in October. The top three teams from each league will qualify for the playoffs. The winner of the Nippon Series will be crowned the champion of NPB.