The Hanshin Tigers, the second-oldest professional club in Japan, were founded on December 10, 1935, with the team being formed in 1936.

In 1940, amid anti-foreign sentiment and the Tojo government's ban on English nicknames, the Tigers changed the name to simply Hanshin.

When the 2004 Major League Baseball season began in Japan, the Tigers played an exhibition game against the New York Yankees at the Tokyo Dome on March 29.

[2] In 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009, more than three million people attended games hosted by the Tigers, the only one of the 12 Nippon Professional Baseball teams to achieve this.

[3] The home field, Koshien Stadium, is used by high school baseball teams from all over Japan for the national championship tournaments in spring and summer.

Famous players in Hanshin Tigers history include Fumio Fujimura, Masaru Kageura, Minoru Murayama, Yutaka Enatsu, Masayuki Kakefu, Randy Bass, Taira Fujita, and many others.

There are numerous smaller grass field ballparks around the country; Japanese baseball teams frequently play games in small cities.

Koshien is revered as a "sacred" ballpark, and players traditionally bow before entering and before leaving its hallowed field.

The losing team in any high school baseball game played at the ballpark is allowed to scoop up handfuls of Koshien infield dirt, stuffing holy soil into their cleat bags as hordes of Japanese media snap photos at arm's length.

In 2005, like 2003, they clinched the pennant and made it back to the Japan Series, but lost to Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines.

Since then, the Hanshin Tigers made the 2014 Japan Series, but lost to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 5 games.

The curse was finally broken, after the Hanshin Tigers managed to defeat the rival Orix Buffaloes in the 2023 Japan Series four games to three.

The (Downward) Wind of Mount Rokko)", lyrics by Sonosuke Sato (佐藤 惣之助) and composed by Yuji Koseki (古関 裕而), is a popular song in the Kansai area.

In Japan, wind which blows down from a mountain is known to be cold and harsh, hence the song symbolizes the Tiger's brave challenge under hardship.

六甲颪に颯爽と 蒼天翔ける日輪の 青春の覇気 美しく 輝く我が名ぞ 阪神タイガース オウ オウ オウオウ 阪神タイガース フレフレフレフレ闘志溌剌起つや今 熱血 既に敵を衝く 獣王の意気高らかに 無敵の我等ぞ 阪神タイガース オウ オウ オウオウ 阪神タイガース フレフレフレフレ鉄腕強打幾千度び 鍛えてここに 甲子園 勝利に燃ゆる栄冠は 輝く我等ぞ 阪神タイガース オウ オウ オウオウ 阪神タイガース フレフレフレフレRokkō oroshi ni sassō to Sōten kakeru nichirin no Seishun no haki uruwashiku Kagayaku wagana zo Hanshin Tigers Ō-ō-ō-ō Hanshin Tigers Fure-fure-fure-fure Tōshi hatsuratsu tatsu ya ima Nekketsu sude ni teki o tsuku Jūō no iki takaraka ni Muteki no warera zo Hanshin Tigers Ō-ō-ō-ō Hanshin Tigers Fure-fure-fure-fure Tetsuwan kyōda ikuchitabi Kitaete koko ni Kōshien Shōri ni moyuru eikan wa Kagayaku warera zo Hanshin Tigers Ō-ō-ō-ō Hanshin Tigers Fure-fure-fure-fure an official English version, not a direct translation Dashing swiftly through the wind blowin' from Rokko Like the big sun soaring in the clear blue sky Mighty spirit of the youth shows the victor's grace The name that shines in glory "Hanshin Tigers" Oh!

Powerful hits and skillful pitch achieved a thousand times Trained with every discipline here at Koshien Crowned with constant victory glorious, matchless feat Always proud, invincible "Hanshin Tigers" Oh!