"Avoid Traveling to Dotonbori This Week"... Osaka in Frenzy Over Hanshin Tigers' First Championship in 18 Years

Rampage Across Osaka Area... 1,300 Police Deployed
Korean Consulate Urges to Avoid Visiting Dotonbori

The Hanshin Tigers, a professional baseball team representing the Kansai region of Japan, secured the league championship for the first time in 18 years, sending the Osaka area into a frenzy. Some excited fans even jumped into the Dotonbori River in Osaka.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported on the 15th, "On the night of the 14th, 26 Hanshin Tigers fans threw themselves into the Dotonbori River in Osaka."

On that day, the Hanshin Tigers won their home game against the Yomiuri Giants 4-3, clinching the Central League title for the first time in 18 years. From before the game, fans flocked to the Dotonbori River, a landmark of the Kansai region, and some, unable to contain their excitement, sang cheering songs and jumped into the river.

Hanshin Tigers win the Central League championship for the first time in 18 years [Image source=Captured from Hanshin Tigers official SNS]

Osaka police deployed 1,300 personnel that day to prevent drowning and crushing accidents. NHK reported, "The police erected fences along the Dotonbori River, but they could not stop some fans from diving in," adding that no injuries were reported.

Last year, the Hanshin Tigers had an average attendance of 36,370 per game, ranking first among Japanese teams. This also places them sixth among professional baseball teams worldwide. However, despite their popularity, their performance has been lackluster, with only five championships since the establishment of the Central and Pacific Leagues in 1950 (1962, 1964, 1985, 2003, and 2005).

Meanwhile, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Osaka urged caution on its website on the 11th, asking visitors to refrain from visiting Dotonbori, a popular tourist spot in Osaka.

Tourist attraction Dotonbori River in Osaka, Japan

The Consulate General stated, "The Hanshin Tigers baseball team, popular in the Kansai region, is expected to win the league, and a large crowd is anticipated in the Dotonbori area during the evenings of this week (12th to 17th)."

They added, "The Japanese police authorities have warned that on the day of the team's victory, the crowd may surge, raising concerns about various safety and crowd-related accidents."

In the past, when Hanshin won the league in 2003, about 5,300 people jumped into the Dotonbori River, resulting in one fatality.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.