Japan Series

About this event

The Japan Series is the championship of Nippon Professional Baseball, played as a best-of-seven between the winners of the Central League and Pacific League postseason. It has been contested since 1950, when Japanese professional baseball split into its two-league structure, and the Yomiuri Giants hold the record with twenty-two titles including nine consecutive championships from 1965 to 1973. Games alternate between the two finalists' home ballparks, so the venues are set only once both leagues have completed their Climax Series play-offs. Japanese baseball differs noticeably from the American game in atmosphere: each club has an organised supporters' section with brass instruments, team-specific songs for every batter, and coordinated cheering that continues throughout its side's turn at bat, while the opposing section stays quiet. Bento boxes and beer poured by vendors carrying kegs on their backs are part of the experience. The 2026 series window runs from 24 October to 1 November.