The Tigers’ victory sale, commemorative buns, wrapped trains and buses… Kansai’s “Tigers Japan No.1 Festival” is too amazing!
The Hanshin Tigers won the Japanese championship on November 5, and the economy of the Kansai region is booming. On November 6, the day after the victory, the Hanshin Department Store’s Umeda branch opened a Japan’s No. 1 sale, and approximately 2,000 people lined up in front of the store before it opened. A large “Thank you for your support” message was posted outside the Umeda store, and passersby took pictures.
Kamishin Electric, an official sponsor of the Hanshin Tigers and an electronics retailer headquartered in Naniwa Ward, Osaka City, also launched its Japan’s No. 1 Sale and has been crowded with people every day. They were distributing novelties such as Hanshin Tigers stickers to purchasers of their products.
Hanshin Electric Railway posted advertisements in the station. In addition, trains and buses were specially wrapped in Hanshin Tigers colors. When we talked to a train enthusiast who came from the Kanto region to take pictures of the trains, he said, “This is impossible in the Kanto region.
He said, “This kind of thing is impossible in Kanto. It is amazing that they can do this to trains and buses only for the Hanshin Tigers, which is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway Co.
He told us. When we also talked to station staff, they said, “In addition to railroad enthusiasts, there are many general visitors.
We have more station staff on the platform at all times to prevent accidents because many people, not only railroad enthusiasts but also the general public, come to take pictures.
He said, “We have more station staff on the platform at all times to prevent accidents. The Hanshin Koshien Station, the sacred ground of the Hanshin Tigers, also has a special station sign with the logo of Japan’s No. 1 baseball team.
Many grocery stores, bento box stores, and snack shops in Kobe and Osaka are offering their own special sales in honor of the Tigers’ Japan championship. Bread and cakes are half price or less, meat is half price, and so on, with no regard to profitability because the owner is a Hanshin fan.
And what’s more, the company that makes the “Kohaku Manju” (red and white buns) is Bikkichi-do Honpo, a Japanese confectionery established in 1930 in Nada Ward, Kobe City. It was selling them to commemorate the first in Japan. Originally, tiger buns were sold in connection with the year of the tiger, but this time they were sold as “Kohaku Manju” (red tiger bun) instead of “Kohaku Manju” (red and white) because they were the best in Japan. Many people bought it, but there were also some unique large purchasers.
Some of them ordered in large quantities, saying, “I want to distribute it to my neighbors.
In fact, this man, who has saved up enough money to win the Hanshin championship, is a member of the Hanshin family. In fact, this person has been saving up for the Hanshin championship, and when the championship is decided, he orders a large quantity like this and serves them to his neighbors.
The topic of conversation on X (formerly Twitter) has been the response to these buns.
The city of Kansai is overflowing with tremendous Hanshin love. The economic effect is said to be 130 billion yen at present, and the influence is so great that some people in the town say , “Even without Mr. Kishida’s economic measures or the Expo, the Kansai economy would be enriched if Hanshin won Japan’s No. 1 championship every year.
Photography and text: Takuma Arimura