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Japan has a way of enjoying sports that goes far beyond simply watching.

Step inside a stadium and you’ll hear fans singing in unison, see the stands awash in team colors, and feel the roar of the crowd all around you. Before long, you find yourself caught up in the excitement alongside complete strangers. You don’t even need to know all the rules to share in the thrill.

Across Hyogo, a train ride of just 30 minutes to an hour opens up a remarkable variety of Japanese fan culture. Get swept up in the baseball at Koshien, cheer on soccer and basketball teams in Kobe, or venture beyond the prefectural border for sumo in Osaka and motorsports at Suzuka. The sports may be different, but the same feeling unites them: the simple desire to cheer someone on.

Watching a game at Hanshin Koshien Stadium. At the top of the seventh inning, yellow jet balloons are released into the air from the stands all at once.

The journey begins at Kobe Airport. Take the Port Liner to Sannomiya with views of the sea along the way, then ride the Hanshin Electric Railway for about 50 minutes to Koshien, the spiritual home of Japanese baseball.

Opened in 1924, Hanshin Koshien Stadium is home to the Hanshin Tigers and the stage that high school baseball players across Japan dream of reaching. But there is more to experience here than the game itself. Trumpets sound to the lead of the cheering squads, every player has their own song, and fans beat megaphones in rhythm. Tens of thousands of voices join together until the entire stadium seems to pulse as one. At Koshien, the crowd is part of the game.

The brick-style exterior of Hanshin Koshien Stadium. Even after extensive renovations, its replanted ivy carries on the stadium’s tradition.

An exhibition of uniforms and equipment used by legendary players over the years.

Right: A glove used by Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani during his high school years. Before becoming a global star, Ohtani too was once a high school player dreaming of reaching Koshien.

At the Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium, next to the stadium, visitors can trace the history of high school baseball, the Hanshin Tigers, and the stadium itself through a wealth of rare exhibits. Stories of legendary games and players reveal why Koshien is more than just a baseball stadium—it holds a special place in the hearts of people across Japan.

Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium
Address: Koshien Plus 2F, 8-15 Koshien-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo
Tel.: 0798-49-4509
Hours: 10:00–18:00
November–February: 10:00–17:00
Last admission 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (except game days and national holidays), year-end and New Year holidays
URL: https://koshien-rekishikan.hanshin.co.jp/global/en/ 

From fan gear and uniforms to the atmosphere in the stands, Vissel Kobe’s team color, Crimson Red, fills the stadium. ©VISSEL KOBE

Vissel Kobe is a soccer club that has grown alongside its city. When the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck in 1995, the port city of Kobe suffered devastating damage. In the years that followed, the club strengthened its ties with the community through recovery efforts and activities with local children, using the power of sport to bring smiles and hope back to the city.

That commitment to Kobe’s recovery lives on in the club today. On match days, the cheers that fill the stadium mean more than simply supporting a team. They carry pride in the city, a sense of connection with those around you, and the energy to keep moving forward.

Noevir Stadium Kobe ©VISSEL KOBE

©VISSEL KOBE

©VISSEL KOBE

　After a Vissel Kobe victory, players and supporters link arms and sing the “Hymn of Kobe” together. ©VISSEL KOBE

Vissel Kobe’s home ground, Noevir Stadium Kobe, was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. With a retractable roof and stands close to the pitch, the stadium puts spectators right at the heart of the action and has hosted matches at the highest level.

Today, the stadium comes alive with the energy of Vissel Kobe supporters. One of its most powerful traditions is the “Hymn of Kobe,” a supporters’ song born from hopes for the city’s recovery after the earthquake. As supporters link arms in the stands and sing together, their voices express not only their devotion to the club, but also their pride in Kobe itself.

A pitchside seat for the “1day Hospitality Ticket,” positioned as close to the touchline as possible for an immersive view of the action. ©VISSEL KOBE

For an even more special way to experience the atmosphere, Vissel Kobe also offers a range of premium match-day programs. Options such as the “1day Hospitality Ticket Platinum” offer experiences not normally available to spectators, including opportunities to interact with players. Combining the shared energy of the supporters with an elevated match-day experience is another part of Vissel Kobe’s appeal.

Noevir Stadium Kobe (Vissel Kobe Home Stadium)
 Address: 1-2-2 Misaki-cho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
 Tel.: 078-652-5656
 URL: https://www.noevir-stadium.jp/

Vissel Kobe

 URL: https://www.vissel-kobe.co.jp/

A capacity crowd fills Kobe World Hall for the annual KOBE Pro-Wrestling Festival.

DRAGONGATE is a professional wrestling promotion founded in Kobe in 1999. Known for its fast-paced aerial action and dramatic storylines, it has built a strong following both in Japan and overseas. Cheers, applause, and sometimes even boos—every reaction from the crowd changes the atmosphere of the match, as the ring and the stands come together in a shared wave of excitement. Pro wrestling is not just something to watch: throwing yourself into the action and helping create that excitement is part of the fun. DRAGONGATE holds regular events at Kobe Sanbo Hall, while the annual KOBE Pro-Wrestling Festival, its biggest event of the year, fills Kobe World Hall with an electric atmosphere.

Ryoya Tanaka, the 55th Open the Brave Gate Champion. The chance to see wrestlers—and sometimes even a championship belt—up close is part of the appeal.

The appeal of DRAGONGATE extends well beyond the ring. Between matches, wrestlers sometimes make their way close to the stands, even giving fans an up-close look at their championship belts. That closeness between wrestlers and fans can make for an unforgettable memory.

DRAGONGATE
 URL: https://www.gaora.co.jp/dragongate/
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DragonGateEN/ (EN)
 X: https://x.com/DragonGateEN (EN)
 Ticket purchases from overseas: ticket_international@dg-pro.jp

A centerpiece of Kobe’s waterfront redevelopment. On event days, direct shuttle buses run from Sannomiya Station.

Opened on the Kobe waterfront in April 2025, GLION ARENA KOBE is Japan’s first next-generation arena surrounded by the sea on 270 degrees, with a capacity of around 10,000. The surrounding area is known as TOTTEI. The arena is home to the Kobe Storks, Hyogo Prefecture’s only professional basketball club. The team takes its name from the Oriental stork, the prefectural bird of Hyogo. From the 2026–27 season, the Storks are also set to join B.League Premier, the top tier of professional basketball in Japan.

The arena glows green, the Kobe Storks’ team color.

Fans hold up towels bearing the names of their favorite players. Individual displays of support come together across stands awash in green.

The calls that erupt as the players enter, the clapping and cheers that keep pace with the fast-moving action—Japanese professional basketball has grown increasingly popular in recent years, and the entertainment extends well beyond the game itself. Cheerleader and mascot performances, along with music and lighting effects, are all part of the experience. The crowd adds to the energy of the game, and before long the whole arena feels like one exhilarating show.

TOTTEI INDIES STORE, the Kobe Storks and TOTTEI collaborative flagship store. The lineup includes uniforms, towels, mascot plush toys, megaphones, and penlights.

Next to GLION ARENA KOBE, TOTTEI INDIES STORE is worth a stop before the game. Pick up a uniform, towel, or other fan gear and enjoy the game as part of the “Storks Family.” Cheering alongside local fans in an arena filled with green is an experience unique to a trip like this.

Kobe Storks (Home Arena: GLION ARENA KOBE)
 Address: 2-1 Shinko-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0041
 Tel.: 0570-030-120
 Game schedule and ticket information: https://www.storks.jp/ticket/26-27season_glion_info

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  Before the Game, Take a Relaxing Detour for a Footbath and Freshly Baked Bread.

The footbath café inside the building. Take a break with your feet in hot spring water from sister property Kobe Minato Onsen Ren.

Overlooking the Kobe Bay Area, the La Suite Le Pan Building is about a two-minute walk from GLION ARENA KOBE, home of the Kobe Storks. On the first floor, the Le Pan Main Store bakery is joined by a café with a footbath, where you can relax before or after the game with freshly baked bread and sweets.

With both a bakery and a pastry kitchen on site, bakers and pastry chefs carefully make each item by hand every day.

Enjoy bread, sweets, and drinks from the store while relaxing with your feet in the warm water.

After Kobe Port opened in 1868 and a foreign settlement was established in the city, Western food culture, including bread and confectionery, quickly took root. Le Pan carries on this culinary heritage of the port city. Its refined, hotel-made creations combine local ingredients such as flour and eggs from Hyogo Prefecture with carefully selected ingredients from around the world. Taking time to experience the food culture that has been passed down through generations in Kobe adds another dimension to a stay in the city.

LE PAN (Le Pan Main Store)
 Address: 1-12 Shinko-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0041
 Tel.: 078-391-7777
 Hours: 8:00–20:00
 Closed: Open daily
 URL: https://www.l-s.jp/lepan/lasuitelepan/lepan/

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Raise a Glass and Relive the Excitement of the Game

Terrace seating overlooking Kobe Port. Discover something new with each season, including original wines made with Kobe-grown Chardonnay.

Within walking distance of GLION ARENA KOBE on the Kobe waterfront is f winery, an urban winery that makes wine from grapes sourced across Japan and around the world, bringing out the individual character of each variety. Every stage of the process, from winemaking to bottling, is carefully done by hand. With the excitement of the game still lingering, there is something distinctly Kobe about sitting on the terrace overlooking the harbor, sharing your favorite moments from the day over a glass of wine.

Seven fermentation tanks can be seen through the glass behind the counter. Up to around 20,000 bottles of wine are produced here each year.

At the café adjoining the winery, visitors can casually enjoy wine paired with light bites. The food menu changes with the seasons, and wine cocktails are another popular choice. Sipping a glass while watching the winemaking process through the glass offers a different experience from visiting a traditional wine-producing region. If you find a favorite, you can buy a bottle on the spot to take home as a memento of Kobe.

The wide-ranging selection runs from Chardonnay made with Kobe-grown grapes to orange wine made with Delaware grapes from Osaka. A tasting set of three wines is 1,280 yen.

f winery
 Address: Stage Felissimo 1F, 7-1 Shinko-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
 Hours: Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays, noon–21:00
 Closed: Monday–Friday
 The winery may occasionally open outside its regular hours. Please check the official website or social media for the latest information.
 URL: https://www.felissimo.co.jp/fwinery/

 Instagram：
 https://www.instagram.com/felissimo_fwinery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

©HIRAKUZA
 The action unfolds with tremendous impact. The sound of the wrestlers colliding and the referee’s calls add to the intensity.

From here, we venture a little farther beyond Hyogo to explore another side of Japan’s spectator culture.

About 40 minutes from Kobe-Sannomiya on the Hanshin Electric Railway Rapid Express, with no transfers required, Namba in Osaka offers the chance to experience sumo—often described as Japan’s national sport—up close.

At the sumo entertainment venue THE SUMO HALL HIRAKUZA OSAKA, spectators can join in with cheers and calls as powerful performances unfold amid dramatic sound, lighting, and visual effects. It offers an accessible way to experience sumo, one of Japan’s best-known traditional cultural forms, with a history stretching back more than 1,500 years.

©HIRAKUZA
Seats extend right up to the edge of the ring in HIRAKUZA’s distinctive seating arrangement.

©HIRAKUZA
A scene from the interactive program, where a spectator dons a sumo suit and takes on a wrestler.

©HIRAKUZA
Standard seats (from 12,500 yen) include a HIRAKUZA Bento with a drink. Vegan and halal options are also available. 

Those selected by lottery from among willing participants can even step into the ring themselves and take part in an interactive program where they face off against a sumo wrestler. Another option lets spectators enjoy the show over a traditional Japanese makunouchi bento. With the audience joining in the excitement, this participatory form of sumo entertainment can be enjoyed across language and cultural barriers.

THE SUMO HALL HIRAKUZA OSAKA
 Address: Namba Parks 8F, 2-10-70 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka
 Performances: Advance reservations required. Opening and performance times vary by performance date.
 Closed: Irregular
 URL: https://hirakuza.net/osaka/

If you have a little extra room in your itinerary, consider venturing as far as Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture. The roar of the machines mingles with the cheers of the crowd, creating an excitement unique to motorsports. It is a circuit that draws fans from around the world.

2026 SUPER FORMULA. Japan’s premier formula racing machines speed around Suzuka Circuit.

2026 SUPER FORMULA. Fans get an up-close look at the machines lined up on the grid.

Suzuka Circuit is a historic track known to motorsports fans around the world. It hosts SUPER FORMULA, Japan’s premier formula racing series, while summer brings the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race, a round of the FIM Endurance World Championship, drawing leading drivers and riders from around the globe. With the roar of engines and cheers from the crowd echoing around the circuit, the atmosphere offers a firsthand taste of what keeps fans around the world coming back to Japanese motorsports.

Suzuka 8 Hours 2026. Just after the start, the riders charge into the corner together.

Suzuka 8 Hours 2026. Penlights illuminate the stands after dark.

Suzuka Circuit 
Address: 7992 Ino-cho, Suzuka, Mie 510-0295
 Tel.: 059-378-1111 (main number)
 URL: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/en/ (EN)

Baseball, soccer, professional wrestling, basketball, sumo, and motorsports. With Hyogo as your starting point, set out on a journey through Japan’s distinctive fan culture. Beyond the excitement of the sports themselves, one of the great pleasures of the journey is joining the crowd, raising your voice, and sharing the moment together.