On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the Hanshin Tigers announced the cancellation of their scheduled exhibition game against the Kochi Fighting Dogs at Nippon Toto Stadium in Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture. The game had been planned as part of the Tigers’ preseason preparation ahead of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) regular season.
According to the official Kochi Fighting Dogs website, Nippon Toto Stadium — formerly known as Kochi Municipal Baseball Stadium — serves as the home ballpark for the Shikoku Island League Plus team. The venue, located at 158 Oharacho, Kochi City, has hosted professional baseball activities for decades, including spring training camps by NPB clubs such as the Orix Buffaloes and formerly the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
The stadium, which reopened under its current naming rights agreement with Nippon Toto Corporation on October 1, 2024, features a natural grass outfield, clay infield, and lighting towers enabling night games. It has a listed capacity of 6,000 spectators and is managed by the Kochi City Sports Promotion Business Corporation as the designated operator.
While the Hanshin Tigers’ official social media account (@TigersDreamlink) initially posted about the scheduled matchup, no further details regarding the reason for cancellation were provided in the team’s announcement or confirmed through official NPB or Kochi Fighting Dogs channels as of the time of this report. The Tigers have not released an official statement explaining whether the cancellation was due to scheduling conflicts, weather concerns, or other logistical factors.
Nippon Toto Stadium has historically been used for exhibition games between NPB teams and independent league clubs during the preseason period. In past years, the venue hosted Orix Braves (now Buffaloes) spring training sessions and occasional open games against teams like the Hanshin Tigers. However, no verified record confirms a prior exhibition meeting between the Hanshin Tigers and Kochi Fighting Dogs at this location.
The Kochi Fighting Dogs are set to continue their 2026 Shikoku Island League Plus schedule with a home game against the Ehime Mandarin Pirates on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Local time at Nippon Toto Stadium. That game is listed as live-streamed on the team’s official platform.
As of now, neither the Hanshin Tigers nor Nippon Professional Baseball has issued a rescheduled date for the canceled exhibition contest. Fans seeking updates are advised to monitor the official websites and social media accounts of both teams for any future announcements regarding preseason activities.
For global baseball followers, this cancellation underscores the ongoing challenges in coordinating exhibition matches between NPB clubs and independent league teams, particularly when venue availability, travel logistics, and training schedules intersect during the critical preseason window.
Stay tuned to Archysport for the latest developments on NPB preseason movements and independent league action across Japan.
Have thoughts on how exhibition games between NPB and independent leagues should be structured? Share your perspective in the comments below or join the conversation on social media.
Keep reading
