The Hanshin Tigers are a professional baseball team playing in the Japanese Central League. The team is based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway Co. Ltd - a subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc. The Hanshin Tigers are one of the oldest professional clubs in Japan. They played their first season in 1936 as the Osaka Tigers and assumed their current team name in 1961. This is a must for all fans of Japanese baseball, as well as Karuizawa fans.