Nankai Hawks, the predecessors of the Softbank Hawks and the Daiei Hawks, used to be based at Osaka Stadium in Osaka City.
The Osaka Stadium is no longer there, and a commercial facility called Namba Parks stands on the site. On the 9th floor of Namba Parks, there is a gallery that displays the 50-year history of the Nankai Hawks, including photo panels of past players, the championship cup, and uniforms.
Getting to the Museum
Namba Parks is about a 5-minute walk from Namba Station, and about a 10-minute walk from Osaka Namba Station and JR Namba Station.
Nankai Electric Railway "Namba Station
Subway Midosuji Line "Namba Station
Subway Sennichimae Line "Namba Station
Osaka Namba Station on the Hanshin and Kintetsu lines
JR Line "JR Namba Station
If you are going there for the first time, you need to pay attention to the location of the Nankai Hawks Memorial Gallery. This Namba Parks has a movie theater on the 8th floor, so you can take the elevator to the 8th floor.
The Nankai Hawks Memorial Gallery is indicated as being on the 9th floor. However, the elevator stops at the 8th floor. Anyway, I went to the 8th floor and went to the movie theater.
I didn't know what to do, so I went to a different elevator on the floor of the movie theater. In this elevator, I found the button for the 9th floor, and was able to go to the 9th floor, but this 9th floor was only one space on the roof, and as it turned out, I could take the stairs from the outdoor park garden on the 8th floor, but it was hard to find, especially at night. When you go there, keep in mind that not all elevators go to the 9th floor, so you can find it calmly.
About the Museum
Namba Parks is a shopping mall, so you can go there to enjoy shopping, but this is the site of the Osaka Baseball Stadium.
There is a commemorative plaque and mound in the mall, so you may enjoy looking for it.
Location : 2-10-70 Namba-naka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 556-0011, Japan Namba Parks
Park's Garden 9F
Hours : 10:00 to 21:00
Fee : Free admission
Explore Osaka
Travel Tips & Information
Here is the basic information about Osaka as a reference for planning your trip.
Professional Sports Teams in Osaka
1. "Getting There & Around" Osaka City
From Tokyo, it takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes to get to Shin-Osaka Station on the Nozomi bullet train. It takes about 20 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station to the Namba Station area by subway.
There are two major airports in Osaka, Kansai International Airport and Itami Airport. Itami Airport is close to Panasonic Stadium Suita, the home of Gamba Osaka, and can be reached by monorail.
Umeda (Osaka Station), the center of Osaka, is about 40 minutes away from Itami Airport.
From Kansai International Airport to Namba, the central area of Osaka, Nankai runs an airport express train, which takes about 50 minutes.
2. "Where to Stay" in Osaka City
There are hotels everywhere in Osaka, especially in the Umeda and Namba areas.
The convenience of hotels varies depending on the venue, so it is best to choose a station that is easy to get to and book a hotel.
3. "What to Do & See" in Osaka City
There are many places of interest such as Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Tsutenkaku, and Universal Studios.
It is also a city where you can watch a lot of games depending on the schedule. It is difficult to visit the city in just one or two days and nights, so be sure to make a reasonable itinerary while checking on transportation options.
4. "What & Where to Eat" in Osaka City
Osaka is famous for its takoyaki (octopus dumplings), kushikatsu (skewered pork cutlets), okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), and pork buns from 551 Horai.
As a large city, there are many restaurants.
Find a restaurant that suits your taste and try it out.