The Hiroshima Carp and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters will play each other for the first time in the Japan Series, which starts on Saturday at Mazda Stadium.
While both teams are making their seventh bid to become the top baseball club in Japan, the Carp are seeking their fourth title and first in 32 years, while the Fighters will go for their franchise's third crown, the last coming in 2006.
Hiroshima, appearing in the best-of-seven series for the first time in 25 years, had a strong regular season, clinching the Central League pennant on Sept. 10 and finishing the season with a 17½-game lead over the runner-up Yomiuri Giants.