Celebrations erupted in Osaka and around the country on Monday as the Hanshin Tigers won the Central League pennant for the first time in 18 years. Hanshin fans are more colorful than most (and certainly a lot less arrogant than their Giants counterparts) and the long wait means that there’s a lot of pent up frustration being released. Despite police and media attempts to thwart them, many fans insisted on jumping into Osaka’s filthy Dotonbori River.
• Actor Shiina Kippei (39) and actress Yamamoto Mirai (photo, 28) got married at a Tokyo registry office yesterday, putting the seal on an 8-year relationship. They first met when they appeared together in the 1995 TV Asahi drama “Blackout.” They tied the knot before Shiina heads off to a movie shoot. Yamamoto plans to continue her acting career.