As Japan stormed through the competition on the way to victory in the World Baseball Classic, record numbers of fans packed stadiums in Tokyo, with others waiting in long lines to buy Samurai Japan gear.
Many also used paid vacation time to watch Wednesday morning’s dramatic final game against the United States, giving domestic TV viewership a boost.
Official fan gear for Japan’s star players remains out of stock, with potential buyers reportedly having to wait months to get their hands on shirts emblazoned with the numbers of players like pitcher Yu Darvish and two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani.