The excitement surrounding the World Series resonated deeply in Japan, where baseball fans showed immense support for Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar Shohei Ohtani. Jun Mizuno, owner of Otoko Bar Mizuno Sake Store in Toyama, adapted his hours to accommodate early morning viewing parties, preparing the venue for fans to enjoy breakfast while watching their national hero win his first World Series. The Dodgers edged out the New York Yankees in a thrilling Game 5 that ended 7-6.
Ohtani’s performance, paired with his Japanese teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto, catapulted the World Series to unprecedented heights in Japan, drawing an average of 15.2 million viewers for the first two games. This eclipsed the viewer count in the United States, which was around 14.5 million during the same period, according to Major League Baseball figures.
The games aired at 9 a.m. local time, allowing fans to tune in during breakfast or while at work. Mizuno’s bar capitalized on the occasion, offering a special breakfast set featuring eggs, bacon, cheese toast, and coffee, proving that the World Series was not just a sports event, but a cultural experience. As banners celebrating Ohtani adorned venues, the enthusiasm for baseball continued to flourish across the nation, marking a memorable chapter in Japan's sports history.
