In pictures: Tokyo's weeklong celebration of baseball's best
Shohei Ohtani was here, there and everywhere over the past week as his Los Angeles Dodgers descended upon Tokyo for a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs to kick off the MLB season.
The Tokyo Series, which also included exhibition games against the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers, also saw the brief return to Japanese shores of Dodgers pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and pitcher Shota Imanaga in what amounted to a weeklong celebration of Japan's place in the world of baseball.
And it wasn't just baseball stars who took the spotlight: Yoshiki performed the Japanese and U.S. national anthems on Tuesday while former sumo wrestler Konishiki threw a ceremonial pitch. Oh, and Pikachus were there, too.
Below is a selection of some of our best photos from the past week of baseball.
Tokyo Dome was the site for an electric opening to the MLB season, with a series of games that also featured rare contests between MLB and NPB clubs. |
Joshua Mellin
A poster featuring Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki at a fan festival at Tokyo Skytree |
Daniel Traylor
Shohei Ohtani shares a laugh with lucky children ahead of a game against the Giants on Saturday. |
Joshua Mellin
Teruaki Sato celebrates after his three-run home run against the Dodgers on Sunday. |
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Cubs infielder Justin Turner poses with a young fan dressed as him prior to a game on Sunday. |
Joshua Mellin
Cheerleaders and mascots for the Tigers and Giants pose for a photo on the Tokyo Dome turf. |
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Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after he hit a home run against the Giants on Saturday. |
Joshua Mellin
A fan sports a Dodgers-themed kimono outside Tokyo Dome on Tuesday. |
Joshua Mellin
Ohtani smacks a home run during an exhibition game against the Giants on Saturday. |
Joshua Mellin
The Tigers and Cubs mascots get playful ahead of an exhibition game between the two clubs on Saturday. |
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Clark the Cub waves the W "win" flag after the Cubs defeated the Giants on Sunday. |
Joshua Mellin
Tigers fans gave the club's exhibition games against the Dodgers and Cubs a Japanese feel with their trademark chants and songs. |
Joshua Mellin
Pikachu helped bring in the new MLB season on Tuesday with a pregame ceremony fit for Japan. |
Joshua Mellin
Tigers players with Cubs hats after Hanshin's win over Chicago on Saturday. |
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Tiger slugger Teruaki Sato launches a three-run homer against the Dodgers on Sunday in a game that Hanshin won 3-0. |
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Former sumo wrestler Konishiki throws a ceremonial pitch ahead of the opening game of the MLB season on Tuesday in Tokyo. |
Joshua Mellin
Look-a-likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga outside Tokyo Dome prior to the first game of the MLB season on Tuesday |
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Yoshiki performs the national anthems of Japan and the U.S. prior to the Dodgers-Cubs game on Tuesday. |
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Cubs fans Jack White and Bill Murray turned up to support their team on Tuesday. |
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Shota Imanaga pitched four scoreless innings in the MLB season opener on Tuesday but it wasn't enough to secure a win for the Cubs. |
Joshua Mellin
Ohtani tips his batting helmet prior to an at-bat on Tuesday. |
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Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki plays with his son on the turf at Tokyo Dome. |
Joshua Mellin
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches during the Dodgers' season-opening win over the Cubs on Tuesday. |
Joshua Mellin
A fan watches the game between the Dodgers and Cubs at a fan festival at Tokyo Skytree on Tuesday. |
Daniel Traylor
The Dodgers' trio of Japanese talent — Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki — at the final game of the Tokyo Series on Wednesday |
Joshua Mellin
Japanese baseball mascots prime the audience ahead of the second game between the Cubs and Dodgers on Wednesday. |
Joshua Mellin
In his highly anticipated MLB debut on Wednesday, Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki impressed with his fastball but struggled to find the strike zone. |
Joshua Mellin
Shota Imanaga ahead of the second game of the series between the Cubs and Dodgers. |
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Cubs infielder Matt Shaw takes the low road to get home in Game 2 on Wednesday. |
Joshua Mellin
All eyes were on Shohei Ohtani throughout the past week as the Japanese superstar put on a show for fans in his home country. |
Joshua Mellin
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