The World Baseball Classic is about to begin.

Fans of Los Angeles Dodgers star Ohtani Shohei flocked to a Samurai Japan merchandise shop in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward.

S/ Ohtani fan / I wanted a cap. I’m going to watch the games while relaxing at home and drinking beer.

S/ Ohtani fan / Wearing this.

What if Ohtani hits a home run?

S/ Ohtani fan / I’ll toss my beer.

A couple carefully examined replicas of the No. 16 jersey.

S/ Ohtani fan / Is it a little big? They don’t have Ohtani’s in a smaller size.

They couldn’t find the right size.

In the end, they purchased a towel with Ohtani’s name on it.

S/ Ohtani fan / We couldn’t get tickets, but we still want to soak up the atmosphere. I hope he hits 3 or 4 home runs.

The Ohtani whirlwind is sweeping across Japan, including at a budget-friendly supermarket north of Tokyo.

S/ Supermarket store manager / We made it obvious in the store. The WBC is finally starting. Are you ready for battle?

This store in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, rallies customers with banners.

The store manager is a die-hard Ohtani fan, so devoted that he even includes Samurai Japan’s schedule in store advertisements.

In the past, the store held a sale every time Ohtani hit a home run.

What’s planned this time?

S/ Supermarket store manager / Of course we’ll do a Samurai sale. The first item is sugar, no question about that.

If Japan beats Chinese Taipei on March 6, the store will sell a kilogram of sugar usually priced at 267 yen for 108 yen the following day.

S/ Supermarket store manager / We’re also battling suppliers, negotiating prices and making efforts to sell at prices as low as possible.

He said the store will offer special sale items each time Japan wins, even if it means taking a loss.

How do the customers feel?

S/ Shopper / I’m grateful. I really appreciate the lower prices.

She said she looks forward to the benefits of Samurai Japan’s success.

The store manager adores Ohtani but has not seen him in person yet.

For the upcoming WBC, he finally secured tickets for two games.

S/ Supermarket store manager / I’m going to see Ohtani in the flesh. I’ve used up all my luck, so I can’t do anything else.

He said he will cheer with all his might, not only for himself, but more importantly for his customers.