LOS ANGELES — A recent sweep in the historic Tokyo Series not only opened a promising new chapter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but also underscored the deepening cultural and emotional bond between the franchise and Japan.

Minoru Fujita, a Dodgers fan originally from just outside Tokyo, has called LA home for more than 30 years. Yet, he said the closest he feels to Japan these days isn’t by boarding a flight across the Pacific — it’s in the stands at Dodger Stadium.

“Last year I came to the stadium 15 or 16 times,” Fujita said. “And every single time, I enjoy.”

That connection grew stronger the moment Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers.

“When he joined, it felt like something changed,” he said.

With the team now also featuring Japanese star pitcher Roki Sasaki, and sushi stands appearing inside the ballpark, fans like Fujita say the Dodgers aren’t just adding Japanese players — they’re embracing a Japanese identity.

That embrace is translating into major business. According to SponsorUnited, the Dodgers brought in more than $70 million in sponsorship and merchandise revenue last year — a figure tied in part to their growing appeal in Japan.

Naoyuki Yanagihara, a sportswriter for Sports Nippon, has followed the careers of Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasaki since their early days in Japan. He described the Tokyo Series — where resale ticket prices reportedly surpassed those for the Super Bowl — as a milestone moment.

“I think for us it was the greatest event of all time,” Yanagihara said. “I think the Dodgers are like an international team now.”

Back in LA, Fujita echoed that sentiment. He said he’ll gladly pay whatever it takes to see his fellow countrymen help deliver another championship.

“When the Dodgers win, we all win,” he said. “It’s pride. It’s hope.”

At Dodger Stadium, baseball is no longer just America’s pastime. For many, it has become a passport — connecting cultures, countries and generations of fans from both sides of the ocean.