Cubs fans gear up for early morning season opener in Tokyo

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs are kickstarting their season in Asia, facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a historic two-game series in Tokyo.

This marks the first time since 2000 that the Cubs have played in Japan, and fans are eager to see them take the field.

It is also the tenth time in MLB history that the season will open overseas.

What we know:

Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, a fan favorite in Japan, is making headlines ahead of the opener with a now-viral video.

The clip shows Suzuki stepping into a batter’s box wielding a samurai sword, slicing baseballs in half with remarkable accuracy.

With the game set to start at 5:10 a.m. Chicago time, local fans are making plans to watch, despite the early wakeup call.

In Wrigleyville, the bars will be quiet—city liquor license laws prohibit alcohol sales before 7 a.m. However, Harry Caray’s in Rosemont is hosting a watch party, and thanks to a special permit the restaurant obtained late Monday from the Village of Rosemont, alcohol will be served at the start of the game.

Fans gathered at Wrigley Field on Monday to soak in the excitement, including AJ Peterson, a Chicago native now living in Kansas City.

"It’s a 5 a.m. wakeup call, but we’ll be watching the game. We want to see our guys get the season off on the right foot. Really excited to see Shohei and Seiya play in front of their home fans, but we’re really excited to see baseball being brought over to Japan," Peterson said. "This has always been an international game and it’s really exciting to see how we take America’s pastime overseas. We see this in Latin America, but we’re also seeing it in Asia as well, and we know how much talent is out there in Japan and we see that with some of the All Stars that have come into the Major Leagues and even here in Chicago."

What's next:

Cubs fans can watch the Tokyo series on FOX 32 Chicago, with the first pitch set for Tuesday morning at 5:10 a.m.

The Cubs will play their second game against the Dodgers in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 19 at 5:10 a.m. Central Time.

Following their trip to Japan, the Cubs will travel to Mesa, Arizona for Spring Training. The team’s home opener at Wrigley Field against the San Diego Padres is scheduled for Friday, April 4 at 1:20 p.m.