updated 3:41 p.m. ET March 30, 2004

TOKYO - Japanese fans waited 49 years to see the New York Yankees again. Judging by the turnout at Tokyo Dome, it was worth the wait.

New York lost 8-3 to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in Tuesday’s season opener — the first time the Yankees visited Japan since 1955 — but spirits were high among the capacity crowd.

“This is the biggest thrill of my life,” said Kenji Matsuoka, an office worker who paid $250 for his ticket. “To see the Yankees live is like a dream come true.”

From the opening pitch, it clear which team the crowd was rooting. While not as vocal as the bleacher creatures in the Bronx, Japan’s polite fans were clearly pulling for the Yankees.

The crowd let out a collective moan when Tampa Bay’s Aubrey Huff drove in a run in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Devil Rays a 6-3 lead. But former Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez received warm applause when it was announced that he had hit his 300th career homer.

Despite the lopsided result, there were few empty seats when Tampa Bay reliever Danys Baez recorded the final out.

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Hideki Matsui was greeted at the plate with the biggest ovation and chants of “Home run, home run Matsui!” When he rattled a double off the wall in his first at-bat, the crowd roared.

The Yankees have always been popular in Japan, and the addition of Matsui has only added to their appeal.

Matsui played 10 seasons at Tokyo Dome for the Yomiuri Giants. His return has been front-page news in Japan.

“He looks great in a Yankee uniform,” said student Keiko Utsugi. “I hope he can hit a few more homers this season.”

While the Devil Rays are the home team for the two-game series, the Yankees got permission from baseball to wear pinstripes.

In the stands, Japanese fans wore Yankee T-shirts with Jeter, Rodriguez and Matsui being the most popular. Some Japanese fans wore green Statue of Liberty headbands.

One thing missing from the game was the infamous bleacher cheering sections, which make noise with drums and trumpets during Japanese pro games.

There was also a small but vocal contingent of American fans in attendance Tuesday.

Air Force 2nd Lt. John Chrampanis, stationed in Japan, bought tickets for both games.

“I’ve been a Yankee fan my whole life,” said Chrampanis, from Staten Island, New York.

Chrampanis and his friends did their best to imitate the bleacher creatures with chants of “Let’s go Yankees!”

“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” was played during the seventh inning stretch. The words to the song were displayed on the center field scoreboard in Japanese and English.

The season-opening series in the second time major league baseball opened the regular season in Japan. The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs opened the 2000 season in Tokyo.

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