Taylor Swift is set to kick off a series of concerts in Tokyo on Wednesday, marking a historic moment for the singer-songwriter following her Grammy success.
Following this milestone, Swift will embark on a monthlong tour across Asia, with a quick detour back home to catch her boyfriend's appearance at the U.S. Super Bowl.
Excited fans lined up in the cold from early morning to purchase merchandise at the Tokyo Dome ahead of the four highly anticipated shows.
These concerts are part of Swift's global Eras Tour, which has become the first billion-dollar tour in history.
Among the enthusiastic crowd, a group of fans proudly displayed a large fabric banner featuring Swift's face, declaring themselves as "Swifties from Taiwan."
The atmosphere outside the 55,000-capacity arena was electric as anticipation for the concerts reached a fever pitch.
The demand for tickets to Swift's Japan dates was so high that a lottery system was implemented to allocate them. Fans eagerly awaited the results, with some even traveling to Tokyo from other parts of the country to ensure they didn't miss out on the opportunity to see their favorite artist live.
"We came just for the concert as we couldn't get tickets in Australia," laughed 18-year-old Ebony Donohue.
"I'm so excited to finally see her. All her music is so different. She's so relatable and strong and amazing."
Other fans from places Swift won't stop this time, including Thailand, the Philippines and China, joined the vast crowd that gathered in the afternoon before the gig.
Some donned tassels, bright sequins and high-heeled boots in homage to their favorite Swift looks, while others came dressed as unicorn angels or wore official tour T-shirts.
Saya Matsuo, 25, said he had been waiting years for this moment.
"I've been listening to her songs since I was in middle school, about 10 years. This is the first time I'll see her in concert, and I've been so excited since the moment we were able to get tickets," he said.
"She is someone who can grab people's hearts and make people sing and dance. I love her personality."
Swift-mania has reached fever pitch worldwide after the 34-year-old on Sunday scooped her fourth Album of the Year prize at the Grammys on Sunday.
That is the most held by any artist and breaks the joint record of three previously held by Swift and the likes of Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.
Straight after her last Tokyo concert wraps up on Saturday, Swift will make a pit stop at this weekend's Super Bowl, where she is expected to cheer on her current beau Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs from the VIP suites.
The pop icon will then play dates in Australia and Singapore before heading to Europe on the tour that is predicted to make a staggering estimated $2 billion.
An influx of fans to the concerts has been shown to create a so-called "Swift effect" on local economies.
Travel technology company Amadeus reported an "extraordinary increase in interest" in search traffic for travel to cities in the Asia-Pacific region visited on the Eras Tour.
Cheska Caberte, 25, from the Philippines, said she had been planning her trip for six months.
Wearing a fluffy bright pink jacket and matching heart-shaped shades, Caberte said she was "really excited" to meet other "Swifties," as the star's fans are known.
Did she think her idol would make the Super Bowl in time? "She can go back right away, no sweat – it's Taylor Swift."
Swift is not even the only global superstar in Tokyo this week.
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami are facing Vissel Kobe in a pre-season friendly at Tokyo's National Stadium on Wednesday night, but it was still uncertain whether the injured Argentina great would play.
With hundreds of millions of social media followers and a staunchly loyal fan base, politicos – and conspiracy theorists – have even opined on Swift's potential impact on the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Some right-wing critics have floated the baseless theory that the pop icon's burgeoning romance with Kelce is evidence of a "deep-state" plot to rig the Super Bowl and help get U.S. President Joe Biden reelected.
But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has dismissed such conspiracy theories as "nonsense."
