The Irish took over the area around Shin-Yokohama train station tonight. There were thousands of them spilling out of the bars and cafes on the way to Yokohama Stadium and inside this massive arena.
Most of them were dressed in green - some in unique fancy dress. All were there for the craic, a bit of fun, before their nation kicked off against Scotland. It was orderly but the beers were flowing and soon the songs came.
It was close to the exact opposite of the attitude undertaken by Joe Schmidt's team on a muggy late afternoon in this city just south of Tokyo. Ireland the rugby team aren't here for a laugh; they're here to do something they've never done before, and that's win a Rugby World Cup knockout game for the first time and go on and do it again and again.
On this evidence they look capable of going a long way in this tournament because they began their campaign with the cold efficiency of a butcher, their victims a Scotland team which saw space on the field but had no idea how to make the most of it except by kicking to it.
