TOKYO — This is the Ichiro effect.

Richard Snitzer had never been to Japan. What finally drove the Japanese-American to travel here from his home in Hayward, California, was Ichiro Suzuki; not family ties, not pure wanderlust, but a chance to see a player he called “simply the best.”

And get this. He’s not even a Mariners fan, which he’s advertised by wearing his A’s jersey around the Tokyo Dome.

He’ll be there Wednesday when Major League Baseball opens the 2019 season with Seattle facing Oakland to start a two-game series. The 45-year-old Ichiro is expected to play in both. What happens next? Ichiro isn’t saying.

One thing is sure. It will be great theater.

“I’ll have my phone ready to go, and I’ll shoot and stand up and applaud when he bats,” Snitzer said. “I just hope he doesn’t get the winning hit against the A’s. If he hits a home run that doesn’t affect the game, I’ll be thrilled.”

A’s pitcher Liam Hendriks probably spoke for both teams.

“We’re just happy to be along for the ride,” he said. “I can’t wait for the opening series when they announce Ichiro and hear that crowd.”

Chances are, most baseball fans in other places will be asleep when A’s right-hander Mike Fiers throws the first pitch of the year — around 5:30 a.m. EDT.

That’s OK, there will be plenty of time for everyone to catch up before the other 28 teams open on March 28 at Yankee Stadium, Dodger Stadium and points in-between. Plenty to see, too, in a season that will stretch to end of October — Bryce Harper now batting in Philly, the Boston Red Sox trying to repeat as World Series champions and more talk about changing how the game is played.

In the meantime, Ichiro slipped into Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Friday under the cover of a gray and black cap pulled way down.