Yokohama F Marinos clinched their first J-League championship in 15 years with a flourish on Saturday, beating title rivals FC Tokyo 3-0 despite finishing the match with 10 men.
League leaders for the majority of the campaign, second-place FC Tokyo came into the last round of the season needing victory by four goals or more for their maiden J1 title.
But first-half goals to Theerathon Bunmathan and Erik ensured the match would serve as a victory party for the jubilant home fans at a packed Nissan Stadium.
Reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Park Il Gyu was dismissed in the 64th minute, Marinos added a late third goal through substitute Keita Endo.
Starting the match from a position where many teams would have played it safe, Marinos stuck with the attacking, possession-based strategy espoused by Ange Postecoglou, who became the first Australian manager to win the J-League title.
(Theerathon Bunmathan (5))
"(Goal difference) doesn't matter. We were the best team, we won, that's why we're the champions," the former Socceroos boss said.
"The players deserved this. All year, they've been working hard. It's a special day."
Marinos captain Takuya Kida wept as he thanked his teammates and fans for their support.
"The club had gone such a long time without a title, so we felt a great sense of responsibility," the 25-year-old midfielder said.
"To win it after 15 years took a lot hard work. I'm really thankful to everyone."
FC Tokyo striker Kensuke Nagai looked to give Kenta Hasegawa's men the lead in the 23rd minute after receiving a ball over the top, but he was unable to beat Park one-on-one in the box from a tight angle.
Thailand defender Theerathon struck from edge of the area three minutes later, finding the net after a deflection from Keigo Higashi changed the flight of the ball and left FC Tokyo keeper Akihiro Hayashi flat-footed.
(Erik (4th from L) of the Yokohama F Marinos)
Nagai worked his way into scoring position again late in the half, this time off a one-two pass with Yojiro Takahagi, but the striker blasted his shot over the bar.
Erik doubled the lead in the 44th minute, receiving a diagonal through ball from playmaker Marcos Junior at the edge of the area and lashing home a left-footed shot under pressure.
Park received his marching orders after leaving his area and fouling Nagai on the breakaway, forcing Postecoglou to remove Junior for substitute keeper Hirotsugu Nakabayashi.
Endo sent the stadium into rapture with a brilliant solo goal in the 77th minute, running from deep within his half and wrong-footing a defender inside the area before beating Hayashi from close range.
"Since turning pro, I've had some tough times and so have our supporters. To be part of a championship winning team, with this group of players, is something special," Endo said.
(Keita Endo (back))
In other action from the final day of the season, Shonan Bellmare drew 1-1 with already relegated Matsumoto Yamaga to finish in 16th place. They now await an elimination match against the J2 playoff winners for a first-division berth next year.
Shimizu S-Pulse avoided the relegation playoff and climbed three places to 12th with a 1-0 win over Sagan Tosu, who escaped a bottom-three finish on goal difference.
Kashima Antlers finished third following a 1-0 win over Nagoya Grampus, while Kawasaki Frontale, champions in 2017 and 2018, beat Consadole Sapporo 2-1 to end the season in fourth place.
Cerezo Osaka beat Oita Trinita 2-0, while Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeated Vegalta Sendai 1-0, to finish fifth and sixth, respectively.
Asian Champions League runners-up Urawa Reds ended a forgettable domestic campaign in 14th place following a 3-2 loss to Gamba Osaka, who finished seventh.
Lukas Podolski netted a hat-trick, while retiring Spanish great David Villa scored in his last league game, as eighth-place Vissel Kobe beat bottom side Jubilo Iwata 4-1.
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