Tens of thousands of Lady Gaga fans lined up in front of Japan's Saitama Super Arena hours before the start of the star's first Japanese concert.

Her fans, who call themselves "little monsters" came from afar to see their "mother monster," such as Ai Hasegawa, who drove eight hours from Kobe.

But she says it's worth it.

SOUNDBITE: Ai Hasegawa, 24-Years-Old Fan from Kobe City, saying (Japanese)

"A lot of people tell me that I look like her and that makes me very happy."

The 34,000 tickets to the concert were sold out quickly.

And the process to get them wasn't easy says Hanae Shimizu who called non-stop for two days.

SOUNDBITE: Hanae Shimizu 20-year-old Student from Mie Prefecture, saying (Japanese)

"The two of us, and with other friends kept trying and miraculously we finally got it ."

Fans say they love that the star cares for their country, as she raised funds in the wake of the earthquake disaster last year.

Recently Gaga donated a tea cup used during a press conference to help young Japanese artists to study in the U.S.

It sold for 75,000 US dollars.

Lady Gaga is in Japan for a string of concerts that will continue until Sunday, May 13.

Elly Park, Reuters