TOKYO — The trek is complete and, all in all, the Red Sox are happy they came to Japan.

“I love it. This is my third time here,” Manny Ramirez said in the clubhouse Wednesday after the Red Sox’ 5-1 loss to the A’s, which completed their week in the Far East. The Sox boarded a bus to the airport immediately after the game for the charter flight to Los Angeles, where they will play three exhibition games against the Dodgers this weekend.

Ramirez wasn’t the only Sox player who enjoyed himself.

“I had a lot of fun here,” said Coco Crisp. “I got a chance to see a lot of things I always wanted to see. And I got a chance to play here, which I always wanted to do. It was a great experience.”

“It was a fun experience over here and it was enjoyable,” wrote Kevin Youkilis on his blog, though he added he was looking forward to getting back to the United States.

After Wednesday’s game both teams gathered on the baselines immediately and the two managers spoke briefly to the crowd. “I want to thank you for your graciousness and the way you embraced the Red Sox organization,” Francona told the fans.

Afterwards, to reporters, he elaborated on his comments.

“It was a unique experience. I thought the players handled it well,” he said. “The Japanese people were great hosts to us. Hopefully we gained some new fans here.”

When asked what he would remember most about the trip, Francona said: “Our win [in the opening game], and the enthuasiasm for baseball in general and the Red Sox in particular. I was happy for [Hideki Okajima] and [Daisuke Matsuzaka]. I can only imagine what was going through their minds [as they returned to their home country].”

Now, Francona admitted, he’s looking forward to settling back into a more normal routine.

“I’m very proud. We did a good job. We were treated very graciously,” he said. “[But it’s] still a little disjointed. We just want to get into the grind of the season.”

smcadam@projo.com