Legendary concert hall Hibiya Yao closed for renovation

Hibiya’s open-air concert hall, affectionately known as Yaoon or “outdoor music,” has closed its doors to its major renovation, keeping it silent until around 2029. On September 28, the Storeky Tokyo venue in Hibiya Park hosted its final performance before construction began. The honor to end this era is Senior rock band elephant kashimashia career over the past decades reflects the spirit of the stage.

The aging facilities in the hall prompted the decision to rebuild, and the current structure dates back to 1983. The new version’s plan includes updated sound insulation to reduce noise impact on the surrounding parks, as well as all barrier-free access and overhead caps to accommodate rainy performances.

First Generation Hall, 1937 (provided by Wikicommons)

A century of music

Located in the southwest corner of Hibiya Park, the open-air theater spans 5,700 square meters and can accommodate about 3,000 people. For decades, concerts have been limited to weekends and public holidays. In addition to live music, it also held civic parties and even boxing competitions in its earliest years. One of its most famous events was the composer Ryuichi Sakamoto who started a massive anti-nuclear rally from the 2014 stage.

The facility was first opened in July 1923 under the administration of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It is worth noting that it survives Daguandong earthquake Just two months later, this happened. From there, the stage became a magnet for representative actors across genres and worlds. 1962 Frank Sinatra sings there On his first trip to Japan, his star power attended a local charity concert. In 1975, rock band Carol started Eikichi Yazawa’s career, choosing a venue for his dramatic breakup performance. Two years later, the Idol Trio Candy stood at the same stage and announced the dissolution of the organization.

In the decades after the war, concert halls became the stage that defines cultural moments. RC’s inheritance rocked the audience with provocative rock, and the late Yutaka Ozaki continued his soul shooting in 1984, even after standing out from the lighting stand, his legs stood out. Generations of folk artists have also claimed to be their place, consolidating their reputation as a “sacred place of rock” and “folk hall”.

The iconic stage of the city

As the halls undergo darkness renovated, it leaves more than just the gap in Tokyo’s live music calendar. When it reopens in 2029, it will mark the fourth generation of a century of stories and be ready to welcome new stories. Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall is not only a stage for the lineup, but has long embodied a rare public place.

“Yaon will be rebuilt in a form suitable for the new era, while maintaining the openness of the outdoor space and inheriting the history of the site,” said Masatomo Matsumoto of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Tell Kyodo News in 2023.

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