Former SMAP Member Takuya Kimura Excites Fans with Solo Performance at Yokohama Arena After 29 Years: “It’s Been a While!”
On October 13, singer and actor Takuya Kimura held a concert at Yokohama Arena, marking his first nationwide tour in two and a half years. The tour will include eight performances across five cities. Kimura performed 21 songs, including a medley, with a focus on tracks from his latest album “SEE YOU THERE.” The energy in the venue soared as he began with the opening line, “Everybody!” The 15,000-strong crowd, known as the Crew, erupted with cheers as Kimura greeted them with a smile, saying, “It’s been a while!”
Takuya Kimura Performing at Yokohama Arena
This marked Kimura’s first solo performance at Yokohama Arena since 1995. Reflecting on the event, he said with a playful tone, “I never thought I would get to do my own live show here. It’s incredibly exciting.”
Midway through the concert, Sanma Akashiya, who wrote the lyrics for “Born ready” and “Menu,” made a surprise appearance. Sanma Akashiya is one of the most famous comedians in Japan. Akashiya greeted the crowd with, “Thank you for always supporting Kimura,” and humorously teased him, saying, “You really like showing your shoulders, don’t you?” The segment also included filming for next year’s New Year special of Fuji TV’s “SanTaku,” featuring Kimura and Akashiya.
Takuya Kimura Performing at Yokohama Arena
During a segment where Kimura covered theme songs from his starring works, he performed Tatsuro Yamashita’s “RECIPE,” the theme song for “Grand Maison Tokyo”which is a drama starring Takuya Kimura. He also sang SMAP’s hits “Dynamite” and “KANSHA Shite.”
This concert was the first one since 2020 where fans were allowed to vocalize their excitement. Responding to shouts of “Takuya!” and “We’ve missed you!” Kimura expressed his gratitude, saying, “Standing here again makes me feel like it’s okay for me to be doing this. It’s because of the Crew that I am able to be here.” He encouraged his fans, “No matter what happens, hold your head high. If you all hold your heads high, I can too. Let’s keep lifting each other up, Captain and Crew.”
Takuya Kimura Performing at Yokohama Arena
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