By Yusuke An,
The iconic, century-old Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall in Tokyo's Hibiya Park, commonly abbreviated as "Yaon" in Japanese, will be knocked down and rebuilt bigger and better after fiscal 2024.
As the host to numerous legendary concerts, Yaon is known as the "Holy Land of Rock 'n' Roll" and the "Folk Hall of Fame." It will be reborn as a more accommodating facility for performers and guests while maintaining the same openness as an outdoor music hall.
"It is an outdoor stage smack in the middle of Tokyo, and the scenery is always different depending on the season and weather. It is a one-of-a-kind location," said Seiji Kikumoto, 62, director of the concert hall.
Yaon is the larger of the two music halls in Hibiya Park, which is set among government and other office buildings in central Tokyo.
Opened in July 1923, it covers an area of 5,700 square meters and has an audience capacity of up to 3,053. It was spared damage in the Great Kanto Earthquake in September of the same year.
Yaon was initially used for not only music concerts but also other entertainment events such as boxing matches.
In the latter half of the 1960s, many folk and rock music concerts were held at Yaon. It was the venue for the farewell show in 1975 of the rock band "Carol," with Eikichi Yazawa as the frontman and bassist of the band.
Yazawa is known as The King of Rock in Japan. The band's final act at Yaon is infamously remembered for an accidental firecracker explosion following the last song that caused the stage to catch fire and burn down.
In 1977, the hip female idol trio "Candies" announced their breakup there. Among other famous episodes at Yaon, Yutaka Ozaki continued a performance despite suffering a leg fracture after jumping off light scaffolding in 1984.
Many charity concerts for victims of the devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region were held at Yaon, which has also been used for political and civic rallies.
"It has gone down in history as a venue for performances that reflect the times," Kikumoto said.
After being refurbished in 1954 and 1984, Yaon took on its current appearance, but in recent years, the facility's age has begun to show, with performers complaining their preparation and waiting areas are cramped and difficult to use.
In 2021, the Tokyo metropolitan government decided to rebuild Yaon and adopted a basic plan for the work in January this year, including constructing a roof over the stage and the front row seats and enhancing the backstage area.
Demolition of the existing hall will begin in or after fiscal 2024 after the metropolitan government accepts construction applications for the project.
"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 venue," said Masatomo Matsumoto, a metropolitan government official.
"We will also make the new facility barrier-free and more convenient for audience members," Matsumoto said.
As an event to commemorate Yaon's 100th anniversary, some 40 performances are scheduled to be held there between April and November this year.
"The celebration to connect the past 100 years to the next 100 years will be carried out based on everyone's free ideas and energy full of love for music," said Seiji Kameda, a music producer heading the organizing committee.
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