NO MUSIC, NO TRIP: How Music Led Me to Tokyo① – Shibuya (2026.1.16)
After dropping my luggage at a hotel in Akasaka, I headed straight for Shibuya.
Ever since J’s birthday live last year, something about Shibuya has stayed with me— the heat of that night, the pulse of the crowd, the way the city felt alive. I wanted to walk through it again, slowly this time, and let the memory settle.
Today’s plan is ambitious: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and the used bookstores of Jimbocho. Will I really be able to visit them all?
From Akasaka-Mitsuke, Shibuya is the closest. So that’s where the trip begins.
NO MUSIC, NO TRIP: Music Pulled Me to Tokyo — Jan 16–18, 2026
Following the sound. This entire trip to Tokyo began with one live show.A day when a concert became the compass of my life.
Why head to Tokyo now?
I went to Tokyo to see glim spanky’s “All the Greatest Buddies Tour 2025–2026” at Zepp DiverCity TOKYO on Saturday the 17th.
The opening act, LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, was absolutely incredible — their performance hit me straight in the chest.
I also took the chance to wander around the city and soak in Tokyo’s atmosphere.
What I was looking forward to
One of the highlights I had been anticipating was visiting the secondhand bookstores in Kanda–Jimbocho. There’s something special about walking through that district — the smell of old paper, the layers of time stacked on the shelves, the quiet density of accumulated thought.
I’ll be documenting this journey here. The heat of the live show, the scent of the city, the small discoveries I picked up while walking— I’ll be writing them down one by one.
In the posts that follow, I’ll share the sights, sounds, and moments in Tokyo that moved something inside me. Hope you enjoy what comes next.
NO MUSIC, NO TRIP: Die Musik hat mich nach Tokio gezogen — 16.–18. Januar 2026
Dem Klang folgend. Diese ganze Reise nach Tokio begann mit einem einzigen Live‑Konzert. Ein Tag, an dem ein Konzert zum Kompass meines Lebens wurde.
Ich bin nach Tokio gefahren, um am Samstag, dem 17., glim spankys „All the Greatest Buddies Tour 2025–2026“ im Zepp DiverCity TOKYO zu sehen.
Der Support-Act, LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, war absolut großartig — ihre Performance traf mich direkt ins Herz.
Ich nutzte die Gelegenheit auch, um durch die Stadt zu streifen und Tokios Atmosphäre in mich aufzunehmen.
Was hier entsteht
Ich werde diese Reise hier festhalten. Die Hitze des Live‑Konzerts, den Duft der Stadt, die kleinen Entdeckungen, die ich beim Gehen aufgesammelt habe — all das werde ich nach und nach aufschreiben.
In den folgenden Beiträgen teile ich die Eindrücke, Klänge und Momente aus Tokio, die etwas in mir bewegt haben. Ich hoffe, ihr freut euch auf das, was kommt.
The Year 2025 of One Who Walked the Battlefield of Sonic Fractures
Conferred by:One Who Walked Through the City’s Shadows and the Fractures of Sound
Reason for the Award
In 2025, you received—through your entire body—the impact of J, JILUKA, LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, Shonen Knife (twice) / THE LET’S GO’s, w.o.d, The Smashing Pumpkins, NAILS, Foo Fighters, STORMY DUDES FEST (PALM / kamome kamome / FRAGILE / DUB 4 REASON / DIZZY SUNFIST), THE SHERBETS, GLIM SPANKY, RADIO CRAZY (Sabbath Sister / w.o.d), and finally Harm’s Way. You crossed the limits of the body and the shadows of the city.
This was not mere concert-going. It was a combat act—a year-long penetration through flesh, mind, city, and history. You are a rare witness who exposed your body to both sound and shadow throughout 2025.
Live Performances Attended This Year
4/5 J LIVE TOUR 2025 - BLAZING DAYS - Additional Show / BIG CAT
Today I went to see SHERBETS at Umeda Club Quattro. I had heard the name before, but this was my first time actually visiting the venue. It’s a live house built out of a former movie theater, with a unique structure that allows for flashy lighting effects.
🎶 The Live Performance
I managed to get to the front, so I could soak in the sound and light with my whole body. The songs I knew were only “38 Special” and “Super Tonga Party,” but the opening with “38 Special” immediately pulled me in. The flow from the quieter mid-set songs into “Super Tonga Song” was striking, and the twangy surf-style guitar sound was electrifying.
Benji switched between a Gretsch and a Strat-type guitar, showing off a wide range of tones. The encore was quite long, keeping the energy high until the very end.
🏛 About the Venue
Umeda Club Quattro, with its movie-theater heritage, has a distinctive atmosphere. The venue has second and third floors, so you can enjoy the show from different perspectives. The lighting setup makes the space feel even more dramatic.
Before the show, the audience had to line up on the stairs. Even though you go up to the 10th floor, you end up walking down the stairs again to enter. The narrow entrance and being guided along the handrail side made the flow a bit tricky. The merch area was crowded and buzzing with energy.
✍️ Conclusion
My first visit to Umeda Club Quattro for SHERBETS was an experience of pure sound and light. In a space that still carries the echoes of its movie-theater past, Benji’s guitars rang out, and the long encore kept the night burning bright. Despite some quirks in the venue’s layout, it was an unforgettable evening.
Pop to Hard Rock to Hardcore!? Shonen Knife - “SPACE ADVENTURE 2025” November 24, 2025
Yesterday, I went to see Shonen Knife live at Sakai Fandango.
The show began light and poppy, and as it went on, the sound grew heavier with hard rock vibes. It felt like the final sprint of a marathon—Risa’s drumming accelerating was absolutely goosebump-inducing.
For me, it was truly a night that embodied the flow of “Pop → Hard Rock → Hardcore!?”.
The audience was made up of calm, dedicated music lovers, creating a reassuring atmosphere. Unlike hardcore shows where “short-distance sprinters” try to stand out, here it felt like long-distance runners with endurance were gathered. Music fans, people from abroad, classmates (maybe?), and even the female staff—all cool for being involved with a band they love.The camera crew and the merch staff were cool and looked like they were having fun.
The co-starring band, THE LET'S GO's, was a young and energetic girls’ band that left a great impression. Even with the front rows filled with older guys, they had the power to brighten the whole stage and lift the mood. Their energy was refreshing and matched perfectly with Shonen Knife.
One small disappointment was the merchandise line. I wanted to get the Osaka Ramones CD, but the crowd was too much and I had to give up. Since they performed Osaka Ramones during their U.S. tour and mentioned wanting to revive it in Osaka, I thought it would be good to prepare by buying the CD.
Earlier in the day, I visited the Sakai Modern Industry Memorial Hall, where there were many foreign tourists. But they didn’t seem to know about the Shonen Knife show. It felt a bit of a waste that tourism and music culture were missing each other.
I didn’t take photos during the live since I wasn’t sure about the camera policy. But Shonen Knife’s performance had the endurance of a marathon running through the city, combined with the testimony of “Pop → Hard Rock → Hardcore!?”. Altogether, it was engraved as a fragment of the city.
