The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic

judo is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...

competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. While its primary purpose is to host martial arts contests, the arena has gained additional fame as one of the world's most outstanding musical performance venues. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wrestling for a time, and it has hosted numerous other sporting events such as the

1967 Women's Volleyball World Championship The 1967 FIVB Women's World Championship was the fifth edition of the tournament, organised by the world's governing body, the FIVB. It was held from 25 to 29 January 1967 at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Background Since its inaugural edi ...

. Most recently, the arena hosted the Olympic debut of karate in the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

, as well as the judo competition at both the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Paralympics. A number of famous

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

acts have played at the Budokan.

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

were the first rock group to play there in a series of concerts held between June 30 and July 2, 1966.

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group ...

ended their last tour and final live performance there in March of 1980. Numerous acts have recorded live albums at the Budokan, including Blur,

Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

, Eric Clapton,

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen ...

CNBLUE CNBLUE ( ko, 씨엔블루) is a South Korean pop rock band formed in 2009. The band consists of Jung Yong-hwa (leader, main vocals, guitar, keyboard, rap), Kang Min-hyuk ( drums), and Lee Jung-shin ( bass). First bassist Kwon Kwang-jin left t ...

, Dream Theater, Duran Duran,

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

, Mr. Big,

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...

, Judas Priest,

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

, Ringo Starr,

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

, Deep Purple,

MSG Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is the sodium Salt (chemistry), salt of glutamic acid. MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese in this glutamic acid form. MSG is used in cooking as a fl ...

, and Pink Floyd.

Location

The Nippon Budokan is located in Kitanomaru Park in the center of

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

, two minutes' walking distance from Kudanshita Subway Station, and near the Imperial Palace and

Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, 1894–1895 and 1937–1945 resp ...

. The 42 m (140 ft) high octagonal structure holds 14,471 people (arena seats: 2,946, 1st floor seats: 3,199, 2nd floor seats: 7,846, standee: 480). The building is modeled after Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) in

Hōryū-ji is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery. The temple was ...

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...

Venue history

Martial arts

57e Championnats du Japon (3 nov 2009) 2

2012 JKA Adult All-Japan Tournament Day 2

Although the Budokan also functions as a venue for big musical events, its primary purpose is for Japanese martial arts. The national championships of the different branches of major martial arts (

, kendo, karate,

aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in aroun ...

, etc.) are held annually at the Budokan. The Budokan has also been associated with

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

's big shows, typically from

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba ...

and

Pro Wrestling Noah (stylised as Pro Wrestling NOAH) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the ...

. However, due to declining audiences following the death of

Mitsuharu Misawa was a Japanese amateur and professional wrestler and promoter. He is primarily known for his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and also for forming the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion in 2000. In the early 1990s, Misawa gained fame alongside ...

and the retirement of

Kenta Kobashi is a Japanese former professional wrestler. He started his career in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in 1988, where he became one of the promotion's top stars, holding the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship three times, and winning the Cham ...

, professional wrestling has ceased running regular shows in the Budokan. During Wrestle Kingdom 12,

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV ...

announced that its yearly

G1 Climax The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners ...

tournament's finals would be held at the Budokan. The Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki hybrid rules fight held at the Budokan in 1976 is seen as a forerunner to

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...

. K-1,

Shooto Shooto is a combat sport and mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the ''Shooto Association'' and the ''International Shooto Commission''. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, first as a particular fighting system and then in 198 ...

and Pride Fighting Championships have all held events at the arena.

Music

were the first rock group to perform at the Budokan in a series of five shows held between June 30 and July 2, 1966. Their appearances were met with opposition from those who felt the appearance of a western pop group would defile the martial arts arena. In July 1973, Japanese television recorded the Santana performance at the Budokan. The Budokan gained worldwide fame when American artists

and

used the arena to record their performances, ''

Cheap Trick at Budokan ''Cheap Trick at Budokan'' is the first live album by American rock band Cheap Trick, and their best-selling recording. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 1978, and later released in the United States on February 1979, through Epic R ...

'' (1978) and ''

Bob Dylan at Budokan ''Bob Dylan at Budokan'' is a live album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released August 1978 on Columbia Records in Japan only, followed by a worldwide release in April 1979. It was recorded during his 1978 world tour and is composed m ...

'' (1979). The venue is popular for recording live albums because it has good acoustics, is relatively large and Japanese audiences are known for being highly appreciative when appropriate but quiet during performances. Eric Clapton described the Tokyo audience as "almost overappreciative" in interviews promoting '' Just One Night'' (1980), his own live album recorded at the Budokan. American

crossover thrash Crossover thrash (often abbreviated to crossover) is a fusion genre of thrash metal and hardcore punk. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and hardcore punk. Other genres on the same continuum, such as metalcore and grindcore, ...

band

Stormtroopers of Death Stormtroopers of Death (abbreviated to S.O.D.) was an American crossover thrash band formed in New York City in 1985. They are credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes referred to as ...

released a live album titled '' Live at Budokan'' (1992), though the title was in jest and the album was recorded at famed New York City venue The Ritz. The original Beatles concert is heavily bootlegged on audio and video; the first night's concert video was officially released by

Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Ma ...

in Japan only as ''Beatles Concert at Budokan 1966'', and excerpts are shown in ''

The Beatles Anthology ''The Beatles Anthology'' is a multimedia retrospective project consisting of a television documentary, a three-volume set of double albums, and a book describing the history of the Beatles. Beatles members Paul McCartney, George Harrison an ...

'', while the second ''Anthology'' album included the first show's performances of "

Rock and Roll Music Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

" and "

She's A Woman "She's a Woman" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single in November 1964 as the B-side to "I Feel Fine", except in North Ame ...

". The venue is one of the stages in '' The Beatles: Rock Band'' video game. Chatmonchy currently holds the record for the largest crowd at the Budokan. The record for the most Budokan music concerts is held by

Eikichi Yazawa is a Japanese singer-songwriter, and a prominent figure in Japanese popular music. Yoko Yazawa of The Generous is his daughter. He has been nicknamed as Ei-chan (永ちゃん), Boss or The King of Rock. Biography Sources: 1949-1967: Early Lif ...

, 142 times as of December 19, 2017. Artists that have released live recordings from the venue include:

1970s

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

; September 23 and 24, 1971 and October 2 and 3, 1972. *

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

; June 8, 1972. * Uriah Heep; 1973, (Live concert filmed on 16mm for television. DVD versions available) * Deep Purple; 1972; for the last of the three concerts making up their '' Made in Japan'' live album. *

The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The g ...

; January 18, 1974 *

The Carpenters The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct, soft, musical style, combining Karen's contr ...

; June 7–9, 1974; '' Live in Japan'' *

Focus Focus, or its plural form foci may refer to: Arts * Focus or Focus Festival, former name of the Adelaide Fringe arts festival in South Australia Film *''Focus'', a 1962 TV film starring James Whitmore * ''Focus'' (2001 film), a 2001 film based ...

; June 20, 1975 *

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

; 1975, 1976, and 1979. *

Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

; December 16, 1976; '' On Stage'' Rainbow performed here both afternoon and evening shows at 3:00 pm and 6:00 p.m. * Aerosmith; 1977 (Jan-Feb); see the Japanese bootleg CD ''Rocks Budokan'' (label Calm&Storm). * Fleetwood Mac; December 5, 1977 and February 3, 4th and 5, 1980 * Bay City Rollers; 1977; released as ''Rollerworld: Live at the Budokan 1977'' in 2001. * Pink Lady; 1977 (''

Bye Bye Carnival is the third Album#Live, live album by Japanese idol duo Pink Lady (duo), Pink Lady. Recorded live during their Christmas concert at the Nippon Budokan on December 27, 1977, the album was released on March 5, 1978. The album peaked at No. 5 on O ...

'') and 1979 ('' Live in Budoukan''). *

; 1977 and 1978. *

; April 27, 28 and 30, 1978; ''

'' (and the later-released 1998 album '' at Budokan: The Complete Concert).'' *

Ian Gillan Band The Ian Gillan Band were an English progressive jazz-rock band formed by singer Ian Gillan of Deep Purple in 1975. History After leaving Deep Purple in June 1973, Ian Gillan had retired from the music business to pursue other business ventures ...

; 1977–1978; '' Live at the Budokan'' (Vols. 1–2). * Eric Clapton; December 1979; '' Just One Night''. * Diana Ross; 1977; "An Evening with Diana Ross" concert was videotaped during her 1977 tour. * Julie Andrews; 1977 "An Evening with Julie Andrews" concert was part of a highly acclaimed sold out national tour of Japan by Julie Andrews *

; 1977; ''Super Live Nippon Budokan'', recorded his Budokan concerts of 1977. * Devo; 1979 "The Men Who Make the Music" Japanese TV broadcast. A clip of "Red Eye Express" from this show is included in ''

The Men Who Make The Music ''The Men Who Make the Music'' was the first home video released by the American new wave band Devo. Finished in 1979, the film was set to be the first Video LP under the title "DevoVision" (advertised in the inner sleeve of the "Duty Now for the ...

'' home video. *

Gregg Allman Band The Gregg Allman Band, also known as Gregg Allman & Friends, was a Southern rock/blues rock group that Gregg Allman established and had led since the 1970s, during periods when Allman has been recording and performing separate from the Allman Br ...

and Cher ; June 29, 1977 *

; 1979; ''

'', recorded during his 1978 world tour. * Electric Light Orchestra; 1978. *

Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...

; 1979. *

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

; 1979

1980s

* Sadao Watanabe; 1980; ''How's Everything''. *

; 1980; *

Momoe Yamaguchi , known by her maiden name , is a Japanese former singer, actress, and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. Often simply referred to by her given name "Momoe," Yamaguchi is one of the most successful singers in Japanese music, releasing 32 ...

; 1980; ''Budokan at Last'' *

Yellow Magic Orchestra Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO for short) is a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, vocals). The group is cons ...

; 1980; ''Live at Budokan 1980'', recorded 1980, released 1993. * Masayoshi Takanaka; 1981; ''Rainbow Goblins Story / Live At Budokan'', released 1986 * Queen; 1981; "

The Game Tour The Game Tour was the eighth headlining concert tour by the British rock band Queen to support their successful 1980 album '' The Game''. This tour featured the first performances in South America by the group. This tour marked the last time ...

". 1985; "

The Works Tour The Works Tour was the tenth headlining concert tour by the British rock band Queen to promote their successful 1984 album '' The Works''. During the tour, Queen participated in the Rock in Rio festival in 1985; the concert was released on VHS. ...

". *

The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Polic ...

; 1981; ''Budokan Radio On'', released 1988. *

Michael Schenker Group The Michael Schenker Group (often abbreviated as MSG) are a guitar-oriented hard rock band, formed in London in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist Michael Schenker. In 1986, Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley formed the McAuley Sche ...

; 1981; ''

One Night at Budokan ''One Night at Budokan'' is a live album by Michael Schenker Group released in 1982. This album was recorded at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan as part of their 1981 tour. Track listing 1982 original LP All songs written by Michael Schenker ...

'', released in 1982, deluxe edition released in 2009 * John Denver, 1981 *

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

; 1981; ''Quincy Jones Live at the Budokan''. *

; 1982; "Escape Tour". 1983; "Frontiers Tour". * Styx; 1982; *

Kitarō , born (February 4, 1953), is a Japanese recording artist, composer, record producer, and arranger noted for his electronic-instrumental music, and is often associated with and regarded as one of the most prominent musical acts of new-age musi ...

; 1982; ''Live at Budokan''. * Toto; 1982; ''Live at Budokan 1982, Toto IV Tour''. * Japan; 1982; ''Live from the Budokan 1982, Final Tour (Some songs included Yellow Magic Orchestra members Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto)''. * Spinal Tap; 1982; "Smell The Glove Tour". *

Dave Grusin Robert David "Dave" Grusin (born June 26, 1934) is an American composer, arranger, producer, jazz pianist, and band leader. He has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record w ...

; 1983; Dave Grusin and the NY-LA Dream Band * Grover Washington Jr., Pieces of A Dream; 1983; Aurex Jazz Festival *

; 1982; ''

''. *

; 1983; ''Live at Budokan'', ''Asia in Asia''. * Willie Nelson; 1984, February 23rd, Live At Budokan * Gary Moore; 1984; '' We Want Moore!'' during the Victims of the Future tour in 1984, remastered 2002 (Budokan was one of the 4 or 5 different venues where this album was recorded) * Frank Sinatra; 1985; ''Live at the Budokan Hall, Tokyo'' * Phil Collins; 1985;

The No Jacket Required World Tour The No Jacket Required World Tour was a concert tour by the English drummer, singer and songwriter Phil Collins, which occurred February–July 1985 in support of his 1985 album, ''No Jacket Required''. The album had been a massive international ...

* Corey Hart; 1985 *

Momoko Kikuchi is a Japanese actress, entertainer, singer, and scholar who was formerly represented by the talent agency, Parfit Production. On June 22, 2020, Kikuchi announced that she has left Parfit Production and gone independent. Her ex-husband is profes ...

; 1985; "Advanced Domestic Tour Budokan" * Judas Priest; 1986; "Fuel for Life Tour" *

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

; 1987, "Somewhere on tour" * Dead or Alive; 1987 video ''Rip It Up Live'' (VHS/Laserdisc) * Pink Floyd; March 2 & 3, 1988; "

A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour was two consecutive concert tours by the British rock band Pink Floyd. The ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour'' ran from September 1987 to August 1988; the ''Another Lapse tour'' ran from May–July 1989. Both t ...

" *

; 1988; "Crazy Nights Tour" * Miho Nakayama; May 11, 1989; ''Whuu!! Natural Live at Budokan '89'' * Stryper 1989; "In God We Trust tour

1990s

X Japan was a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive soun ...

; 1990; Rose & Blood Tour *

Seiko Matsuda , known professionally as , is a Japanese pop singer and songwriter, known for being one of the most popular Japanese idols of the 1980s. Since then, she is still actively releasing new singles and albums, doing annual summer concert tours, win ...

- Precious Moment ~1990 Live at Budokan~ *

; 1991 *

Loudness In acoustics, loudness is the subjective perception of sound pressure. More formally, it is defined as, "That attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud". The relation of ph ...

- '' Live Loudest at the Budokan '91'' * B'z - ''

Just Another Life ''Just Another Life'' is the first live VHS released by Japanese rock duo B'z. It features live footage of the band's early hits. The concert is the first official "Live Gym" release, although it would take several releases before the "Live Gym ...

'' (1991). *

Debbie Gibson Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Gibson released her debut album '' Out of the Blue'' in 1987, which spawned several international hits, later being certified triple plati ...

- '' Live In Tokyo: The Possibilities World Tour'' *

; 1992; ''Extasy Summit 1992'' *

Tin Machine Tin Machine were a British–American rock band formed in 1988, and fronted by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. The band consisted of Bowie on lead vocals, saxophone and guitar; Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals; Tony Fox Sales on ba ...

; 1992; who recorded a portion of '' Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby'', during the

It's My Life Tour The It's My Life Tour was a concert tour headlined by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine. The tour commenced on 5 October 1991 after two warm-up shows, one press show and three trade-industry shows, visiting twelve countries and conclud ...

. *

Skid Row A skid row or skid road is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people " on the skids". This specifically refers to poor or homeless, considered disreputable, downtrodden or fo ...

- Live at Budokan, Tokyo 1992. * Diana Ross, Tokyo 1992; 'The Force Behind the Power World Tour' *

; 1993 *

The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

; 1993; ''Live at Budokan''. * Aerosmith; 1994; ''Get a Grip Tour'' *

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

; 1994; video ''Live at Budokan 94'', VHS/DVD. * Blur; 1995–6; recorded a live compilation CD, '' Live at the Budokan'', in 1995, at the height of

Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...

; it was released in 1996. * Princess Princess; May 31, 1996; '' The Last Live'' *

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...

; 1996; performance later released as '' Live at the Budōkan'' (1999). This was bassist Bernard Edwards's last performance; he died the next day. * Gloria Estefan; 1997; “Evolution Tour” * Diana Ross; 1996; 'Take Me Higher World Tour' *

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

; 1996 Prince performed four concerts during the year as the Artist formerly known as Prince. * Mr. Big; 1997; recorded '' Live at Budokan'' in 1997 * Oasis; 1998; Oasis performed three nights in a row during their 'Be Here Now tour' * Puffy; 1998; Recorded Jet Tour '98 in support of the album ''

Jet-CD ''Jet CD'' is a studio album by Japanese pop rock duo Puffy, released on March 31, 1998 through Epic/Sony Records. It features five hit singles that they released between 1996 and 1997, including three of which topped the Japanese Oricon charts ...

'' *

Malice Mizer Malice Mizer (stylized as MALICE MIZER) was a Japanese visual kei rock band active from August 1992 to December 2001. Formed by guitarists Mana and Közi, their earlier music and themes were characterized by their strong French and classical ...

; 1998; two night stint at the Budokan in support of '' Merveilles'', which yielded their live video ''Merveilles ~Shuuen to Kisuu~ L'Espace'' *

; 1998; Recorded several songs from their Frontiers Tour in 1983 at the Budokan which was included on their live album '' Greatest Hits Live'' *

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

; 1999; The Miseducation Tour (two sold-out shows) * Janet Jackson; 1999; The Velvet Rope Tour (five sold-out shows) *

Faye Wong Faye Wong ( zh, 王菲; born Xia Lin on 8 August 1969) is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter. Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong. Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and her debut album '' Shirley Wong'' ( ...

; 1999; ''Budokan Live'' (for further information see: Faye Wong#1999: Venturing into Japan)

2000s

; 2000; '' Live at the Budokan''. *

Morning Musume , formerly simply and colloquially referred to as , are a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most top ten singles ...

; 2000; DVD ''Morning Musume First Live at Budōkan: Dancing Love Site 2000 Haru'' (Also

Sayaka Ichii is a Japanese pop singer and former member for Japanese girl group Morning Musume. She is now a TV talent and planning to debut as an actress. History Morning Musume and Hello Project Joined the girl group Morning Musume in 1998. She, along wit ...

's graduation from the group) *

; 2-night stint at the Budokan in support of ''

Bara no Seidou is the fourth and final album by the Japanese visual kei rock band Malice Mizer, released on August 23, 2000. The title roughly translates as "Church of Roses" or "Sanctuary of Roses". In February 2007, ''Bara no Seidou'' was re-released by Germa ...

'', which yielded their live video ''Bara ni Irodorareta Akui to Higeki no Makuake''. * Bay City Rollers; 2001; Rollerworld, Live at the Budokan 1977, released as ''Rollerworld: Live at the Budokan 1977'' in 2001. *

; 2002; filmed CD/DVD combination '' Live at Budokan''. * Pearl Jam; 2003; recorded an official bootleg at Budokan during their

Riot Act Tour The Riot Act Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to support its seventh album, ''Riot Act''. History Pearl Jam promoted ''Riot Act'' with tours in Australia, Japan, and North America in 2003. The tours were the band's fi ...

(for further information see: Pearl Jam#''Riot Act'': 2002–2005). * Duran Duran; July 11 + 12, 2003; played at Budokan; shows recorded live * Mariah Carey; 2003; performed three concert shows, part of her

Charmbracelet World Tour The Charmbracelet World Tour was the fifth worldwide concert tour in 2003–2004 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey in support of her ninth studio album ''Charmbracelet'' (2002). The tour started on June 20, 2003 in Seoul, South Korea, an ...

on July 6, 8 and 10. *

Incubus An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in t ...

; March 3, 2004; performed at Budokan and show recorded as CD '' Live in Japan 2004'' on June 1, 2004 * Dream Theater; 2004; 2DVD/3CD '' Live at Budokan''. * Hikaru Utada; July 28, 2004; video '' Utada Hikaru in Budokan 2004: Hikaru no 5''. * Beastie Boys; January 14, 2005. * Judas Priest; 2005; DVD '' Rising in the East''. *

Nana Mizuki is a Japanese voice actress, singer and narrator from Niihama, Ehime. She is represented by the agency StarCrew. Mizuki was trained as an enka singer, releasing one single under her birth name, Nana Kondō, in 1993 and made her debut as a voi ...

; 2005; DVD ''

Nana Mizuki Live Rainbow at Budokan ''Nana Mizuki Live Rainbow at Budokan'' is the 3rd live DVD release from J-pop star and Voice acting in Japan, voice actress Nana Mizuki. It has two discs, Rainbow Disc and Document Disc. Rainbow Disc Contains 8th concert ''Live Rainbow at Budo ...

''. * Avril Lavigne; 2005; DVD '' Live at Budokan: Bonez Tour'', ''

Bonez Tour Canadian recording artist Avril Lavigne has completed six concert tours beginning with the Try to Shut Me Up Tour in 2002–03. This was followed by the 13-month Bonez Tour in 2004–05 and The Best Damn World Tour in 2008. Her ongoing Love Sux ...

''. * Hikaru Utada; 2006; video '' Utada United 2006'' ( Hikaru Utada discography#Video Releases) *

; 2006; DVD '' Nana Mizuki Livedom -Birth- at Budokan''. *

MUCC is a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1997. The classic line up of Tatsuro on vocals, Miya on guitar, Yukke on bass, and Satochi on drums was solidified in 1999 following the departure of original bassist Hiro. A ...

; 2006; DVD ''World Tour Final Nippon Budokan 666'' *

; 2006; DVD ''Morning Musume Concert Tour 2006 Aki: Odore! Morning Curry'' * The Gazette; 2006; DVD ''Standing Live Tour 2006 ameless Liberty. Six Guns...' Tour Final at Nippon Budokan. * Ai; 2006; video; '' Nippon Budokan Ai'' *

TM Network TM Network is a Japanese rock/new wave/pop musical band, made up by Tetsuya Komuro (keyboardist), Takashi Utsunomiya (vocalist) and Naoto Kine (guitarist). They became popular in Japan as the "futuristic pop songs with synthesizer" after the r ...

; 2007; video ''TM Network -Remaster- at Nippon Budokan 2007''. *

TVXQ TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...

; 2007; ''Tohoshinki 2nd Live Tour 2007: Five in the Black''. *

Perfume Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Th ...

; 2008; "Budokaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!". *

Joe Hisaishi , known professionally as , is a Japanese composer, musical director, conductor and pianist, known for over 100 film scores and solo albums dating back to 1981. He is also known for his piano scores. Hisaishi's music has been known to explore ...

; 2008; ''Joe Hisaishi in Budokan – 25 years with the Animations of Hayao Miyazaki''. * Flow; 2008; ''Flow Live Tour 2007–2008 'Isle' Final at Nippon Budokan'' * Chatmonchy; 2008; '' estaurant Main DishLive at : Budokan 2008''. *

Kishidan , which means "The Knights", are a Japanese rock band. They have a retro image, wearing Japanese school uniforms in the style of bōsōzoku. The lead singer, Sho Ayanokoji (often styled as "Show Ayanocozey"), was DJ Ozma, until he retired in De ...

; 2009; ''氣志團現象2009 AGAIN AND AGAIN'' DVD *

; 2009; Blu-ray/DVD ''

Nana Mizuki Live Diamond x Fever ''Nana Mizuki Live Diamond x Fever'' is the 8th live DVD and 2nd Blu-ray Disc release from J-pop star and Voice acting in Japan, voice actress Nana Mizuki. It has 5 discs containing her two concerts ''Live Fever 2009'' and ''Live Diamond 2009''. ...

''. *

; 2009; DVD ''-MUCC Live Chronicle 3 "Kyutai" in Nippon Budokan-'' * Mr. Big; 2009; live CD/DVD ''

Back to Budokan The human back, also called the dorsum, is the large posterior area of the human body, rising from the top of the buttocks to the back of the neck. It is the surface of the body opposite from the chest and the abdomen. The vertebral column runs ...

''. *

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with ...

; 2009; ''AKB104 Senbatsu Members Sokaku Matsuri'' *

The Pillows are a Japanese alternative rock band formed in 1989. The group has released 22 studio albums, several EPs and compilations, and over 40 singles. Outside Japan, they are best known as the group responsible for the soundtrack to the '' FLCL'' ani ...

; 2009; live DVD ''

Lostman Go to Budokan ''Lostman Go to Budokan'' is a live performance video by Japanese alternative rock band The Pillows on September 16, 2009 at Nippon Budokan The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was o ...

''.

2010s

Dir En Grey Dir En Grey (stylized as DIR EN GREY and previously as Dir en grey) is a Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in February 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. With a consistent lineup of guitari ...

; January 9–10, 2010; live DVD ''Uroboros: With the Proof in the Name of Living... At Nippon Budokan''. *

An Cafe was a Japanese pop rock band formed in 2003 and signed to Sony Music Japan. Their visual image is Japanese street fashion#Oshare kei, oshare kei,''Shoxx Bis'' No 3 October 2004 issue, pg 69 and they describe their music as "Harajuku Dance-rock, ...

; January 14, 2010; King of Harajuku Dance Rock. *

Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida. The ...

; February 18, 2010; recorded live DVD '' Backstreet Boys: This Is Us Japan Tour 2010'' on the ''

This Is Us Tour The This Is Us Tour was the eighth concert tour by American boy band, the Backstreet Boys. The tour promotes their seventh studio album, ''This Is Us (2009)''. The tour reached Europe, Asia, Australasia and the Americas. The tour was the second a ...

''. *

Nico Touches the Walls Nico Touches the Walls (stylized as NICO Touches the Walls) was a Japanese rock band formed in 2004. The band members were: Mitsumura Tatsuya, Sakakura Shingo, Furumura Daisuke & Tsushima Shotaro. In the same year, they won the Lotte Prize at th ...

; March 12, 2010; "Walls is Auroras" LIVE. *

Polysics is a Japanese Techno/Electronic Music band from Tokyo, who dubs its unique style as "technicolor pogo punk". It was named after a brand of synthesizer, the Korg Polysix. The band started in 1997, but got their big break in 1998 at a concert in ...

; March 14, 2010; ''Budokan or Die!!!! 2010.3.14'' *

One Ok Rock (stylized in all caps as ONE OK ROCK) is a Japanese rock band, formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 2005. Originally five members, the band currently consists of vocalist Takahiro Moriuchi, guitarist and bandleader Toru Yamashita, bassist Ryota Kohama, a ...

; 2010; live DVD ''This Is My Budokan?!''. *

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

; February 26 & 27, 2011; ''

Speak Now World Tour The Speak Now World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and it was launched in support of her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). The Speak Now tour began on February 9, 2011 in Singapore and the to ...

'' *

; 2011;

Ai Takahashi (born September 14, 1986) is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Hello! Project and is best known as the leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project until 2011. She is also a former member of its popular subgroup Mini Mon ...

's graduation concert ''"Ai Believe ~Takahashi Ai Graduation Memory Special~''. *

F.T. Island F.T. Island ( ko, 에프티 아일랜드, or FT아일랜드, short for Five Treasure Island), is a South Korean rock band formed by FNC Entertainment in 2007. The band currently consists of main vocalist Lee Hong-gi, bassist Lee Jae-jin, and ...

; 2011; Live in Budokan 'Summer Mesengger Tour'. *

; 2011; live DVD ''Chemical Parade'' *

Vivid Vivid may refer to: Music * Vivid (band), a Japanese rock band * "Vivid" (song), by Electronic, 1999 *"ViViD", a 2016 song by Loona from '' HeeJin'' Albums * ''Vivid'' (Vivian Green album), 2015 * ''Vivid'' (Crystal Kay album), 2012 * ''Vivi ...

January 7, 2012; Take Off: Birth to the New World * Judas Priest; February 16 & 17, 2012; '' Epitaph World Tour'' *

2PM 2PM (; romanized; ''Tupiem'') is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung. Originally a seven-piece group, fo ...

; 2012; 2PM Six Beautiful Day Live in Budokan *

Milky Holmes is a media franchise owned by the Japanese trading card game company Bushiroad. The first release was an Internet radio drama, released in December 2009. An anime adaptation by J.C.Staff aired between October and December 2010, with ...

; 2012; ''Milky Holmes Live in Budokan'' *

Lee Seung-gi Lee Seung-gi (; born January 13, 1987) is a South Korean singer, actor, host, and entertainer. He has numerous hit songs as a singer such as "Because You're My Woman", "Will You Marry Me", "Return" and "The Ordinary Man". He has garnered furt ...

; 2012; First Japan Live in Budokan ''Kidou'' (Hope). *

T-ara T-ara (; ko, 티아라) are a South Korean girl group formed by MBK Entertainment in 2009, consists of four members: Qri, Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon. T-ara's career is marked by hook-heavy dance-pop music, a result of their close partners ...

; 2012; ''Live in Budokan'', recording of a concert performed as part of their Jewelry Box tour * Dream Morning Musume; March 10, 2012; ''Dream Morning Musume Special Live 2012 Nippon Budokan~Dai 1 Shou Shuumaku 'Yuusha tachi, Shuugou seyo *

U-KISS U-KISS ( ko, 유키스; ja, ユーキス) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2008. Their name is an acronym, standing for Ubiquitous Korean International Idol Super Star. The group's current lineup is composed of Soohyun, Hoon, Kiseop and ...

; 2012; live DVD '' U-KISS Live in Budokan''. *

; 2012;

Risa Niigaki is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a fifth-generation member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined Morning Musume in 2001 along with 3 others- Ai Takahashi, Asami Konno and Makoto Ogawa. She grew up in Yokohama after movin ...

and

Aika Mitsui is a Japanese singer. She is a member of Hello! Project and a former member of the J-pop group Morning Musume, joining as a member of the eighth generation from the audition in Japan during December 2006. Mitsui's audition process was documente ...

's graduation concert ''Ultra Smart''. *

Scandal A scandal can be broadly defined as the strong social reactions of outrage, anger, or surprise, when accusations or rumours circulate or appear for some reason, regarding a person or persons who are perceived to have transgressed in some way. Th ...

; March 28, 2012; ''Japan Title Match Live 2012: Scandal vs Budokan'' * Sonar Pocket; August 3, 2012; ''Sonapokeizm Special - Natsu no Jin - in Nippon Budokan'' *

Acid Black Cherry Acid Black Cherry (abbreviated as ABC) is the solo project of the former lead vocalist of Janne Da Arc, Yasu. The group was formed after Janne Da Arc announced their indefinite hiatus. Information Acid Black Cherry is the solo project of Yasunor ...

; 2012; "Live DVD Acid Black Cherry Tour 『2012』" * Princess Princess; November 23, 2012; '' Princess Princess Tour 2012: Saikai at Budokan'' *Ai; December 5, 2012; ''Independent Tour 2012 - Live in Budokan'' *

Spyair Spyair (stylized as SPYAIR) is a Japanese rock band from Nagoya, Japan, formed in 2005. The band currently consists of Yuji "UZ" Nakai (guitar, programming), Kenji "Momiken" Momiyama (bass guitar, leader) and Kenta Sasabe (drums). The band's nam ...

; December 18, 2012; *

; 2013;

Reina Tanaka is a Japanese singer and actress. She is the leader of the Japanese rock band Lovendor. From 2002 to 2013, she was one of the main vocalists of the girl group Morning Musume and participated in other music acts under the Hello! Project name. ...

's graduation concert, ''Michishige☆Eleven Soul'' * °C-ute; 2013; ''Queen of J-Pop ~Tadoritsuita Onna Senshi~'' *

; 2013; ''AKB48 Group Rinji Soukai "Shirokuro tsukeyou janai ka!"'' *

; 2013; '' T-ara Japan Tour 2013: Treasure Box'' *

; 2013; ''~Chance!~'' *

Berryz Kobo was a Japanese girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maasa Sudo, Y ...

; 2013; ''Berryz Koubou 10 Shuunen Kinen Budokan Special Live ~Yappari Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai~'' *

Group Research Students; 2013; ''AKB48 Group Kenkyuusei Concert ~Oshimen Hayai Mono Gachi~'' *

Super Junior KRY Super Junior (; stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band formed by Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment in 2005. They are also dubbed by the media as the "King of Hallyu Wave" due to their prominent ...

; 2013; Special Japan tour ''Super Junior K.R.Y. Special Winter Concert'' *

Mamoru Miyano is a Japanese actor and singer. He is best known for his roles on ''Steins;Gate'', ''Durarara!!'', ''Death Note'', '' Soul Eater'', ''Wolf's Rain'', '' Ouran High School Host Club'', '' Ajin: Demi-Human'', '' Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'', ' ...

; October 4, 2013; ''MAMORU MIYANO SPECIAL LIVE 2013 ～TRAVELING!～'' first male voice actor to uphold a one-man show in Budokan *

LiSA Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer * Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...

; January 3, 2014; ''Live Is Smile Always - Kyo mo Ii Hi Da - In Nippon Budokan'' * Avril Lavigne; February 4 and 5, 2014:

The Avril Lavigne Tour The Avril Lavigne Tour was the fifth concert tour by Canadian recording artist Avril Lavigne. The tour was supporting her fifth studio album, ''Avril Lavigne'' (2013). Beginning December 2013, the tour played over 78 concerts in America and Asia. ...

Babymetal (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrume ...

; March 1 and 2, 2014 ; '' Live at Budokan: Red Night & Black Night Apocalypse'' *

; March 8–9, 2014; ''Dum Spiro Spero at Nippon Budokan'' *Ai; March 26, 2014; ''Moria Gatchai Masita in Budokan'' * S/mileage; July 15, 2014; ''S/mileage Live 2014 Natsu Full Charge ~715 Nippon Budokan~'' * Junho (from

); August 12 and 13, 2014; ''"Feel" Solo Tour in Japan 2014'' * Dish; January 1, 2015 *

; January 10 and 12, 2015; ''LiVE is Smile Always - PiNK & BLACK - in Nippon Budokan'' * Silent Siren; January 17, 2015; ''Silent Siren Live Tour 2014–2015 Fuyu ~Budokan e Go! Siren Go!~ at Budokan'' * Oldcodex; February 11, 2015; ''"Capture" in Budokan'' *

; 2015; ''MAMORU MIYANO LIVE TOUR 2015 ～AMAZING!～'' final at Budokan *

Kalafina was a Japanese vocal group formed by composer Yuki Kajiura in 2007, mainly to perform theme songs for the anime ''Kara no Kyōkai'', but later expanded to include many other theme songs for other anime shows and films including the '' Madoka Mag ...

; February 28, 2015; ''Kalafina Live Best 2015 "Red Day"''. March 1, 2015; ''Kalafina Live Best 2015 "Blue Day"'' * The Gazette; March 3, 2015; ''13th Anniversary Nippon Budokan'' * Judas Priest; March 11, 2015; ''

Redeemer of Souls Tour The Redeemer of Souls Tour was a worldwide concert tour by English heavy metal band, Judas Priest, which was in support of ''Redeemer of Souls''. It was their first tour since the conclusion of the Epitaph World Tour in 2012, which was originally ...

'' * Kana-Boon; March 31, 2015 *

; May 27, 2015; ''~Gradation~''. * 己龍 (Kiryu); July 31, 2015 * Hatsune Miku; September 4–5, 2015; ''Magical Mirai''. *

Eir Aoi is a Japanese singer from Sapporo, Hokkaido, signed to Sacra Music. After being discovered through the Japanese video sharing website Niconico, Aoi made her major debut in 2011 with the release of her first single "Memoria", whose title track ...

; November 2, 2015; ''Eir Aoi Special Live 2015 World of Blue at Nippon Budokan'' *

Angerme , formerly , is a Japanese idol girl group from the musical collective Hello! Project, which originally consisted of four former Hello! Pro Egg (''Hello! Project'' trainees) members that left Egg in 2010 and became full-time members of ''Hello! P ...

; November 29, 2015, ''Angerme First Concert Tour 2015 Aki "Hyakka Ryouran" ~Fukuda Kanon Sotsugyou Special~'' *

; December 7–8, 2015; ''~Prism~''. * Dish; January 1–2, 2016; ''4 Monkey Magic''. * Wagakki Band; January 6, 2016; '' Wagakki Band Daishinnenkai 2016 Nippon Budokan: Akatsuki no Utage''. *

; January 12–13, 2016; ''SCANDAL ARENA TOUR 2015–2016 「PERFECT WORLD」'' *

; 2016; ''MAMORU MIYANO LIVE TOUR 2015-16 ～GENERATING!～'' final at Budokan *

; February 5–6, 2016; ''Arche at Nippon Budokan'' *

iKon iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019. Ini ...

; February 15–16, 2016; '' iKoncert 2016: Showtime Tour'' * Symphogear; February 27–28, 2016; ''Symphogear Live 2016'' *

YuiKaori was a Japanese idol group consisting of Yui Ogura and Kaori Ishihara is a Japanese voice actress and singer managed by Style Cube. She was formerly part of Up-Front Agency in which she was involved with Happy! Style and Team Dekaris. She was ...

; March 12, 2016; ''RAINBOW CANARY!! ～Brightest Stage～'' *

Shouta Aoi , is a Japanese singer and actor. Under the stage name Showta (stylized as "SHOWTA."), he debuted as a singer with the song "Negaiboshi" in 2006 and released his first studio album, '' Eve'', in 2008. In 2009, he left his agency and briefly relea ...

; March 13, 2016; ''Wonder Lab. ~Bokutachi no Sign~'' *

; May 26-27, 2016; ''Spring Live 2016, We’re Like A Puzzle @Nippon Budokan''
* Aya Uchida; August 13, 2016; ''AYA UCHIDA Complete LIVE 〜COLORS〜 in Nippon Budokan'' *

; September 16–17, 2016; ''Kalafina Arena LIVE 2016'' *

Queen + Adam Lambert Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

; September 21–23; '' Queen + Adam Lambert 2016 Summer Festival Tour'' *

Suzuko Mimori is a Japanese actress and singer. She is represented by HiBiKi Cast. She voiced Umi Sonoda in ''Love Live!'', Hikari Kagura in ''Revue Starlight'' and Asumi Fuurin / Cure Earth in '' Healin' Good Pretty Cure''. Her nickname is Mimorin. Biography ...

; October 27–28, 2016; ''Mimori Suzuko Live Tour 2016 "Grand Revue" Final at Nippon Budokan'' *

; November 4–5, 2016; ''Eir Aoi 5th Anniversary Special Live 2016 ～Last Blue～ at Nippon Budokan'' * My First Story; November 18, 2016; ''We're Just Waiting 4 You Tour 2016 Final at Budokan'' *

; February 7, 2017; recorded live CD/DVD ''Live in Japan 2017'' *

ClariS Claris International Inc., formerly FileMaker Inc., is a computer software development company formed as a subsidiary company of Apple Inc., Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) in 1987. It was given the source code and copyrights to several program ...

; February 10, 2017; ''ClariS 1st Budōkan Concert ~Futatsu no Kamen to Ushinawareta Taiyō~'' (ClariS 1st Budōkan Concert: Two Masks and the Lost Sun) *

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...

; February 14, 2017; ''Chateau de Versailles at Nippon Budokan'' * The Oral Cigarettes; June 16, 2017; ''Unofficial Dining Tour 2017 at Nippon Budokan'' *

Taemin Lee Tae-min (born July 18, 1993), better known mononymously as Taemin, is a South Korean singer, actor and dancer. He debuted as a member of the boy band Shinee in May 2008 and the supergroup SuperM in 2019, both under SM Entertainment, and ...

; July 1–2, 2017; ''TAEMIN The 1st Stage Nippon Budokan'' *

Blackpink Blackpink (, commonly stylized in all caps or as BLɅϽKPIИK) is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. The group debuted in August 2016 with their single album '' Square ...

; July 20, 2017, ''Japanese Debut Showcase'' * After the Rain; August 9–10, 2017; ''AtR -Clockwise / Anti-Clockwise-'' * Poppin'Party (''

BanG Dream! ''BanG Dream!'', also known as , is a Japanese music media franchise owned by Bushiroad. Created by Bushiroad president Takaaki Kidani in January 2015 with original story by Kō Nakamura, the project began as a manga before e ...

''); August 21, 2017; '' BanG Dream! 4th☆LIVE Miracle PARTY 2017!'' *

Aimer is a Japanese pop singer and lyricist signed to SACRA MUSIC and managed by agehasprings. Her name comes from the verb "Aimer" in French, which means "to love". Aimer uses the name aimerrhythm for lyrics credits. Debuted in 2011, she has relea ...

; August 29, 2017; '' Aimer Live in Budokan "blanc et noir"'' * Dream Theater; September 11, 2017;
Back to Budokan 2017
' *

; January 11–21, 2018; ''NANA MIZUKI LIVE GATE 2018'' *

; January 23, 2018; ''Kalafina 10th Anniversary LIVE 2018 at Nippon Budokan'' *

coldrain are a Japanese rock band from Nagoya, Japan, who were formed in 2007. The band combines melodic singing with screams typical of the post-hardcore genre. Although the band is Japanese, all of their songs are written in English. The lineup consi ...

; February 6, 2018; ''FATELESS JAPAN TOUR 2017'' *

Nogizaka46 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, created as the of the group AKB48. They are the first group from the Sakamichi Series, which also includes sister groups Sakurazaka46 (formerly Keyakizaka46), Yoshimotozaka46, a ...

; April 22, 2018; ''

Rina Ikoma Rina or RINA may refer to: __NOTOC__ People and fictional characters * Rina (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Kento Rina, Indian politician * Mahfuza Rahman Rina, Bangladeshi politician * Tongam Rina (born 1979), Indian journ ...

Graduation Concert @ Nippon Budokan (生駒里奈卒業コンサート＠日本武道館)'' *

Winner Winner(s) or The Winner(s) may refer to: * Champion, the victor in a game or contest *The successful social class in winner and loser culture Film * ''The Winner'' (1926 film), an American silent film starring Billy Sullivan * ''The Winner'' ...

; April 28, 2018; ''WINNER Japan Tour 2018 ~We'll always be young~'' * Mariah Carey; October 31 and November 1, 2018; #1's Tour (two sold-out shows) *

Maaya Uchida is a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for I'm Enterprise. She won the Best Rookie Actress Award at the 8th Seiyu Awards. She is best known for her roles such as Rikka Takanashi in '' Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions'', Ranko Kanzaki ...

; January 1, 2019; ''UCHIDA MAAYA New Year LIVE 2019「take you take me BUDOKAN!!」'' (sold-out concert) *

Ensemble Stars! is a Japanese game franchise developed by Cacalia Studio and published by Happy Elements K.K., the Japanese division of the Chinese company Happy Elements. It is a spin-off of the 2012 game ''Ensemble Girls!'' It was first released as a li ...

; January 13, 2019; ''Ensemble Stars! Starry Stage 2nd ～in Nippon Budokan～'' *

; January 28, 2019; ''Milky Holmes Final Live Q.E.D.'' * Janet Jackson; February 10 and February 11, 2019;

State of the World Tour The State of the World Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Janet Jackson. Launched in promotion of her eleventh studio album '' Unbreakable'' (2015), the tour is produced by Live Nation and is under the creative direction of Gil ...

(two sold-out shows) *

Aimyon is a Japanese singer and songwriter. She is from Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture. Her agency is ENS Entertainment, and her label is unBORDE under Warner Music Japan. Career Aimyon was influenced to become a singer-songwriter in part because ...

;February 18, 2019; ''Aimyon Budokan -1995-'' * Roselia, Raise A Suilen, and Poppin'Party (''

''); February 21–23, 2019; '' BanG Dream! 7th☆LIVE'' *

Inori Minase is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with Axl One. In March 2016, she won the Best Lead Actress Award in the 10th Seiyu Awards for her leading roles as Jun Naruse in the box office hit ''The Anthem of the Heart'' and as Yuki Take ...

; June 28–29, 2019; ''Inori Minase LIVE TOUR 2019 Catch the Rainbow!'' *

Official Hige Dandism , commonly abbreviated , is a Japanese pop band formed in Shimane, Japan in 2012 by Satoshi Fujihara (lead vocals, piano), Daisuke Ozasa (lead guitar, backing vocals), Makoto Narazaki (bass, saxophone, backing vocals) and Masaki Matsuura (drums, ...

; July 8, 2019; ''Official HIGE DANdism one-man tour 2019 @ Nippon Budokan''

2020s

* Wagakki Band; January 3–4, 2021; Daishinnenkai 2021 Nippon Budokan: Amanoiwato *

; 2021; 10 Babymetal Budokan *

Yoasobi Yoasobi (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese music superduo formed by Sony Music Entertainment Japan, composed of Vocaloid producer :ja:Ayase, Ayase, and singer-songwriter :ja:幾田りら, Ikura. Represented by the slogan "novel into music", th ...

; December 4–5, 2021; Nice to Meet You * Wagakki Band; January 9, 2022; Daishinnenkai 2022 Nippon Budokan: Yasoukenbunroku *

Momoiro Clover Z is a Japanese idol girl group, commonly abbreviated as MCZ or . The four members of MCZ are known for energetic performances, incorporating elements of ballet, gymnastics, and action movies. MCZ is notable for being the first female group to ho ...

; May 15, 2022; MOMOIRO CLOVER Z 6th ALBUM TOUR “Shukuten” *

Onew Lee Jin-ki (; born December 14, 1989), better known by his stage name Onew, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and host. Born in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do, Onew was discovered at the 2006 SM Academy Casting and signed a contract with S ...

; July 7-8, 2022; Onew Japan 1st Concert Tour ~Life Goes On~ * Lee Jun-ho; August 20-21, 2022; Lee Junho 2022 Fan-Con * Eve; August 29-30, 2022; Kaizin Live Tour

Other events

The

National Memorial Service for War Dead The is an official, secular ceremony conducted annually on August 15, by the Japanese government at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. The ceremony is held to commemorate the victims of World War II. The first memorial ceremony was held on May ...

is held with the attendance of the

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

, the

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

and the Empress annually in Budokan on August 15, the day of Japan's surrender. As well as holding the Live Concert in appreciation of the Popular Anime series Lucky Star: Live in Budokan (Anata No Tame Dakara). A concert was held in honor of

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Koganei, Tokyo."Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment". ''Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment''. Retrieved 2020-12-14. It is best known for its animated feature films, and h ...

's 25th anniversary at the Budokan, hosted by

. It included repertoire from most of the films Hisaishi composed for

Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films, and is widel ...

's Studio Ghibli filmography. Diana Ross performed and taped her "Here and Now" television special in 1991 to a sold-out audience. The

Japan Record Awards is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Until 2005, the show aired on New Year's Eve, but has since aired every December 30 on TBS Japan at 6:30 P.M JST ...

took place in the arena from 1985 to 1993 where all of the artists from around the country receive these awards. Muhammad Ali won a unanimous decision over Mac Foster in their 1972 heavyweight boxing match. On February 13, 1975, a religious gathering was held to hear Rev. Sun Myung Moon speak. On August 27, 2011, Japan's three biggest professional wrestling promotions;

and

came together to produce a charity event titled All Together at the arena. On August 10, 11 and 12, 2018

held the final 3 days of the

in the Budokan, which marked the first time in 15 years that New Japan has promoted an event there. New Japan once again returned to the arena for the final 3 days of the 2019 G1 Climax. New Japan also held the Best of the Super Jr. and

World Tag League The World Tag League may refer to any of the following professional wrestling tournaments held in Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Oc ...

finals in December 2021, as well as their 49th Anniversary Show and the final two days of the upcoming G1 Climax in 2021. Joshi wrestling promotion

World Wonder Ring Stardom World Wonder Ring Stardom (スターダム女子プロレス), often referred to simply as Stardom (stylized as ST★RDOM), is a Japanese '' joshi puroresu'' or women's professional wrestling promotion based in Tokyo, Japan. Stardom was founded i ...

held their All Star Dream Cinderella event on March 3, 2021. Making this the first time a joshi company to held a event in the venue in 24 years. Professional wrestler and legend in Japan

wrestled his final match in Budokan on May 11, 2013, at an event titled

Final Burning in Budokan Final Burning in Budokan was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by Pro Wrestling Noah, which took place on May 11, 2013, at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Headlined by the retirement match of Kenta Kobashi, all in all, the ...

. Kobashi is synonymous with the arena along with fellow wrestlers

Toshiaki Kawada (born December 8, 1963) is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), whom he worked for from his debut in 1982 up until 2008. In All Japan, he was a 5 time Triple Crown Heavyweight ...

and the late

. In November, the Budokan is a two day-venue for the annual Japan Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival, a yearly tradition and the nation's

military tattoo A military tattoo is a performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th-century Dutch phrase ''doe den tap toe'' ("turn off the tap"), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct innkeeper ...

first held here in the fall of 1963. Aside from JSDF bands, foreign armed forces military bands are also invited to join the event. The state funeral of

Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...

was held at the Budokan on 27 September 2022.

Other uses

The Nippon Budokan is the primary setting of the 1989 fighting game '' Budokan: The Martial Spirit''. Players train in various Japanese martial arts, and must then face off at the Budokan arena against computer-controlled opponents. A fictional concert hall based on the Nippon Budokan appeared in the

music video game A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs. Music video games may take a ...

'' Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock'' (2007) under the name " Kaiju Megadome". The Beatles' appearance at Nippon Budokan was featured in '' The Beatles: Rock Band'' (2009). Another fictional hall based on the Nippon Budokan appeared in the Japanese pro-wrestling video game '' Virtual Pro Wrestling 2: Ōdō Keishō'' (2000).

References

External links

Nippon Budokan official website

1964 Summer Olympics official report.
Volume 1. Part 1. pp. 128–30. {{Authority control Basketball venues in Japan Sports venues in Tokyo Culture in Tokyo Indoor arenas in Japan Music venues in Tokyo Dōjō Sports venues completed in 1964 Venues of the 1964 Summer Olympics Venues of the 2020 Summer Olympics Olympic judo venues Olympic karate venues Boxing venues in Japan Buildings and structures in Chiyoda, Tokyo 1964 establishments in Japan

Location

Venue history

Martial arts

Music

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Other events

Other uses

See also

References

External links