The , often shortened to simply Pan Kōjō, is an

indoor arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

located in Kitahorie,

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

, Japan. It is being operated by

Giza Studio is a Japanese record label, music production company and music publisher based in Osaka, founded in 1998 by music producer Daiko Nagato. Giza's artists have provided numerous opening and ending themes for Anime television series such as Meita ...

, the only major record company and label in

Kansai region The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropol ...

. It was originally built for solely being a bakery cafe, one year after its establishment in 2003, it changed its main purpose of being live venue for the Kansai artist. A number of famous

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

and

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

acts from the same music company have played at the Pan Kōjō, including

Zard (stylized as ZARD) were a Japanese pop rock group, originally with five members, with lead vocalist Izumi Sakai as its only constant member. Izumi Sakai was also the band's core member. Zard's work was sold under the record label B-Gram Reco ...

B'z is a Japanese rock duo consisting of guitarist, composer and producer Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto and vocalist and lyricist Koshi Inaba,佐伯明『B'z ウルトラクロニクル』ソニー・マガジンズ、2003年。新型光�B'zはなぜ� ...

Mai Kuraki (born October 28, 1982) is a Japanese pop and R&B singer. After releasing her US debut single " Baby I Like" in 1999, Kuraki signed with Giza Studio and released her Japanese debut single " Love, Day After Tomorrow" in 1999. In 2000, she rele ...

Garnet Crow Garnet Crow (stylized as GARNET CROW) was a Japanese pop/rock band formed in 1999 and associated with the Giza Studio record label. Members included Yuri Nakamura (singer), Yuri Nakamura, Hitoshi Okamoto, Nana Azuki, and Hirohito Furui, with Nak ...

and

Sard Underground Sard Underground (stylized in all caps) is a solo project of Yua Shinno produced by Daiko Nagato. In September 2019, Sard Underground debuted as a musical group with their cover album ''Zard Tribute'' under the Giza Studio label. As a solo proj ...

Location

The Hills Pan Kōjō is located in

Kitanomaru Park is a public park in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, central Tokyo, Japan, just north of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is the location of the Nippon Budokan indoor sports and performance venue, the Science Museum, and the National Museum of Modern Art, T ...

in the

, three minutes' walking distance from Shinsaibashi subway Station, and soon after the leaving exit No.6 on the Yotsubashi Subway Station. The building is structured of 1 floor-entrance which leads directly to the downstairs. It has also 2 underfloors-B1 and B2. The B2 floor structure holds 300 people (floor seats: 100, standee: 200).

Venue history

Music

In 2001, was held the world's first internet live-performance stream of the concert titled ''GIZA studio R&B PARTY at the Hills Pankojo Kitahorie vol.1''. It was streamed by NTT communications. Only female vocalist took part of the session, including Mai Kuraki, Aiuchi Rina, Yuri Nakamura from Garnet Crow, Akiko Matsuda and Mami Miyoshi from Rumania Montevideo and Ami Matsunaga from The Tambourines. One year later in 2002, the full-length live footage has been released on DVD with the same title. On the open day 20 March 2003, they've launched series of the weekly live event "Thursday Live". On the open day, the rock-band Wag making the main appearance and Inaba Koshi from B'z make a special guest appearance. By next year in 2004, artist outside the music agency made stage appearance included Daigo Stardust and Fayray. All the concerts held at Pankojo were streamed at the "Flets Square" (operated by NTT) from July 17, 2003, in the western area of Japan and from May 2005 in the East Japan area until March 29, 2007. In 2009, the live session series title changed to Saturday Live and since the held irregularly. In 2013, the bakery cafe has been closed, the announcement was made through the Twitter status. The record for the most Pan Kojo music concerts is held by Shiori Takei, following Yumi Shizukusa and Utoku Keiko Artists that have made stage appearance from the venue include:

2000s

* Mami Miyoshi ( Rumania Montevideo) * Ami Matsunaga (

The★tambourines the★tambourines were a Japanese pop band signed to the Giza Studio label, active between 2001 and 2009. Members *Ami Matsunaga (松永安未) – vocalist, lyricist * Hiroshi Asai (麻井寛史) – bassist, composer, arranger *Toshikazu Kame ...

) *

* Akiko Matsuda ( Ramjet Pulley) * Aiuchi Rina * Wag *

Koshi Inaba is a Japanese singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock duo B'z, the best-selling music act in their native Japan. He also has a successful solo career, with six studio albums and ...

(B'z) *

Tak Matsumoto is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist and main composer of the Rock music, rock duo B'z, the List of best-selling music artists in Japan, best-selling music act in their native Japan by certif ...

(B'z) * Yumi Shizukusa *

Izumi Sakai , known professionally as , was a Japanese pop singer and core member of the group Zard. As Sakai was the only member in the group for the majority of the 16 years which it was active, Zard and Sakai may be referred to interchangeably. She was ...

(Zard) * Keiko Utoku *

* Yuri Nakamura (Garnet Crow) *

Hitoshi Okamoto is a Japanese guitarist, composer, arranger and the former member of the J-pop band Garnet Crow in years 1999 to 2013, as well as some of his own solo releases. Biography Since the release of Okamoto's 2010 solo album "Now Printing...", he has ...

(Garnet Crow) *

Aya Kamiki is a Japanese singer, actress and model. Her music ranges from pop, rock to R&B. She resides in Osaka, and is signed with Tokyo-based AVEX recording label. She is the vocalist of the rock band Uroboros and the rock duo Sonic Lover Reckless with ...

* Shiori Takei *

Aiko Kitahara is a former Japanese J-Pop, pop singer and songwriter under the Giza Studio label. Biography Aiko's interest in music was inspired by her mother's love for bossa nova and Latin pop, which have had a big influence on her songs. 2002-2003: Piec ...

U-ka Saegusa in dB was a Japanese pop rock band formed in Osaka in 2002. The band consists of lead vocalist U-ka Saegusa, lead guitarist Yūichirō Iwai, lead bassist Taku Ōyabu, and drummer Keisuke Kurumatani. Signed to Giza Studio, the band released four stu ...

* Daigo Stardust * Zyyg *

Fayray , (born April 18, 1976) stylized as FAYRAY, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She made her debut in July 1998 with the single "Taiyō no Gravity". She grew up in the United States and speaks English. Biography Fayray is the middle child of a fa ...

Hiroshi Asai (born 26 April 1978) is a Japanese arranger, musician and composer for the Giza Studio label. He is a former member of band ''The★tambourines''. Since 2012 he is a member of the instrumental band ''Sensation''.First headline news"Opened home ...

* Hayami Kishimoto *

Azumi Uehara is a former Japanese Porn actress and Japanese pop singer. Life and career Uehara debuted in 2001 with the song which was featured on the anime ''Detective Conan ''Case Closed'', also known as , is a Japanese manga series writte ...

* Akane Sugazaki *

Daisuke Ikeda is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently wrestling in the Independent circuit in Japan. Since debuting in 1993, Ikeda has worked for a number of promotions in Japan, including Battlarts, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah a ...

* Chicago Poodle * Saeko Ura *

Yoshinobu Ohga is a Japanese musical arranger and guitarist in distributors Being Inc., mainly in their label Giza Studio. In years 2000-2002 he was part of the Japanese soul band '' Nothin' but love'', in years 2004-2009 part of Japanese pop band ''OOM'' and ...

Ai Takaoka is a former Japanese pop singer and songwriter under the Giza Studio label. Biography Before her solo debut, Ai participated in the cover album " The Hit Parade" covering the song ''Sono Mama Kinisanaide'' (by ''Candies'') alongside Giza singer ...

Shane Gaalaas Shane Gaalaas (born August 8) is a Canadian-born drummer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter best known for his long running affiliation with Japanese rock superstars B'z, whom he joined in 2002, and his extensive work with guitar virtuosos Mic ...

2010s

Saasa is a Japanese singer. Between 2008 and 2013 she was under the recording label Giza Studio is a Japanese record label, music production company and music publisher based in Osaka, founded in 1998 by music producer Daiko Nagato. Giza's art ...

Marie Ueda is a Japanese singer-songwriter, height of 161cm. In 2008, she made Indies debut and in 2014 under Giza Studio label. In 2023, she departure from the agency Being and has resumed her activities as an independent singer. Biography Early life A ...

Aika Ohno Aika may refer to: Arts and media * ''Aika'' (album), a 1996 album by Finnish singer-songwriter Aki Sirkesalo *'' Agent Aika'', a 1997 anime OVA produced by Bandai Visual and Studio Fantasia * AIKA Online, an MMORPG * Aikakone or Aika, a Finnish ...

* doa * Natsuiro *

Takeshi Hayama is a Japanese musical arranger and guitarist under Being Inc. records. Biography In 1978, he debuted with his own blues band under Trio Records. In 1990s he entered to Being recording agency. Takeshi becomes the main arranger of Japanese sing ...

Natsuki Morikawa is a Japanese jazz singer under the Giza Studio is a Japanese record label, music production company and music publisher based in Osaka, founded in 1998 by music producer Daiko Nagato. Giza's artists have provided numerous opening and en ...

* U-ya Asaoka (

Field of View The field of view (FOV) is the angle, angular extent of the observable world that is visual perception, seen at any given moment. In the case of optical instruments or sensors, it is a solid angle through which a detector is sensitive to elec ...

) * Qyoto * Nori Shiraishi *

Akihito Tokunaga (born 22 September 1971) is a Japanese musician, composer and arranger. After making a name for himself working for Being Inc. in the 1990s, he has been signed to Giza Studio from 2000 until 2023. In 2004, Tokunaga formed the rock band doa (Japan ...

* Takuto * Rumania Montevideo

2020s

* All at once * Baad * Morphing people * The Black Candeez * Akihide (Breakerz) *Z Notes: *Datas of the 2000s artist were taken from the guide book ''THURSDAY LIVE: TRACKS OF THREE YEARS'' released in 2006. *Datas of the 2010s artist were taken from the WebArchived version of the official website *Datas include artist only once, not multiple times during various decades

Releases

Guide Book

CD/DVD

References

External links

Hills Pan Kōjō official website

old Hills Pan Kōjō official website

old Hills Bread Cafe official website

{{coord missing, Osaka Prefecture Culture in Osaka Indoor arenas in Japan Buildings and structures in Osaka 2002 establishments in Japan