YOASOBI Creates a Surreal World on Their Dream Stage at Its First Solo Tokyo Dome Show

In their first-ever dome tour, YOASOBI 5th ANNIVERSARY DOME LIVE 2024 “cho-genjitsu” (“SURREALISM”), YOASOBI performed at Kyocera Dome Osaka on October 26 and 27 and at Tokyo Dome on November 9 and 10.

Over the four days of the dome tour, commemorating the fifth anniversary of the group’s formation, they played to a combined total of roughly 170,000 people. The theme of the tour was “surrealism,” and, befitting the theme, the shows were packed with surprises that went above and beyond the real. The set list consisted of a total of 25 songs, ranging from their debut song, “Into the Night,” to their newest song, “New me.” The audience got to experience and enjoy the many different faces of YOASOBI, which has become one of the leading figures in the J-pop world. 

On the duo’s first-ever solo tour performance at the Tokyo Dome on November 9, the first eye-opener was the way they took to the stage. Shortly after the scheduled starting time, the YOASOBI logo appeared on the massive LED screen at the back of the stage, accompanied by a 10 second countdown. Massive monster claws ripped the logo apart, and gigantic hands appeared from the left and right sides, wrenching open the area above the stage so that Ayase and ikura could make their appearance. ikura shouted, “Welcome to the surreal! You think you can make it through all the way to the end, Tokyo?!” and the duo began playing “Seventeen.” Lasers flittered through the air, and the FreFlow remote-controlled lights that the audience wore on their arms lit up, drawing the 50,000 in attendance into a fantastic world.

Ayase and ikura, wearing monster-like down jackets, followed this up with “The Blessing.” They then descended, joining the rest of the band to perform two aggressive numbers, “Monster” and “UNDEAD.” Flames leapt from the stage, and the dome rang with the band’s vibrant playing and ikura’s spirited voice.

After introducing themselves again to the audience, Ayase shouted out, “We’re finally here, after dreaming of this for so long! We’re here in the Tokyo Dome!” They then played two endearing and cheery numbers, “Halzion” and “Mister.” The audience clapped along, and the duo waved at fans, left and right, enveloping the dome in a warm and welcoming mood.

For “Mou Sukoshi Dake” an urban scape of skyscrapers was revealed at stage left. In “Umi No Manimani” and “Comet,” stage right was decorated with a seaside set, complete with vending machines and benches. These sets, along with the scenery shown on the video screen, created a new world for each song. YOASOBI is a musical unit that produces music inspired by novels, and there is a story for each one of the songs they have released. Their shows, which depict the worlds of each and every one of their songs, feel almost like theme park attractions.

There was then a video retrospective of their spectacular five year history, such as their performances in the U.S. and in Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, where they played for the first time to a live audience. It ended with a look at the computer screen on which Ayase wrote “Probably” using Vocaloid. At center stage, a new set was revealed, showing the room where Ayase was living when he wrote the song. Surrounded by objects like a refrigerator and a microwave, Ayase sat at a low table, wearing headphones, while ikura sang the laid-back melody. The middle of the show gave the audience a sense of YOASOBI’s origins, here in this humble apartment. The two then performed “Haruka,” which was followed by an audience quiz using the FreFlow lights. Next, the two played their new song, “New me.” With this fresh, cheery song about starting a new life, it felt like the duo was setting off to a new start of their own.

The two left the stage, and the members of the band were introduced again: drummer Honogumo, bassist Hikaru Yamamoto, keyboardist Zaquro Misohagi, and guitarist AssH, all decked out in black suits. Each performed an energetic solo and talked about how they felt standing on the Tokyo Dome stage.

Then Ayase, also wearing a black suit, called out “Okay, now on to the second half!” and ikura, face covered with a veil, returned to the stage. They played “The Brave,” and then ikura started an a cappella rendition of “Tracing that Dream” before being joined by the rest of the band. The song and performance drew the audience in even deeper. During “RGB,” the crowd swung around their towels, excitement rising even further.

Then ikura told the audience, “We’re going to need all of your voices for this next one!” With that, YOASOBI launched into their smash hit, “Idol.” Cheers broke out when the intro began, and ikura sang at center stage, surrounded by child dancers, while Ayase hammered the drum pads. The heartfelt shouts of the 50,000-strong crowd, calling out “Oi! Oi!” rang through the dome. The venue was on fire. Beaming at the audience, Ayase said “Five years ago, I would have never believed that we’d be standing here at center stage, with cheering people all around us. This is truly wonderful. Thank you.”

He went on, reflecting on the past five years, “…but it wasn’t all wine and roses. There were hard times. There were times when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore.” He said that while there were times when he was happy, just as often, he felt intense loneliness. The turning point, he said, was when the group performed live. He talked about seeing the smiles on the faces of the people in the audience. And with that, YOASOBI began performing “Monotone,” a song about loneliness. Then ikura shared with the crowd the happiness she felt being able to play in the Tokyo Dome, a stage she had long dreamt of performing on. “I think what makes YOASOBI’s live shows great is our live team,” she said, and she thanked the staff who had worked together to create the stage’s sets, led by a desire to create worlds that nobody had ever seen before.

“We’re following the path we feel in our hearts,” she declared, and, her voice rich with deep-felt emotion, she performed “Encore” at center stage. For “HEART BEAT,” she shouted out to the crowd, “Let’s all raise our voices together!” and led a sing-along with the audience.

During “Love Letter,” a hot air balloon decorated like a monster rose from the rear of the stage. Ayase and ikura boarded the balloon, looking down at the audience and waving as they sang. During “Adventure,” the members rode go-carts around the arena, joining up at center stage. Then the child dancers performed again during “The Swallow,” and the group closed out the set with “Blue.” The 50,000 people in the audience came together as one, singing along in the grand finale as confetti fluttered down.

As calls for an encore resounded through Tokyo Dome, Ayase, ikura, and the rest of the band returned to the stage and performed “Butai ni Tatte.” ikura played a white electric guitar as she sang. As she sang the lyrics “Now I’m standing in front of the scenery I dreamed of,” she broke out in a huge smile. It was apparent that she felt that message as one that resonated deeply with YOASOBI’s own position.

Their final song was their debut song, “Into the Night.” The visuals on the screen behind them showed previous performances of the song, and this synchronization of past and present tugged at the audience’s heartstrings. The show ended to roaring cheers. Ayase and ikura took a photo to commemorate the event and then left the stage, but a palpable feeling of joy lingered in the air.

YOASOBI’s first solo Tokyo Dome show was filled with astounding and gorgeous performances. The final impression one was left with was that of the tremendous power of the duo’s music to enthrall so many listeners.

With this dome show, the two finally arrived at a destination they had long worked toward, but it was also a new starting point. From December until February 2025, they will be setting out on YOASOBI ASIA TOUR 2024-2025 cho-genjitsu, a seven-city tour of Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, and Jakarta. The Tokyo Dome show was a night that took expectations for the future of YOASOBI to an even higher level.

—This article by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan