Japan 2017: RADWIMPS Human Bloom Tour 2017 Finale in Nippon Budokan

Note: It has been more than 2 weeks since it happened. I tried remembering all the details but I am only human. I don't have super-photographic memories plus my limited ability in Japanese disabled me from understanding most of the things said during the concert. However, I had a really great time, and it was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Due to some technical error, I was not able to receive digital tickets to the concert. So we had to be at Nippon Budokan an hour earlier than door-opening time, at 5.00 pm.

It was a rainy day, as forecasted. However closer towards the concert time, the rain kind of slowed down.

Went up the escalator this time at Exit 2 of Kudanshita Station. :P

We had to register at the entrance and as the buyer I needed to produce any sort of photo identification so I gave my passport. The staff that attended to me was able to speak English. When he saw my passport he was like, “Wow Malaysia.” 

Maybe there were no other Malaysians at the tour? :P

entrance where they will scan the QR code version of the tickets, which were sent to mobile phones

Anyways, I think this is where they should improve the ticketing system. Other than my name, they didn't ask for any other proof of purchase, for example my order number (which I got after submitting my lottery application) or the credit card number I used.

So imagine if there was another person with my name!

#horrified

I was then given a slip and was asked to return to the entrance at 6.30 pm to exchange with the real tickets.

A lot of flower bouquets were displayed at the entrance. These were from the staff of 100万円の女たち, the drama which Yojiro Noda (vocalist) is currently starring in and from Lily Franky, his co-star in the drama, and also his co-star from the movie, トイレのピエタ (Pieta in the Toilet).

So we just killed time walking around at the park. At about 6.15 pm we started walking back to the entrance and saw everyone started entering the hall.

people started going into the hall

I look like I'm scheming something evil in this photo wtf

We lined up for a short time and got our tickets!

Ok I was a little disappointed when I saw 2F, because I kept wishing to be at 1F or anywhere SUPERNEAR to the stage LOL #greedy

Our block on the west side was not too bad actually, we were at Yusuke Takeda (bassist)’s side. The stage and audience occupied only like half of the hall.

my superexcited face. I can't even pose for photos anymore because I was nervous!

The staff was tuning the instruments and one even played 25コ目の染色体 on one of the guitars so I got excited and hoped that it will be performed!

At 7 pm, the lights went out and the opening music began, prompting the audience to stand and started clapping to the beats. Colourful lasers started moving around and the band appeared behind a screen monitor with Lights Go Out. Our location enabled us to see them behind the screen. Mid-song Yojiro went up to play the piano in the middle of the drummers, and returned to the front to finish the song.

Then they played 夢灯篭 (yumetourou = Dream Lantern), the opening song for Your Name (君の名は). The middle monitor went up and the band was visible to all!

I couldn’t help but crying. I knew it was too soon, but I just couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t believe that I was watching RADWIMPS. It was such an emotional night for me. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN I WATCHED UVERWORLD the first time in Fukuoka!

Then they continued with 光 (hikari = Light), another favourite of mine!

They played most songs from 人間開花 (ningen kaika = Human Bloom) except for ‘I’ Novel, 週刊少年ジャンプ (shuukan shonen jampu = Weekly Shonen Jump), 記号として(kigou to shite = Like A Symbol), and ヒトボシ (hitoboshi = Human Constellation).

Other than that they also played some old songs such as 05410-(ん), アイアンバブル (Iron Bible), セツナレンサ (setsunarensa), おしゃかしゃま (oshakashama), DADA, ます。(masu) and 君と羊と青 (kimi to hitsuji to ao).

Yojiro spoke the most during this concert, although Yusuke and Akira Kuwahara (guitarist) had their moments too. I never thought Yojiro to be such a funny person. He had so many weird dance moves and some looked like he was doing silat! He played with his hair a lot too.

He was actually very adorable on stage. I’ve always thought he wouldn’t talk much and not smile much but he was like a happy kid.

During one of the breaks, he even told the audience that it was the best time to go to the toilet. And then he saw someone going after a while and he was like, “going now? are you sure? ok ok we’ll wait” but he did say that they can’t let the time overrun because Nippon Budokan is very strict with time. “When it’s time to stop, you gotta stop”.

Someone in the audience asked “好きな人 (person you like)?” and he was saying something like “it’s hard” and etc. We didn’t get to hear proper answer because suddenly a guy screamed “愛してる (I love you)!”

I tell you the male audience was way more aggressive than the female hahaha

Akira and Yusuke played Bring me the morning before Yojiro took over with デート(Date) (I have no idea whether it was that or デート2 or 三葉のテーマ (Mitsuha’s Theme) actually, but you get my drift lah) on the piano, also one the songs from Your Name, which made me cry again. Then he started the first few chords for スパーケル (Sparkle) and I continued crying.

It was beautiful. It was touching. It made me sad. It made me long for so many things. It made me long for love.

Ok that was embarrassing.

RADWIMPS have a lot of songs about love, so it’s hard not to think about that subject (or how my life is currently lacking from it haha)

It was fun singing along to 前前前世, the song which started my interest in the band. The claps, the “oh oh oh oh”s.. and they performed the original version so the last verse before the last chorus, Yojiro came to the middle and sang!

セツナレンサ was so cool! They emphasized on the effects through the screen monitors, where the live videos of the band where given visual effects I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO EXPLAIN THIS haha #sorrynotsorry

DADA and おしゃかしゃま were equally awesome too! As usual he ended DADA with “よくできました (Good job)！” which I just had to shout along! (Learnt it from watching their live videos haha)

Before 君と羊と青 started, they did the usual “heyyyyy hooooo” but after two times Yojiro just kept quiet for a moment. He made himself look like he was unsatisfied so the audience began chanting “もう一回! もう一回! (again! again!)” He threatened to end the concert (I don’t think he has the heart too though) if everyone would stay unenthusiastic haha

Then he repeated again and the fun song started. At the end they repeated the main chords again as usual! Very funny because they kept saying they wouldn’t do it because it was tiring. Yusuke even put up his hands to show that they were shaking!

The first set ended with 告白 (kokuhaku = Confession), which is supposed to be a marriage proposal-ish kinda song, but Yojiro took some time to share his thoughts about life, mankind and etc. before the song. He promised to continue making music for the future. I didn’t understand much but I felt his sincerity while addressing the audience.

His voice was so beautiful during the song. Plus I love how the piano had some moving constellation effects during the song.

They went off stage and the audience started singing もしも (moshimo), a song which made them won Yokohama High School Music Festival and sort of kick-started their career. It was so sweet of the fans. I paled in comparison to these people I must say. But it’s okay. It doesn’t make me less a fan. My sister told me to take the lead for the Singapore live but.. hmm..

Shy ba.

During that time, the staff set up a set of keyboards at the middle of the stage and then Yojiro came out alone. He thanked the audience for the encore and asked permission to sing some songs. He also requested the audience to turn on the mobile phone lights and also the lights at the backdrop, turning the hall into a sky full of stars.

Then he played the first song, which was トレモロ (toremoro = Tremolo) which caught me by surprise! Because Tremolo is a fast song and it turned out so beautiful with just his vocals, keyboards and the lights. After that he asked if he could sing a song that he wrote (for other people). In my heart I silently screamed 蝶々結び (chouchou musubi = butterfly knot), a song he wrote for Aimer and appeared at the last verse. His vocals are different than Aimer’s so he brought out a subtle side of it. I cried (shy shy shy) when he sang the last verse:

この蒼くて広い世界に　無数に　散らばった中から
別々に二人選んだ糸を　お互いたぐり寄せ合ったんだ
結ばれたんじゃなく結んだんだ　二人で 「せーの」で引っ張ったんだ
大きくも　小さくも　なりすぎないように　力を込めたんだ
Among the millions scattered in this blue wide world
The two of us separately picked a thread and pulled it to ourselves
The knot wasn't tied, we did it ourselves with a "one, two, three"
So that it doesn't get too large or too small
We put our strength to it

Because this was the verse that made me love the song, apart from Aimer’s voice.

As his final song alone, he requested for an acoustic guitar and sang another oldie but goodie, 夢番地 (yumebanchi).

Then the other members and the two drummers came out and they performed いいんですか？ (iindesuka), which was fun to clap and sing along too. When they performed なんでもないや (nandemonaiya), I was caught off guard again, because I never expected them to perform it! My sister said Yojiro looked like he was about to cry..

It was actually a great song to end the show, but then Yojiro said they will perform the last song (for real), a song requested by someone in the audience when he was playing his solo set.

WHICH WAS 有心論 (yuushinron)!

MY FAVOURITE SONG!

I was so happy that I hit my sister’s arm in excitement! LOL

It was such a happy moment because it was my dream to sing along to that song! I let myself loose that night!

A good ending it was.

Then they came to bow at the centre (a very long bow) before leaving the stage.

When we got out of the hall, the clock tower showed 10 pm.

WOW. It was an almost 3-hour show! It did felt longer than the UVERworld and ONE OK ROCK concerts I’ve attended.

Anyways, I was happy, I couldn’t stop smiling. I hummed some tunes while leaving the area.

Honestly, I told myself that would be the first and last time I would be watching RADWIMPS since they performed 有心論 (because I want to focus on watching UVERworld next) BUT since they did not perform サイハテアイに or 洗脳 which I think will sound awesome live, and some other favourites of mine (25コ目の染色体, me me she, セプテンバさん and many more!), I felt like I’ll be watching them again.

I mean I will be watching them again early next month in Singapore, so…

Thank you RADWIMPS.

Thank you Human Bloom Tour 2017.

Like Yojiro said before ending the show:

また会おうね！