Japan Trip 2024 day 8: Sambomaster in Osaka-jo Hall

Kazama Shunsuke has become a morning talk show person. Same as Tanihara Shosuke. The program as about trendy items for Autumn. Zzzz.

Need to find name. Looks like it is マーシュ彩.

Typhoon no 14 going past Okinawa which is causing the incredibly hot weather for the rest of Japan. I think I mentioned I stressed I was before the trip watching Japanese news everyday about typhoons and earthquake warnings.  Kira was actually in Okinawa for the long weekend and she said it wasn't too bad. Forgot to mention that the first two weekends I was in Japan were long weekends!

I love playing Densha de Go! but this is not worth it...

Famicom tantei club apparently has good reviews. Did not end up buying.

Hanging around Kyoto station before going back to Osaka.

Went back, dropped my bags and took a local train to..

Shigino station where I have never been before.

When I was having yakitori with Yukimi, I said I would not mind having an omurice with demiglace sauce. And she said, do you know they have tonkatsu with demiglace and I said why have you withheld this very important information from me all these years? 

So I have come to Tonkatsu Hiroki.

I orders the Hiroki Mix which I think was a mistake. I really wanted to see how the demiglace goes with tonkatsu. Instead I git a bit of tonkatsu, kani cream croquette and a big prawn. But I should have gone tokujyou roast katsu instead. Oh well, maybe next time.

Off to Osaka-jo Hall for the main event of the first week, Sambomaster on the 20th anniversary live tour!

Planning Japan trips around concerts is hard because for small venues like live houses, the shows get announced 3 months in advance. Because this live tour was in big venues like Osaka-jo Hall and Budokan, I found out about it pretty early and ended up seeing Ulfuls and Imai Miki.

I regret not buying the Champion Sambomaster t-shirt. I was a bit put off by the price of $6000 but then it is definitely a good quality shirt. I really wanted the tour name and venues at the back of the shirt.

Noo, L size for the sold out t-shirt on the top right was sold out. Ended up buying the XL one. I love how the back of the shirt has all the venues of their last tour and a sold out stamp.

Next to the hall are a lot of food stalls. This was the Monday of the second long weekend.

Lo and behold, I saw my two favourite kanji words together, 鶏皮 aka chicken skin! 

There is a saying in Japan, ladies have a different stomach for sweets. I have a different stomach for chicken skin!

People taking pictures in front of Osaka-jo Hall with the logo.

People starting to line up.

Anticipation is in the air.

View from my seat. The good thing about big venues is that you have big screens to look at.

Very surprised when they started with 'Rock and Roll is not dead'. It is one of my favourite songs but it should be used for middle or end because it is one of the more energetic songs.

Very surprised best song Sekai wa sore wo ai to yobundaze was in the middle of the setlist. Everyone waved their phone with light on for Love Song. Hanataba made a suprisingly good last song.

Itoshikihibi does not make a good encore song and neither does Utagoe yo okore. Sambomaster probably sick of playing Rock and Roll is not Dead and Sekai wa sore wo as the last songs for so many years but it is better to finish a concert with the most energetic songs.

Bad photo walking back to station. The slogan for tour was Minna yuushou or everyone is a winner. Since this is Osaka, it turned into Aho yuushou or stupid people are winners. Funniest was when everyone was chanting aho aho at the band. The sound was not the best and neither was the set list but it was still great. There were 8000 fans and half of them were very young. Sambomaster has continued to thrive because it continues to attract young fans.