Hikawa Kiyoshi's First Lead Performance Since Resuming Activities, 'Hikawa Kiyoshi Special Performance,' Concludes Grand Finale at Hakataza in Fukuoka, Hikawa's Hometown!
Singer Hikawa Kiyoshi's first lead performance in three and a half years, 'Hikawa Kiyoshi Special Performance,' toured four cities and held its grand finale at Hakataza in Fukuoka, his hometown. The two-part show featured a historical drama and an enka-centric concert, showcasing deep interaction with fans.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 03:00
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Hikawa Kiyoshi's first stage performance since resuming activities, 'Hikawa Kiyoshi Special Performance,' concluded its grand finale on April 30th at Hakataza in Fukuoka, Hikawa's hometown. The tour began at Meijiza in Tokyo (January 31st to February 18th), then moved to Misonoza in Aichi (March 6th to 18th), Shin-Kabukiza in Osaka (April 10th to 19th), and finally Hakataza in Fukuoka (April 25th to 30th), spanning approximately three months across four cities. He celebrated the finale in his hometown, where he had lived until he was 18, with a full house of fans and a heart full of emotion.
This performance, his first lead role in a stage play in three and a half years, consisted of two parts. The first part was a historical drama titled 'Shirokumo no Shiro' (White Cloud Castle), inspired by his representative song of the same name, which he had performed three times at the 'Kohaku Uta Gassen.' The second part was a concert, returning to Hikawa Kiyoshi's roots, focusing on enka, but also including new songs like 'Hodo Yoi Sake' and 'Tabi de Gozansu Ojarumaru,' as well as rock and pop, presented in a special theatrical arrangement.
The historical drama 'Shirokumo no Shiro' in the first part tells the story of Arakawa Tadamasa (Tomomi Maruyama), a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Sengoku period, who becomes the lord of Kamiya Castle in Tajima Province. His younger brother, Yoshitsugu (Hikawa), is a peace-loving, relaxed character who, despite his aversion to war, listens to the voices of the people and brings peace to the territory through water management projects. However, when attacked by the Kurobe clan and forced into an unfavorable siege, Yoshitsugu attempts a bold strategy to break the deadlock. This story is filled with Hikawa's own thoughts, as he often says, 'Entertainment also expresses 'peace',' portraying Yoshitsugu as a man who fought for peace with his life. Hikawa himself tweeted on SNS, 'Each day, I grow to like and love Araki Yoshitsugu more,' immersing himself in the role and evolving with each passing day.
Together with a deluxe cast including Saburo Ishikura, Tomomi Maruyama, W-cast Wakako Shimazaki and Shoko Nakajima, Shigenori Yamazaki, and Natsuhi Ueno, the audience, spanning a wide range of generations, enjoyed tears and laughter. The lively banter and ad-libs with co-stars conveyed the camaraderie within the company.
When Ueno, playing Princess Kiku, performed the shamisen alongside Hikawa's singing, the beautiful harmony was palpable, changing the atmosphere of the venue. Throughout the play, Hikawa appeared in drastically different costumes and atmospheres many times, and his thorough method acting clearly captivated the audience, drawing them in. Particularly concerning Miyama Tennyo, who is central to the story, everyone must have been surprised by the drastic transformation. Many fans likely saw Hikawa's own personality reflected in Yoshitsugu, who appears free-spirited at first glance but is always thoughtful and proactive towards everyone.
After a 35-minute interval, the second part of the concert began with 'Hito Aru ga Mama' (As People Are), which is also the concert's title. The audience was illuminated by a vibrant array of colorful penlights and fans. Hikawa then delivered a dignified rendition of 'Shirokumo no Shiro,' followed by a generous performance of familiar songs like 'Hakone Hachiri no Hanjiro' and 'Oi Okkake Otojiro.' He then cheerfully and smilingly sang his newly released digital single, 'Tabi de Gozansu Ojarumaru.' True to his words, 'Releasing pop works has made me deeply appreciate the goodness of enka anew,' he performed about 20 songs with an enka-centric setlist, showcasing Hikawa's charm and power.
The day was a full house. Hikawa greeted the assembled fans with 'Ureshikabai' (I'm happy, in Hakata dialect), and that day he thoroughly enjoyed conversing with the audience in 'native' Hakata dialect. One of the highlights of this concert was a medley corner featuring famous songs by Hibari Misora and Saburo Kitajima. In the finale, he performed six songs in a medley, including Hibari Misora's 'Tokyo Kid' and 'Ai Sansan.' The audience's excitement surged with his overwhelming expressiveness and magnificent singing.
Standing on his hometown stage, Hikawa once again expressed gratitude to his family, saying, 'I received a lot of love from my grandparents and parents.' With feelings of gratitude for Fukuoka, Hikawa wrote and composed 'Genkai Tamashii,' which incorporates a verse from the Hakata celebratory song 'Iwai Medeta,' and sang it wholeheartedly in his hometown. He then performed 'Abare Kaikyo,' a 'neo-enka' song whose lyrics reflect his current feelings, composed by his close friend Naoto Kine (TM NETWORK). The main part concluded with 'Hodo Yoi Sake,' his latest song, saying, 'It's filled with many words I want to deliver to the Reiwa era.' The audience also enjoyed the choreography together.
For the encore, 19 actors from the first part appeared for 'Kiyoshi no Zundoko Bushi' and 'Party of Monsters.' They performed a flawless group dance, entertaining the audience with a splendid stage. The applause for an encore did not subside. Hikawa reappeared, saying, 'It was my first theatrical performance in about four years, and I felt pressure. But thanks to the sincerity of the audience and the 500 staff members who worked for this performance, I was able to complete it.' He expressed gratitude to all the fans who came from all over the country and all the staff involved in the stage. He then invited his mentor, Hideo Mizumori, who had come to the grand finale and was watching from the audience, onto the stage. Mizumori said, 'I have been watching Hikawa Kiyoshi since he was 18.
This performance, his first lead role in a stage play in three and a half years, consisted of two parts. The first part was a historical drama titled 'Shirokumo no Shiro' (White Cloud Castle), inspired by his representative song of the same name, which he had performed three times at the 'Kohaku Uta Gassen.' The second part was a concert, returning to Hikawa Kiyoshi's roots, focusing on enka, but also including new songs like 'Hodo Yoi Sake' and 'Tabi de Gozansu Ojarumaru,' as well as rock and pop, presented in a special theatrical arrangement.
The historical drama 'Shirokumo no Shiro' in the first part tells the story of Arakawa Tadamasa (Tomomi Maruyama), a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Sengoku period, who becomes the lord of Kamiya Castle in Tajima Province. His younger brother, Yoshitsugu (Hikawa), is a peace-loving, relaxed character who, despite his aversion to war, listens to the voices of the people and brings peace to the territory through water management projects. However, when attacked by the Kurobe clan and forced into an unfavorable siege, Yoshitsugu attempts a bold strategy to break the deadlock. This story is filled with Hikawa's own thoughts, as he often says, 'Entertainment also expresses 'peace',' portraying Yoshitsugu as a man who fought for peace with his life. Hikawa himself tweeted on SNS, 'Each day, I grow to like and love Araki Yoshitsugu more,' immersing himself in the role and evolving with each passing day.
Together with a deluxe cast including Saburo Ishikura, Tomomi Maruyama, W-cast Wakako Shimazaki and Shoko Nakajima, Shigenori Yamazaki, and Natsuhi Ueno, the audience, spanning a wide range of generations, enjoyed tears and laughter. The lively banter and ad-libs with co-stars conveyed the camaraderie within the company.
When Ueno, playing Princess Kiku, performed the shamisen alongside Hikawa's singing, the beautiful harmony was palpable, changing the atmosphere of the venue. Throughout the play, Hikawa appeared in drastically different costumes and atmospheres many times, and his thorough method acting clearly captivated the audience, drawing them in. Particularly concerning Miyama Tennyo, who is central to the story, everyone must have been surprised by the drastic transformation. Many fans likely saw Hikawa's own personality reflected in Yoshitsugu, who appears free-spirited at first glance but is always thoughtful and proactive towards everyone.
After a 35-minute interval, the second part of the concert began with 'Hito Aru ga Mama' (As People Are), which is also the concert's title. The audience was illuminated by a vibrant array of colorful penlights and fans. Hikawa then delivered a dignified rendition of 'Shirokumo no Shiro,' followed by a generous performance of familiar songs like 'Hakone Hachiri no Hanjiro' and 'Oi Okkake Otojiro.' He then cheerfully and smilingly sang his newly released digital single, 'Tabi de Gozansu Ojarumaru.' True to his words, 'Releasing pop works has made me deeply appreciate the goodness of enka anew,' he performed about 20 songs with an enka-centric setlist, showcasing Hikawa's charm and power.
The day was a full house. Hikawa greeted the assembled fans with 'Ureshikabai' (I'm happy, in Hakata dialect), and that day he thoroughly enjoyed conversing with the audience in 'native' Hakata dialect. One of the highlights of this concert was a medley corner featuring famous songs by Hibari Misora and Saburo Kitajima. In the finale, he performed six songs in a medley, including Hibari Misora's 'Tokyo Kid' and 'Ai Sansan.' The audience's excitement surged with his overwhelming expressiveness and magnificent singing.
Standing on his hometown stage, Hikawa once again expressed gratitude to his family, saying, 'I received a lot of love from my grandparents and parents.' With feelings of gratitude for Fukuoka, Hikawa wrote and composed 'Genkai Tamashii,' which incorporates a verse from the Hakata celebratory song 'Iwai Medeta,' and sang it wholeheartedly in his hometown. He then performed 'Abare Kaikyo,' a 'neo-enka' song whose lyrics reflect his current feelings, composed by his close friend Naoto Kine (TM NETWORK). The main part concluded with 'Hodo Yoi Sake,' his latest song, saying, 'It's filled with many words I want to deliver to the Reiwa era.' The audience also enjoyed the choreography together.
For the encore, 19 actors from the first part appeared for 'Kiyoshi no Zundoko Bushi' and 'Party of Monsters.' They performed a flawless group dance, entertaining the audience with a splendid stage. The applause for an encore did not subside. Hikawa reappeared, saying, 'It was my first theatrical performance in about four years, and I felt pressure. But thanks to the sincerity of the audience and the 500 staff members who worked for this performance, I was able to complete it.' He expressed gratitude to all the fans who came from all over the country and all the staff involved in the stage. He then invited his mentor, Hideo Mizumori, who had come to the grand finale and was watching from the audience, onto the stage. Mizumori said, 'I have been watching Hikawa Kiyoshi since he was 18.