Masayoshi Takanaka is coming to London (UK) next year...?!

2025-08-14

A few days late to this in terms of writing, but- HO. LY. SHIT. WHAT!!!

In a recent interview with Mikiki (Tower Records), he confirms that London (UK, sorry Canada...!) is going to be a location as part of his World Tour 2026 performance. Alongside Sydney (Australia); Melbourne (Australia); Shanghai (China); Beijing (China) and four other cities in the United States. No further details have been revealed. Venues, tickets and the like etc. I do hope they also consider a show in South America! Lots of Brasilian influence in his albums. Plus it would be lovely to hear Takanaka whip out his phone and say a few words in Brasilian Portuguese to fans there!

To say I'm hyped for this is an understatement. I found out on the 8th of August thanks to a Japanese friend of mine mentioning me on Twitter with the words "HE'S COMING TO LONDON". I had to re-read it a few times before embarking in the article linked. I turned on the machine translator to English and skimmed the article. Eyes prancing to find a particular letter starting with L.

And there it was. Under the translated section titled:

You've already received a lot of offers to perform live from overseas, haven't you?

- Masayoshi Kondo (interviewer)

Takanaka confirms right there and then:

The details haven't been announced yet, but what's pretty much confirmed is four cities in the US, London, Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, and last time we only went to Shanghai in China, but this time we'll also be going to Beijing."

- Masayoshi Takanaka

As someone who's never been to London before (I may be the only Scottish person who's hasn't been there yet). I'm planning out some financial stuff right now for it in terms of how much I need saved up. I've got a fair few in my savings, but I really hope I can snag a ticket. I'm in the official paid fanclub (and have been for over a year), I need to see him live in person...! It'll be my only chance to see him ever. Alongside that, doing the whole booking a hotel in another part of the country and other fun things like that. (Exchanging my Scottish tender for "legal" tender, bastards...!). I want to meet up with some fans before and afterwards and hear their stories about how they discovered Takanaka's works.

To be honest, I don't really leave my town often, so this will be an experience for me that will turn into a core memory. Might even make a dedicated blog post about my adventures there, we shall see. As long as I can get a ticket, it will become a reality.

And yes, my K.K. Slider plush will be coming along too, obviously! I cannot wait.