It wasn’t that long ago that the concept of “Hiroshima skipping,” which refers to major musical artists skipping over Hiroshima in favor of other regional cities, was drawing lots of attention on the Japanese news. This time, there’s been renewed interest in the “skipping” phenomenon after television network TV Aichi revealed that the number of live performances held in Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture, accounts for a relatively small percentage of total performances held throughout Japan despite Nagoya being Japan’s fourth most populous city.
According to a report from the All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference (ACPC), during 2023, 11,613 live concerts were held in Tokyo Prefecture and 6,002 were held in Osaka Prefecture. Those numbers comprise over 50 percent of all concerts held throughout the entire country. In contrast, 2,401 concerts were held in Aichi Prefecture, accounting for only 7 percent of the total.
▼ Nagoya at night
Further data sourced from Aichi Prefecture revealed that approximately 90 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 39 who moved from Aichi Prefecture to the Tokyo region expressed their desire for a lifestyle with easy access to “cutting-edge culture and the arts.” It was therefore speculated that “Nagoya skipping” was a major driving factor for this exodus of young people.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government has considered paying women to move out of the Tokyo area in an attempt to revitalize other areas of the country.
On March 13, the Central Japan Economic Federation published a report regarding the potential impact of the number of live performances on urban development in the central Japan (Chubu) region, for which Nagoya serves as the heart. Possible current reasons cited for artists to skip over Nagoya during their tours include a lack of large performance venues in the area and the ease with which it is to hop on a bullet train to the larger metropolitan areas of Tokyo or Osaka from Nagoya.
On the bright side, the opening of two new venues in Nagoya this year is bound to make the city more attractive to younger generations and in turn, stimulate the local economy. First, the Comtec Portbase concert hall opened in Nagoya’s Minato Ward on March 20. Second, the Aichi International Arena/IG Arena will open in Meijo Park, which surrounds Nagoya Castle, in July of this year with a seating capacity of 15,000. The Central Japan Economic Federation hopes to appeal to concert organizers to bring more musical performers to the city in order to attract younger crowds heavily engaged in oshikatsu fan activities.
We’d like to chime in that Nagoya has plenty of other popular destinations and activities to offer visitors. From the Ghibli Park to Legoland Japan Resort, giant food portions to coffee served from a stepladder, there are plenty of ways to make your trip to the area more than memorable.
Source: TV Aichi via Hachima Kiko
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- What is “Hiroshima skipping” and why does it have many music and idol fans in Hiroshima upset?
-- People willing to move away from Tokyo to be paid one million yen by Aichi government
-- Japan travel tip: Skip Nagoya hotel breakfast, hit up one of the town’s awesome morning buffets
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2025/03/22/is-nagoya-skipping-a-leading-cause-of-the-exodus-of-young-people-from-the-city/
8 Comments
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Negative Nancy
I went to an academic conference in Nagoya last year and it was very difficult to secure a decent hotel room owing to a concert going on somewhere. It felt like the infrastructure couldn't cope with more than one large event in the same weekend.
In truth, the problem is that its a comparatively short shinkansen ride away from Osaka and Tokyo. I feel for the people who don't have access to those larger cities.
grund
True. The major artists coming to Nagoya are usually the ones whos career peaked some years ago. The ones I can remember from recent times are Sting, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, The Offspring, and Funkadelic. All great artists, but perhaps not on an upward trajectory career wise.
falseflagsteve
I go to Nagoya quite often, find it jolly good fun, however the subway system is not so good and main line to center from the JR station is always ruddy well jammed packed.
Only been to one gig there ever and that was to see The Damned a year ago because the Osaka gig had sold out, lol.
藤原
i lived in Nagoya when I first came to Japan. between 2006 and 2011. it was a very nice city and enjoyed it while I was there. The summers especially 2007 were brutal. After I moved to Kyoto which I really enjoyed but I grew tired of city life and moved to Ishikawa in 2016 and have been living there ever since. I often visit Nagoya in the fall and sometimes in the spring I often visit Atsuda jingu, Sakae, and sometimes take Meitetsu to Toyohashi and Toyokawa Inari shrie when I am there.
tora
As if being famous for having giant food portions and coffee served from a stepladder would attract people to Nagoya....
Sanjinosebleed
Seems like Nagoya is not popular amongst most Japanese people I know unless they are from there.
All the Tokyoites and Osakaites can’t think of anywhere worse to go…I am sure it’s fine in reality but when the stigma is there it is hard to remove…
dokshinshatcho
I love Nagoya people , and Nagoya women.. I wish there were more chances to meet them at a concert or music lounge ...I should'nt have to go to Tokyo to meet them .. Bring on more entertainment in Nagoya .
Iki masho !
Tim Sullivan
I like "miso katsu". People from Nagoya have a reputation for being "ketchi" (stingy). Where does that come from?