The anniversary concerts were split into two distinct nights: "Route A" on Day 1 led by bandmaster Katsutoshi Kitagawa (Guitar), and "Route B" on Day 2 led by bandmaster Shin Kouno (Keyboards), with different band members and almost entirely different setlists. Last year, fans voted to select their favorites from among 255 songs recorded over Sakamoto's 30-year career, and the top 15 were included on her best album "M30 ~Your Best~," released in October. Those top-voted tracks formed the core of the anniversary setlists, making the shows feel like a joyful retrospective of her career for the fans gathered over the two days.
Day 1's "Route A" show began with an opening S.E. featuring graphics of the "M30" lettering and a fantastical theme arranged by Kitagawa based on melodies from "Yakusoku wa Iranai" and "Platinum," followed by footage of a tour bus. This was an homage to her 2011 national tour "Maaya Sakamoto LIVE TOUR 2011 'You can't catch me'." As the bus "arrived" at the 2026 Ariake Arena, the opening number "eternal return" rang out just as brilliantly as it had then. When Sakamoto rose from the center of the stage, the 30th anniversary celebration began in spectacular fashion, with her powerful vocals riding the bright, breezy band sound that defines the Kitagawa band.
In her first MC, she candidly admitted with a smile, "Singing in front of this many people — it's insane!" bringing smiles to the crowd. She pledged, "Whether you've supported me for ages or are meeting me for the first time today, I want this to be a kind show that leaves no one behind." She delivered "Koucha" (Black Tea) with gentle yet refreshing tone, and during "birds" her stirring, emotional delivery was nothing short of stunning. On "Drops," she turned the mic toward the audience and the entire crowd sang along, completing a moment of music that existed only on this day.
During an MC she reflected wistfully, "Ever since I debuted as a singer, I've been terrible at appearing in front of people. Yoko Kanno used to say things like 'If you lack confidence, work harder.' I think my real beginning as Maaya Sakamoto came only after I left Kanno-san's wing." During a costume change, the video screen introduced the band members while they delivered a stunning instrumental featuring Kento Ougiya's (Keyboards) delicate phrasing, Kensuke Okuda's (Guitar) solo, and a fierce percussion battle between Yasuo Sano (Drums) and Yasushi Mohri (Percussion).
The show's late section delivered the top five fan favorites back-to-back: "Hikari Are," "Yakusoku wa Iranai," "Be mine!," "tune the rainbow," and "Platinum" — songs long cherished by her fans. She addressed the audience, "For these 30 years, I've worked hoping to bring even one more person a smile. From year 31 onward, I want to sing just for myself again." Near the end she performed "Tomodachi," the B-side of her 1996 debut single "Yakusoku wa Iranai," for the first time in a long while. She closed with "Pocket wo Kara ni Shite," playing a melodica while the audience waved flags and sang together. "Until we meet again — take care!" she said, leaving behind a warm, gentle, hope-filled stage.
Day 2's "Route B" followed the same opening S.E., this time with member names rising through outer space before the Earth appeared bound by blue and red ribbons spelling out "Gift" — a direct homage to her 2010 "15th Anniversary LIVE 'Gift' at Nippon Budokan," held on her 30th birthday. As the intro to "Gift" began, the layered elegance of Kouno's arrangement cast a different spell from the previous night. Sakamoto rose from center stage with a smile that took in the whole arena — another deeply moving opening.
As she had mentioned in pre-show interviews, "I wanted to divide the setlists based on each band's strengths." From the outset, Route B's selections — "CLEAR," "blind summer fish" — showed the Kouno band's color. After performing "Remedy," she recalled near tears, "I added this song to the setlist when we had to suspend my tour during the Great East Japan Earthquake. I still remember being unable to sing it during the Nagoya rehearsal sound check because I was crying." Many longtime collaborators were on stage across both nights, and her every song felt tinged with memory. She also apologized with a laugh that after learning guitar from Masato Ishinari (Guitar) for the 15th anniversary Budokan show, "I haven't played it since!"
Midway through Day 2, "Kiseki no Umi" was performed with rippling-water visuals and torchlight, with Haruna and ENA's harmonies adding to Sakamoto's crystalline vocal. "everywhere," arranged by Kouno himself, was elevated by strings from Trois Joie's Chieko Kinbara (Violin), Ayano Kasahara (Cello), and Takahiro Enokido (Viola). First released in 2010 as the first song Sakamoto wrote both lyrics and music for, it was delivered here at her 30th anniversary as proof of the musical world she has cultivated entirely by her own hand.
An instrumental "DIVE" showcased Tsuneo Imahori's (Guitar) plucked melody, followed by "Triangler" and "Hemisphere" with fireballs and laser theatrics, and then "Tokei" — faithful to the recorded version and genuinely goosebump-inducing. In the finale Top 5 corner, "Yakusoku wa Iranai" was delivered with gorgeous elegance, "tune the rainbow" felt like a song that has matured along with the affection poured into it by fans, and the closing "Platinum" saw Sakamoto sing with unmistakable joy.
Where Route A had paired "Chikai" with a video looking back across 30 years, Route B paired "Korekara" (From Now On) with a video looking forward — audience emotion peaking in both cases. "Thank you for meeting me," she said, scanning the arena. She drew laughter with, "Everyone who came to this show is, to me, an irreplaceable... acquaintance. Sorry I'm not the type who can call people 'friends'!" On the closing "Singer Songwriter," she walked the runway to the arena's center and sang proudly, "Because it isn't all fun, it's fun / Living is music." After a final eye contact with Sano (Drums), the band closed out in perfect sync.
"Maaya Sakamoto 30th Anniversary LIVE 'M30 ~Your Best~'" drew a total of 23,000 fans to Ariake Arena over two days. As she traced her career, there was a palpable joy in how "your favorite song" was handed to you one by one, each tied with a beautiful ribbon. For fans, songs that have accompanied daily life gained another happy memory over these two days. "As long as we live within the same score (world), the day will come when we play the same music again," she said — words that only someone who has spent 30 years with music could speak.
Text: Miki Ueno
Photos: Makoto Haneda
[Route A - Katsutoshi Kitagawa Band - Setlist]
eternal return / Magic Number / Loop / Koucha / Yucca / Yubiwa -single ver.- / Rule ~Iroasenai Hibi / birds / Drops / Chikai / Bike / Yakudou / Tokei / Hikari Are / Yakusoku wa Iranai / Be mine! / tune the rainbow / Platinum / Tomodachi / Get No Satisfaction! / Pocket wo Kara ni Shite
[Route B - Shin Kouno Band - Setlist]
Gift / Mameshiba / CLEAR / blind summer fish / Remedy / Kazamidori / Praline / Kiseki no Umi / Drops / everywhere / DIVE / Kaze ga Fuku Hi / Triangler / Hemisphere / Tokei / Hikari Are / Yakusoku wa Iranai / Be mine! / tune the rainbow / Platinum / Korekara / Singer Songwriter
■Official playlist from "M30 ~Your Best~"
https://maaya.lnk.to/30thlive
■30th Anniversary Special Video
https://youtu.be/g0N9ruySK6s
■30th Anniversary Best Album "M30 ~Your Best~" — On sale now
First Press Limited Edition (2CD+1BD) VTZL-261 / ¥6,600 (tax incl.)
Regular Edition (2CD) VTCL-60651~2 / ¥3,520 (tax incl.)
VOS Edition (2CD+1BD+30th Anniversary Original T-shirt) VTZL-261+FLDZY-20 / ¥9,900 (tax incl.)
Streaming: https://jvcmusic.lnk.to/m30yourbest
■"Tokei" — Theme song for the final chapter of mobile RPG "Fate/Grand Order"
Lyrics & Music: Maaya Sakamoto / Arrangement: Ryo Eguchi / String Arrangement: Ryo Eguchi, miri
Streaming: https://jvcmusic.lnk.to/Tokei
"Tokei" Music Video: https://youtu.be/fpjE6ZZWKTM
■Maaya Sakamoto Official Website "I.D."
http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/maaya/
■30th Anniversary Special Site
https://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/maaya/30th/
Search "M30 ~Your Best~" on Amazon
©FlyingDog, Inc. / Victor Entertainment