"National Stadium Opening Event" Cultural, Sports, and Music Content 60,000 Celebrate Completion (Video Available)

The event featured content in the themes of "Culture," "Sports," and "Music," with athletes and artists closely connected to the stadium appearing in each segment.
Freelance announcer Rio Hirai served as MC, while special supporter Shuzo Matsuoka energized the venue.

The event opened with a powerful performance by the taiko drumming group "Kodo," leading into the "Culture Part" featuring the "Tohoku Kizuna Festival." The Kizuna Festival included summer festivals from the six prefectures of Tohoku (Akita Kanto Festival, Morioka Sansa Dance, Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, Fukushima Waraji Festival, Sendai Tanabata Festival, Aomori Nebuta Festival). For 45 minutes, approximately 600 dancers performed on trucks, showcasing performances just like the real thing.

Following this, a marching band commenced its procession. Behind them, a celebratory parade formed, featuring residents, students, athletes, and representatives from local businesses – all individuals with ties to the region.
The Kizuna Festival originated from the "Tohoku Rokkon Festival," held annually from 2011 to 2016 in each of the six Tohoku prefectures in turn, to commemorate the victims of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and pray for reconstruction. It has continued as the Kizuna Festival since the following year.

During the first "Sports Part," soccer legend Kazuyoshi Miura (J.League Yokohama FC) made his entrance under the spotlight. Miura, who holds the record for most goals scored at the National Stadium, wore a specially designed uniform based on his Japan national team kit and performed the important role of stepping onto the grass pitch for the first time.
As Miura began dribbling the ball, the crowd erupted in cheers. The excitement reached its peak when he finally kicked the ball into the spectator stands.
Also present to celebrate the stadium's completion were Michael Leitch, Ryoto Nakamura, and Shiro Tanaka from the Japan national rugby team, which made history by reaching the quarterfinals for the first time at the Rugby World Cup Japan.
Miura stated, "I'm thrilled to participate in this ceremony at such a magnificent stadium and to have been entrusted with this important role. Let's all work together to make this sacred place a source of courage."
Reach and the others expressed gratitude for the support received during the World Cup, offering congratulations: "We hope Olympians and Paralympians will achieve the best results possible in this stadium from now on."

[Video and images below provided by JSC]

 

The second half kicked off with the first "Music Part" act: a special live performance by DREAMS COME TRUE (DCT). DCT passionately performed three of their hit songs: "Kessen wa Kin'yobi" (The Decisive Battle is Friday), "OLA! VITORIA!", and "Nando demo" (Over and Over). Yoshida Miwa addressed the crowd, saying, "Today, though it's a short time, I want to share this joy with you all. You are the opening babies of the National Stadium," drawing huge cheers. DREAMS COME TRUE became the second act in history, following SMAP in 2007, to perform a "National Stadium Live."
The music segment concluded with a dazzling performance by the idol group Arashi. Arashi holds the record for the most performances by an artist at the National Stadium. The five members rode around on specially designed trolleys, performing a special medley of "Love so sweet," "Happiness," "A・RA・SHI," and "BRAVE," sending the audience into a frenzy. The members commented, "This will be a lifelong memory," "It's thrilling to think that many legends will be born here," and "I believe it will become a place of aspiration for both athletes and artists."

The sports segment concluded with "ONE RACE," humanity's first mixed-team track race. Athletes transcending able-bodied/disabled and gender boundaries formed specially mixed teams. Four teams of six competed in an exhibition race covering 1200 meters (200 meters × 6 runners).
Participants included track legend and gold medalist Usain Bolt, alongside para-athletics gold medalists and world record holders like Hannah Cockcroft and Mar van Rijn. From Japan, Olympic representatives Asuka Cambridge, Yoshihide Kiryu, Shota Iizuka, and Para athletes Momoka Muraoka and Saki Takakuwa. They formed two teams each: Japan Select and World Select. The first to fourth legs of the two World Select teams ran on tracks in Paris and Los Angeles, the host cities for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics. With the cooperation of the NTT Group, the races were synchronized in real time, creating a single unified race.
When the baton was passed to anchor Bolt of the World Team "BLUE," the venue erupted in loud cheers. However, the winning team was the Japan Team "RED," featuring Asuka Cambridge, Saki Takakuwa, Shota Iizuka, and others.
Bolt stated, "It was a wonderful and incredibly happy experience. Since I won't be running in the Tokyo Olympics, this was a very precious and special experience for me."

For the event finale, the popular duo "Yuzu" appeared as surprise guests. Yuji Kitagawa said, "To celebrate the completion and wish for the great success of the Tokyo Olympics, I'd be happy to sing this song with everyone," leading the audience in a grand chorus of "Bridge of Glory," the NHK theme song for the 2004 Athens Olympics. The venue reached its ending amidst the swaying light of smartphones held aloft by the audience, serving as penlights.

The stadium will host its first sporting event since its new construction on January 1, 2020: the "Emperor's Cup JFA 99th All Japan Soccer Championship Tournament" (Vissel Kobe vs. Kashima Antlers).