Budokan
I made my first trip to the Budokan last night. The full name of the arena is Nippon Budokan, but it most people just say the Budokan. Even though the building is usually used for martial arts, it's also great for rock concerts. The Beatles played the Budokan in 1966, and the space has been used by many other groups, from Cheap Trick to Beyonce. It's a great space. The standing area on the floor is divided into roped areas, so that no one crowds the stage, although it's hard for me to imagine such behavior here. Most of the upper seating provides a good view of the show.
Beck was playing last night. We were lucky enough to catch the last show of his tour. The concert was amazing. The songs seemed to be a bit shortnened, but I'm not a fan of concerts that drag on. I'd rather hear a lot of songs, especially from someone whose career has been as long and productive as Beck's. On the stage behind the band was a puppet show that included a puppet version of each band member. The puppets came complete with a light show, all of which was projected onto a video screen behind the band. Japanese audiences are great. Some people in my group thought the audience was too reserved, but I like to see people dancing and genuinely enjoying the music without being obnoxious.
To get to the Budokan, you can catch the Tozai Line to Kudanshita. Walk in the direction of Yasukuni Shrine.
