20,000 seat K-Arena Yokohama opens for first performance

Described as the world’s largest dedicated music arena, the 20,000-capacity K Arena Yokohama opened in the Japanese city on Friday with a performance from local band Yuzu.

Developed by real estate company Ken Corporation as part of the city’s new waterfront Music Terrace complex, the venue occupies a total floor space of over 110,000 metre² with its 20,000 seats spread across four tiers in addition to a standing area in front of the stage.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for any type of concert, including high-quality sound systems and flexible seating.

It also features a 40 metre-wide VIP lounge in the lobby, plus VIP box seats and a seventh floor bar and lounge that can seat up to 400 people that looks out across the city, and is open to concert-goers and the public to relax and socialise over drinks.

The arena’s environmental credentials will see renewable energy used as the power source for live concerts. District heating and cooling will also be used to save energy with a concentrated set of heat source facilities. It also uses stored rainwater.

With Ken Corporation anticipating a total of three million annual attendees, the opening weekend saw Yuzu stage a double-header of performances on Friday and Saturday as part of a wider ‘Grand Opening Series’, which will run until December. Overall, the developer expects the venue to host 150 events each year,

The arena is located next door to the Hilton Yokohama hotel, which opened on 24th September.

Images: Exterior and interior of the new K-Arena Yokohama. Credit: Ken Corporation.