The Hibiya Live Performance Award took place on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya (Yurakucho, Chiyoda). The award is designed to discover emerging artists and promote the appeal of live performance.
Five judges participated, including chief judge and stage director Amon Miyamoto, entertainer Yu Shirota, Shoji from dance performance group s**t kingz, violinist Emiri Miyamoto, and music unit Perpins. Opened with a performance by Perpins, the event featured nine finalists who took to the special stage at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya in front of an audience and judges in an open adjudication. Following rigorous judging, the Grand Prix was awarded to ON, of the genre known as "Four Arms" (四腕).
Recipients will receive a range of support programs, including domestic and international stage experience, a special talk with Yu Shirota, and collaboration opportunities with music unit Perpins.
Grand Prix: ON Takes Top Honor with "Four Arms" Performance
After intensive judging, the Grand Prix was awarded to ON, whose original stage showcased a distinctive expression called "four arms" — using four arms to seemingly extend the physical possibilities of the human body, drawing both the audience and judges into the performer's unique world. Judges cited ON's overwhelming originality and high level of completion, as well as a performance that combined humor and impact, signaling the potential for further development and new forms of expression.
Profile
ON / Genre: Four Arms
An artist who works with four arms as a medium of expression. ON began performing clown work during student years, where they also encountered juggling and pantomime. During the same period, they joined theater and contemporary dance groups, working on pieces using objects based on juggling techniques. As a culmination of these experiences, ON developed a performance using four arms — simultaneously the performer's own body and an object — and continues to explore techniques and expressions free from genre constraints.
Chief Judge Amon Miyamoto's Comments
"I watched more than 200 performances, including video submissions, and every participant had real talent — it was genuinely difficult to choose a Grand Prix winner. Among them, Grand Prix winner ON had an unmistakable ability to convey how deeply they had thought about an expression no one had attempted before. It made me feel that 'humans have this much fascinating potential.' I hope that everyone who performed today will go on to thrive."
Special Talk with Yu Shirota
As one of the award benefits, Grand Prix winner ON was given the opportunity for a special talk with judge Yu Shirota. Their conversation ranged across topics including the possibilities of entertainment aimed at a global audience and what it means to be a performer.
Strategy and spontaneity in live performance
During the talk, ON revealed the thinking behind the Grand Prix performance. Observing the high technical skill of the other competitors, ON made the deliberate decision to avoid a battle of pure technique, instead choosing a stripped-down, simple structure. Rather than matching movements to music, ON focused on capturing the atmosphere in the room and responding to the reactions of the audience and judges in real time — building expression spontaneously, placing strong emphasis on a sense of "liveness." Shirota agreed, noting that "thinking about how you want people to feel is crucial," and praised that approach to reading and absorbing the moment as the essence of live performance.
A winner with sights set on the world
ON spoke about future ambitions: "Because this expression doesn't rely on words, I want to bring my performance to many different places around the world." The motivation for global expansion came through clearly, and ON's reflective approach as a performer was also evident: "I observe my own body objectively as I search for new expressions."
Yu Shirota's hopes for the next generation
Moved by ON's extraordinary talent, Shirota said: "From Hibiya to the world — I want this performance to reach every corner of the globe." He also expressed the personal hope that ON would one day return to the award as a special judge. Shirota himself has been increasingly active behind the scenes in directing and producing, and shared his vision: "I want to create original entertainment born in Japan and bring it to the world." He offered encouragement to ON with the words: "Stay true to your beliefs, hold on to what you love, and make the most of your individuality" — and spoke of wanting to be someone who supports the dreams of the next generation of performers, having been given so much support in his own career.
About the Hibiya Live Performance Award
The Hibiya Live Performance Award's defining feature is that finalists perform live on the main stage of HIBIYA LIVE FESTIVAL, an entertainment festival drawing approximately 500,000 or more visitors each year. Judging focuses not only on the quality of the work, but also on expressions born in the moment, the atmosphere created with the audience, and the "liveness" that only a live stage can deliver — to identify Japanese talent ready to take on the world.
The award builds on Tokyo Midtown Hibiya's track record supporting emerging artists under the "NEXT Artist" program, and now advances to a new stage focused on live performance — expression that can only emerge in a single fleeting moment.
Organizer: Tokyo Midtown Hibiya / WM Inc.
Planning & Production: WM Inc.
Official website: https://www.hibiya.tokyo-midtown.com/live-performance/finalist/
HIBIYA LIVE FESTIVAL 2026
Dates: Saturday, April 25, 2026 – Sunday, May 31, 2026
Organizer: Hibiya Area Management Association / Tokyo Midtown Hibiya
Supported by: Arts Council Tokyo [Arts and Culture Attraction Creation Grant] (applicable program: Step Live)
Endorsed by: Chiyoda City
Overview: HIBIYA LIVE FESTIVAL 2026 has evolved into a full-scale urban entertainment festival, delivering the excitement of live experience through performances across many genres and a wide range of programs. The lineup includes "Step Shows" featuring musical, opera, and ballet performances enjoyed free of charge in the open air, "Step Lives" by accomplished artists, as well as jazz and marching band music concerts.
Official website: https://www.hibiya.tokyo-midtown.com/hibiya-live-festival/
Official X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/hibiyafestival
HIBIYA FES CHANNEL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR40B9BK-oyQT4si4slhJPg
