Ishida-gumi, the string ensemble led by Yasunao Ishida, continues its nationwide tour. On August 19, at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, the group performed three shows over two days, and even the second show, held on a weekday afternoon, filled every seat in the house.
Just days earlier, Ishida-gumi had wrapped up a major performance at Suntory Hall, yet the group's drawing power keeps growing beyond what's typical for the classical world. Where the Suntory Hall program drew on nationalist composers such as Janáček and Holst, deeply shaped by their own countries' folk music, the Opera City concert turned to Baroque-era concertos, the very root of classical music. Ishida-gumi's Baroque repertoire calls to mind the album "The Four Seasons," released three years ago, a recording that captured both Ishida's skill as a soloist and the ensemble's sure command as a group. In this program's concerti grossi and double concertos by masters such as J.S. Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi, the players shifted positions piece by piece, each searching out and shaping the expression the music called for. It was a performance that captured, with real sincerity, the depth and elegance unique to Baroque music, something only top-tier players leading the classical world could achieve.
The concert then shifted the stage to America with two newly added pieces, "The Big Country" and "Ashokan Farewell." Ishida's fiddle-like nuance in "Ashokan Farewell" was strikingly beautiful. What followed was a sudden turn to Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine," though "sudden turn" may not be quite right, since the melodic lines of all three pieces actually flow together almost seamlessly. That western, traditional, and hard rock music can all be performed within a single musical world may be a testament to the depth of classical music itself. Midway through the Guns N' Roses number, the lead was handed to violist Sachiko Suda, whose groove-filled solo built into a rise that felt like an introduction to the finale.
Next came Oasis's "Don't Look Back in Anger," a song that just about any Western rock fan in their 40s or 50s could sing along to. Losing yourself in Ishida's rendition of the vocal line, the first chorus is handed off to the full ensemble, a moment that recalls how Noel Gallagher would encourage the crowd to sing the chorus together at Oasis's own live shows. After Whitesnake closed out the main set, the group said, "We do have an evening show to get to, so we'll wrap up soon," and then delivered a full triple encore before the concert came to an end.
The audience rose to their feet, sending the performers off with a wave of applause, the first time a scene like that had been seen at Opera City. The repertoire familiar to longtime fans was saved for the encore, while the main set let Ishida-gumi show off expressions the group had never shown before. It's something one notices every time watching Ishida-gumi perform: their presence on stage that day had changed quite a bit from the last time. They will likely show a new side of themselves again the next time, too. Right now, Ishida-gumi feels like a group that needs to be heard in this very moment.
Even once summer ends, Ishida-gumi's tour continues. This year's tour highlight may well be the October 11 concert at Osaka Castle Hall. Two years have passed since that electrifying Nippon Budokan concert, and Ishida-gumi is finally set to take the stage at a venue that feels like it's been a long time coming. Budokan may have the edge in history, but Osaka Castle Hall is even larger in capacity, and on top of that, the audience will fill seats behind the stage and to its rear sides as well. Between the venue and the staging, this is sure to be a concert that could only happen in this hall. During the performance, Ishida does indeed seem to keep his awareness turned in every direction. The moments of one-on-one connection between Ishida and the audience that are bound to happen throughout the hall are something to look forward to.
Text: Koichi Kozaki / Photos: Takayuki Shimizu
Osaka Castle Hall Concert Overview
- Title: Ishida-gumi Osaka Castle Hall Concert
- Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026, 5:30 PM start (doors open 4:30 PM)
- Venue: Osaka Castle Hall
- Organizer: Kyodo Tokyo / Kyodo Osaka
Tickets
| Seat Type | Status | Adult | U17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S Seat | Sold Out | ¥12,000 | ¥6,000 |
| A Seat | Sold Out | ¥9,000 | ¥4,500 |
| Rear Seat | Sold Out | ¥10,000 | ¥5,000 |
| Rear Side Seat | On Sale | ¥8,000 | ¥4,000 |
This concert uses a 360-degree seating layout that includes the area behind the stage.
- Rear side seats view the stage from the side or diagonally behind.
- The staging and performers may be difficult to see from these seats.
Where to buy tickets:
- Kyodo Tokyo: https://tickets.kyodotokyo.com/ishidagumi-osakajo / 0570-550-799 (weekdays 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, weekends and holidays 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM)
- Ticket Pia: https://w.pia.jp/t/ishidagumi-os/
- Lawson Ticket: https://l-tike.com/ishida-gumi/
- CN Playguide: https://www.cnplayguide.com/ishidagumi/
- e+: https://eplus.jp/ishidagumi-os/
Inquiries: Kyodo Information, 0570-200-888 (12:00 PM to 5:00 PM; closed weekends and holidays)
Official website: https://ishida-gumi.jpnjp
Osaka Castle Hall Ishida-gumi Members
- Solo Violin: Yasunao Ishida
- 1st Violin: Soichi Sakuma, Shu Shioda, Tsutomu Yamagishi, Shuga Hayashi
- 2nd Violin: Sohei Birmann, Gen Takeuchi, Yosuke Niwa, Yasushi Goto
- Viola: Sachiko Suda, Yusuke Kinoshita, Masaki Shono, Taiki Suzumura
- Cello: Rei Tsujimoto, Makito Nishiya, Daisuke Kitaguchi, Keita Takagi
- Contrabass: Koichi Yonenaga, Nozomi Suganuma, Yoko Yanai
About Ishida-gumi
A string ensemble formed in 2014 at the initiative of violinist Yasunao Ishida. The group performs in a variety of formations depending on the program, with members drawn mainly from top-tier orchestra players active in the Tokyo metropolitan area whom Ishida trusts, assembled anew for each performance. Playing everything from classical works to film music and rock numbers with a different lineup each time, Ishida-gumi's concerts offer audiences a true once-in-a-lifetime encounter with music, earning it huge popularity across the country. The August 2023 Suntory Hall concerts, including an added show, sold out immediately for both of the day's two performances, and with a further added show also selling out, the group drew a record-breaking total of more than 6,000 people over two days, an unusual number for a classical act. On November 10, 2024, the group's 10th anniversary year, Ishida-gumi filled Nippon Budokan to capacity with 8,300 excited fans, a long-held goal. In December 2025, the group released a new album, "Ishida-gumi 2025 Winter." Ishida-gumi will perform at Osaka Castle Hall on October 11, 2026.
About Yasunao Ishida
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. He graduated at the top of his class from Kunitachi College of Music, receiving the Yatabe Award at the same time. After serving as concertmaster of the Shinsei Nihon Symphony Orchestra, he was appointed solo concertmaster of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra in 2001. Since then he has become "the face of the Kanagawa Phil," now carrying that responsibility as principal solo concertmaster. He has received the Kanagawa Culture Award Future Prize and the Yokohama Culture Award Culture and Arts Encouragement Prize. Since April 2020 he has also served as special guest concertmaster of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra (solo concertmaster since April 2025). Since April 2025 he has served as the third Producer in Residence at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall. Since December 2025 he has served as a Kawasaki City Citizen Culture Ambassador. His instruments are a 1690 G. Tononi and a 1726 M. Goffriller.
