Osaka-jo Hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Osaka-jo Hall (sometimes referred to in full English translation as Osaka Castle Hall) is a large, multipurpose indoor arena in the Kyobashi area of Osaka, Japan. It is used for some sports, such as judo championships, and is popular for concerts with many international pop and rock music acts. Osaka-jo Hall is located in Osaka-jo Park near Osaka Castle, and is across a river from two other smaller concert halls.
The hall opened in 1983 and can seat up to 16,000 people. Built on a site area of 36,351 square meters, part of its form uses stone walls modeled after those of the Castle, and it won the Osaka Urban Scenery Architects Prize Special Award in 1984. The hall may be reached on a short walk from either the Osaka Business Park Station on the Osaka Municipal Subway Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line or the Osakajo-koen Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line.
Top-ranked Western musical artists such as Bruce Springsteen, U2, Foo Fighters, and Eric Clapton have played Osaka-jo Hall. Janet Jackson played there on three tours in the 1990s, while Mariah Carey played there on two tours in the 2000s. Japanese acts such as Dir en grey, Ayumi Hamasaki, Tokyo Jihen, and Janne Da Arc have played the hall as well. Each year upwards of 10,000 people come to the hall to participate in a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
