Yokohama Arena
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Yokohama Arena (横浜アリーナ Yokohama Arīna?) is an indoor sporting arena located in Yokohama, Japan. It is a five minute walk from the closest subway station, Shin-Yokohama Station on the JR/Yokohama Municipal Subway. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The first SmackDown! world tour was held here. A number of famous concerts have been held here, including tour stops by The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, KISS, AC/DC, Mötley Crüe, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Destiny's Child, Janet Jackson, Beastie Boys, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Paula Abdul, Kylie Minogue, Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Beck, George Harrison, Kenny Rogers, Donna Summer, Cyndi Lauper, Chuck Berry, Queen, Avril Lavigne, Prince, and Green Day.
Besides these international groups, the Arena is also popular with many Japanese musicians. As one of the largest concert venues in the Kantō region, it is a frequent location for bands to end their tours. The spacious stage allows for more complex set design and lighting, but the reasonable size makes it easier to sell out than the Tokyo Dome. Among the Japanese groups that have performed here are Asian Kung-fu Generation, Gackt, GLAY, as well as Japanese mega star Ayumi Hamasaki.
