Yuming Travels Through Time to Osaka
Yumi Matsutoya brings THE WORMHOLE TOUR to Festival Hall in Osaka, exploring five decades of music and an AI-inspired encounter with her younger self.
What happens when one of Japan’s most celebrated singers meets her younger self? Yumi Matsutoya, affectionately known as Yuming, explores that question in THE WORMHOLE TOUR 2025–26, a theatrical journey through more than five decades of music. On December 8 and 9, 2026, the legendary singer-songwriter returns to Osaka’s Festival Hall for two performances that bring together her past, present, and imagined future.
The inspiration comes from her 40th original album, Wormhole / Yumi Arai, an ambitious project that uses artificial intelligence to recreate elements of her youthful singing voice. Matsutoya debuted in 1972 under her birth name, Yumi Arai, before becoming one of Japan’s defining pop artists. The album imagines a conversation between those different musical identities, but onstage, Yuming performs the material herself.
The production turns that concept into a theatrical experience. Reports from the tour’s November 2025 opening describe Matsutoya emerging through a simulated wormhole, accompanied by a live band and a program spanning different periods of her career. Earlier performances have featured beloved songs including Hikoki-gumo, Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara, and DESTINY, although individual selections may change.
Her music has become part of Japan’s cultural memory. Hikoki-gumo and Rouge no Dengon reached new generations through Studio Ghibli films, while her songwriting helped shape the sound of Japanese popular music across decades. Her songs remain familiar to listeners who may not even recognize the name behind them.
Osaka has become a recurring destination for this ambitious tour. Matsutoya has scheduled eight Festival Hall performances across four visits, beginning in November 2025. The December concerts mark her fourth engagement at the Nakanoshima venue.
At 72, Yuming continues exploring new creative territory while remaining firmly in command of her own stage. THE WORMHOLE TOUR offers an unusual opportunity to experience a Japanese music icon reflecting on the voice she once had—and celebrating the artist she has become.
A Journey Through Time – Yuming explores five decades of music in a theatrical concert.
The Wormhole Experience – Creative staging brings her past and present together.
AI Meets Music – Her latest album explores an AI recreation of her younger voice.
Beloved Japanese Classics – Enjoy music from the artist behind generations of Japanese hits.
An Osaka Favorite – Yuming returns to Festival Hall for her eighth performance of this tour.
Photos: Universal Music Japan / PR TIMES
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Maps
Contact
Opening Hours
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
VENUE
Festival Hall
ADDRESS
2-3-18 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka
TRAINS
- Keihan Nakanoshima Line → Watanabebashi Station: Exit 12, approximately 5 minutes on foot. Underground access to Festival Hall is available.
SUBWAYS
- Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line → Higobashi Station: Exit 4, approximately 5 minutes on foot.
FROM CENTRAL OSAKA
- From Namba: Take the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line from Namba Station directly to Higobashi Station, then walk to Festival Hall. Allow approximately 15–20 minutes overall.
- From Osaka/Umeda: Take the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line from Nishi-Umeda Station to Higobashi Station, then walk to Festival Hall. Allow approximately 10–15 minutes overall.
Festival Hall occupies the Nakanoshima Festival Tower, with its main concert entrance above street level. Follow the signs for Festival Hall rather than the office tower.
SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2026
Doors Open: 17:30
Concert Begins: 18:30
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2026
Doors Open: 17:30
Concert Begins: 18:30
Both performances take place at Festival Hall in Osaka’s Nakanoshima district.
These concerts are part of FORUM8 presents THE WORMHOLE TOUR 2025–26, a nationwide production exploring different periods of Yumi Matsutoya’s musical career.
The December engagement is the tour’s fourth visit to Festival Hall, following performances in November 2025, April 2026, and October 2026.
An official finishing time has not been announced.
TICKETS
TICKET PRICES
- SS Reserved Seats: ¥15,500
- S Reserved Seats: ¥11,000
Prices include tax. Additional ticketing fees may apply.
SS seats occupy the front five rows, excluding the outermost seats. Benefits include a commemorative gift and priority access to a designated merchandise purchasing line.
ELECTRONIC TICKETS
All admission uses electronic tickets through the Ticketpla smartphone application.
Purchasers must have a compatible smartphone and complete the required identity verification. Screenshots and printed confirmations cannot substitute for a valid electronic ticket.
For two-ticket purchases, the purchaser and accompanying guest must enter together.
TICKET SALES
The published general-sale period for the December Osaka concerts runs through November 29, 2026, at 23:59, subject to availability.
A published sales period does not guarantee that tickets remain available. Check the authorized seller for current inventory.
OFFICIAL TICKETING
Tour Information:
https://yuming-wormhole.jp/tour
Ticket Pia:
https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventBundleCd=b2561802
Kyodo Osaka:
https://www.m-kyodo-osaka.jp/search/detail/11440
AGE RESTRICTIONS
Children younger than three cannot attend. Children aged three and older require tickets.
IMPORTANT FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS
The Ticketpla app, smartphone requirements, and identity verification may complicate purchasing for visitors without Japanese mobile services. Confirm eligibility and app compatibility before paying.
Do not purchase unofficial resale tickets without first checking whether the organizer permits ticket transfers.
THE EXPERIENCE
THE WORMHOLE TOUR combines Yumi Matsutoya’s extraordinary musical history with a theatrical concept inspired by time travel. The production draws on her latest album, which uses artificial intelligence to explore the sound of her younger voice, while Yuming herself performs live.
WHAT TO SEE & DO
- Enter the Wormhole: Earlier performances have featured a theatrical entrance through a simulated wormhole, establishing the concert’s time-travel theme.
- Hear Yuming Live: Despite the album’s AI experiments, Matsutoya sings the material herself rather than performing alongside an artificial version of her voice.
- Explore Five Decades of Music: The program draws from different stages of her career, connecting her early recordings with newer compositions.
- Rediscover Familiar Songs: Earlier tour performances have included Hikoki-gumo, Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara, and DESTINY, although the Osaka setlist may differ.
- Experience the Live Arrangements: A supporting band brings Yuming’s distinctive blend of pop, folk, and sophisticated songwriting to the stage.
- Enjoy Festival Hall’s Acoustics: The Nakanoshima concert hall provides an intimate theatrical setting compared with the large arenas and domes used by many Japanese pop tours.
The result is a concert about musical memory and reinvention, with one of Japan’s most enduring artists exploring her past while continuing to create something new.
INFO & TIPS
ARRIVAL
Doors open at 17:30, one hour before the scheduled performance. Allow time for electronic ticket checks and finding your seat.
SMARTPHONE REQUIREMENTS
Install the Ticketpla app and complete the necessary registration and identity verification before arriving.
Bring your charged smartphone and ensure your electronic ticket is accessible. Printed confirmations and screenshots are not valid admission tickets.
COMPANION ENTRY
For purchases covering two people, the purchaser and companion must enter together. Arrange to meet before approaching the ticket gates.
MERCHANDISE
SS-ticket holders receive priority access to a designated merchandise purchasing line during specified periods. This benefit does not guarantee that particular items will remain in stock.
ACCESSIBILITY
Festival Hall provides wheelchair-accessible facilities and designated wheelchair seating.
Visitors requiring wheelchair accommodation should contact the organizer before purchasing to confirm seating arrangements and availability.
Festival Hall Official Website:
https://www.festivalhall.jp/
GETTING THERE
Festival Hall is accessible from both Watanabebashi and Higobashi stations. Underground connections are particularly convenient during rainy weather.
CONTACT INFO
Osaka Promoter: Kyodo Osaka
Telephone: 0570-200-888
Official Osaka Concert Information:
https://www.m-kyodo-osaka.jp/search/detail/11440
Official Tour Information:
https://yuming-wormhole.jp/tour
