Highlights
- The farewell concert of pioneering woman conductor Midori Komai, with a one-time-only Hakuba Philharmonic Orchestra, on the 20th anniversary of her mentor Hiroyuki Iwaki's death
- A crowd-friendly program of European favourites — Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 (of Nodame Cantabile fame), Mozart's Marriage of Figaro overture and the Sleeping Beauty waltz
- In Hakuba, Nagano — the conductor's childhood home in the Northern Alps; doors 14:00, performance 15:00–17:00
Background & story
Midori Komai is one of Japan's pioneering women conductors — trained under maestro Hiroyuki Iwaki, chosen in conducting auditions across the United States, and later on the podium of the Sapporo and Kyushu symphonies, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. 2026 marks 20 years since Iwaki's death, and she is closing her career where her music began: Hakuba, the Northern Alps village where she grew up surrounded by her father's records and the sound of the mountains. She calls the concert a gift of gratitude — the culmination of a life in music, shared with the audience one last time.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- About 3 hours from Tokyo. By train, ride to Hakuba Station on the JR Oito Line (via the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano then a bus or limited express, or the Azusa limited express from Shinjuku); the hall is just behind the station. By car, roughly 180 parking spaces are available on site.
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- The concert ended on September 5, 2026. Tickets were ¥4,500 in advance and ¥5,000 at the door; sales on teket closed at 15:00 that day (checked 2026-10-11).
- Language
- The concert itself needs no language — it's an orchestra performance. The conductor's spoken talk between pieces is given in English as well as Japanese, so a translation app isn't necessary for that part.
- Good for
- music fans, culture seekers
Good to know
Kyowa Wing Hakuba Cultural Hall sits behind Hakuba Station: the organiser's access guide gives a 10–15 minute walk from the station (the route passes through a tunnel) and parking for 180 cars. The concert ended on September 5, 2026; applications for the official 2-night bus tour from Tokyo and registration for the pre-concert evening and alumni gathering are closed (checked 2026-10-11).
Frequently asked questions
- When and where is Midori Komai's farewell concert?
- Saturday, September 5, 2026 at Kyowa Wing Hakuba Cultural Hall (2066 Hokujo, Hakuba, Nagano). Doors open at 14:00 and the performance runs 15:00–17:00 (as of 2026-07-21).
- What's on the program?
- A crowd-friendly tour of European classics led by its centrepiece, Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major (famous from Nodame Cantabile), plus Mozart's Marriage of Figaro overture and the waltz from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty. The program is subject to change.
- How much are tickets and where do I buy them?
- Advance ¥4,500 / same-day ¥5,000; Nagano residents ¥3,500; junior- and senior-high students ¥2,000; elementary-age and younger free (a free seat ticket is needed if the child uses a seat). Buy online via teket (teket.jp/17830/67406); a post-event archive-streaming ticket is also sold there (as of 2026-07-21).
- Can classical-music beginners and families attend?
- Yes. The organizers say no prior knowledge is needed — it is meant as an experience, not a lecture. Elementary-age children and younger are free (lap-held infants free; otherwise a free seat ticket is required), and there is no dress code.
- Is there a tour, an eve gathering or an after-party?
- The Tokyo round-trip special bus tour, the September 4 pre-concert evening at the Hakuba Iwatake summit and the September 5 post-concert alumni gathering were all tied to the concert, which ended on September 5, 2026. The official site now states: “Registration for the pre-concert evening and alumni gathering is now closed.” (checked 2026-10-11).
