Japanese pop star Takuya Kimura drew fans across two sold-out nights at the Taipei Music Center for his first solo overseas tour, ELLE reported.
Kimura brought his TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2026 Checkpoint to Taiwan on November 13 and 14 for his first solo concerts in the region after a 35-year career, according to GNN News Network. Organizers surprised the singer on his 54th birthday during the November 13 opening night as the audience sang happy birthday.
Organizers displayed a digital flame effect on the big screen for 54 candles because the venue permitted no open flames, NOWnews reported. Kimura sampled a strawberry from the cake on stage, NOWnews reported. He joked that the dessert was too small to share with 5,000 attendees and carried the entire cake backstage to share with his crew.
Kimura wore a white diamond-studded suit and leopard-print shirt to offer a 90-degree bow to thank Taiwan for its aid during Japanese natural disasters, Yahoo News reported.
Whenever disasters strike Japan, people extend help at the first moment, Kimura said, Yahoo News reported. “I want to represent Japan and say a really big thank you to everyone.”
Kimura arrived at the venue and wondered if anyone was waiting because of the initial quiet from the audience, Mirror Media reported. He invited a front-row male fan onto the stage. He recalled mistaking fans’ overhead heart gestures for monkey imitations during a 2015 tourism video shoot with director John Woo, Japaholic reported.
Kimura wore a double-denim outfit combining a plaid shirt with jeans from Levi’s when arriving at Taipei Songshan Airport on November 12. His travel wardrobe featured a limited-edition jacket and 501 jeans modeled after 1942 prototypes created with the Japanese vintage shop BerBerJin, according to ELLE. Kimura keeps denim pieces bought more than twenty years ago, ELLE reported.
Kimura discussed his career and addressed his status as an entertainer by referencing modern K-pop acts like BTS and BLACKPINK, TVBS News reported. He questioned whether a performer can unilaterally claim the title of an idol. He suggested that the designation belongs to the relationship built with an audience.