Maaya Sakamoto's "Kami Setori" live performance at Itsukushima Shrine "Takamai-dai" in Hiroshima has been officially reported! Broadcast on WOWOW is also scheduled!

On June 3-4, 2017, Maaya Sakamoto held a live performance at the "High Stage" of Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima.

Maaya Sakamoto is a popular voice actress, known for her roles in "Evangelion: The Movie" (Makinami Mari Illustrious), "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY" (Lunamaria Hawk), "Ouran High School Host Club" (Haruhi Fujioka), "Kara no Kyoukai" (Ryogishiki), etc. Since his childhood, he has also been active in dubbing Western/foreign dramas and performing on stage. She has also been active as a singer since the release of "Yakusoku wa Naiwa" (theme song for "Tenku no Escaflowne") at the age of 16, and has had many hits with her songs with Yoko Kanno and others.

The 34th World Heritage Theater - Itsukushima Shrine - Festival for the 900th Anniversary of the Birth of Prince Taira no Kiyomori Maaya Sakamoto Open Air Museum 2017, a live event held on the high stage of Itsukushima Shrine, a national treasure in Hiroshima, on June 3 (Sat.) and 4 (Sun.), 2017. Here is the official report from the event. The live performance on June 4 (Sunday) will be broadcast on WOWOW on July 22 (Saturday).

Official Live Report] (*Honorifics omitted)
On June 3 and 4, Maaya Sakamoto held her second live performance in two years on the high stage of Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima. The stage was titled "The 34th World Heritage Theater - Itsukushima Shrine - Maaya Sakamoto Open Air Museum 2017," celebrating the 900th anniversary of the birth of Prince Taira no Kiyomori. The performance began at 7:15 p.m. to coincide with the scheduled sunset. As the sun was setting behind the red torii gate, the mysterious night began. The hall was filled with the sound of waves and the scent of the sea, and Maaya Sakamoto appeared on stage amidst a special atmosphere of tension and applause. Her white sleeveless costume gave an impression of dignity and purity befitting a sacred place.

The first song was "Okaerinasai (Welcome Home)," performed by an acoustic formation of Shin Kono (keyboard), Masato Ishinari (G&Co), and Hideaki "Lumbsy" Sakai (percussion). The warm voice that gently lit up the venue colored the opening of the concert. It was special for Sakamoto to sing here again after two years, but it had also been about a year and four months since his last solo concert. As he walked to the high stage, he said he felt like he was "back on stage again. He sang "Okaerinasai" with all his heart, both to himself and to the audience that had gathered.

Welcome to Itsukushima Shrine. I'm glad we were blessed with good weather," she greeted the audience with a sincere and happy smile. I'll tell you about the first time I sang here two years ago, and the last time it rained. The band members at that time played three outdoor shows, and it rained three times. I was suspected of being a rainy girl, so this time we changed the members of the band and took on the challenge (laughs). This time, the weather was fine, which must have been a relief not only for the performer but also for the audience, as it meant revenge for the previous show. But it was only because it rained that time that I was able to have this opportunity to do it again. I am happy to be able to sing here twice in my life, and for two days this time.

I can see the torii gate, the moon is rising, and the sun is setting. I would be happy if you could enjoy all these sights and listen to the songs as if you were immersed in your own world," she said as she looked around the venue. Loop," sung amidst a cool breeze, brought the night in even further, and the scene where everyone gazed at the sky she pointed to in the phrase "the sky you pointed to as beautiful" in "Romashka," written on the theme of the sea, was truly beautiful.

The audience listened carefully to the delicate keyboard tones played by Kono, Ishinari's brilliant guitar playing, and Ramsey's percussion that added a wild beat, and enjoyed Sakamoto's singing voice. Add to this the location of Itsukushima Shrine, a national treasure, and each song was delivered in an exceptional way. Sitting on a chair, Sakamoto sang "Uchiu Hikoushi no Uta" and "Bokutachi wa Koi ni Suru Reiki (The Reason We Fall in Love)," which were sung more slowly and carefully, followed by "Kiseki no Umi (Miracle at Sea)," which created a precious moment with its beautiful vermilion-lacquered shrine building and oriental mood. Sakamoto's voice, which sounded as if he was praying to the grandeur of nature, was beautifully reflected in the night sea.

There were many nostalgic songs. He said the reason why he wanted to sing "Hemisphere" after a long time was because Perfume, who is from Hiroshima, introduced the song on the radio. With songs such as these that have ties to Hiroshima and the sea, as well as "Platinum" and "Let There Be Light," which shone like national treasures in the second half, the set list this time was like a concept album made for singing at Itsukushima Shrine, conveying a solid worldview and story. It was truly a well-thought-out divine set list. Only Maaya Sakamoto, who has more than 200 original songs, can make this kind of performance possible. The first live performance of "Million Clouds," released last summer, was also a highlight of the show. The song was inspired by the scenery of the sea, and the piano sound and her voice were so refreshing that they seemed to run up and down together.

The song "Makiba Alice," which began with hands clapping, created a liberating and relaxing mood. I would be happy if you sing along with me if you know the song. The song was sung while moving around the stage little by little, as if she was singing to everyone in the audience. This song has been the highlight of the show many times in the past, but the lyrics, "Music that can unite us beyond words, countries, and God," sounded like it was written just for this day. I will never forget the smiles on their faces as if they were saying, "We won today! The finale was a joyous one, with everyone's singing voices united in a single voice, and a movement that seemed to take great command of the nature spreading out before them.

During the MC, she talked about the origin of her name, "Maaya. Her father came up with the name while on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and later learned that the word "maya" is synonymous with "universe" in Indian philosophy. Before singing this song, which is aptly titled on so large a scale, "All things, including the earth," she said, "I sometimes, though not every day, want to believe in something unseen. On the high stage of Itsukushima Shrine, a shrine of great historical value and weight, the song was delivered in a plaintive voice with a melody that stretched out as if it were twirling in the midst of the deep night and the great outdoors. She left the stage, bowing deeply and waving her hands in the air. The live performance of 14 songs was performed in the extraordinary setting of Itsukushima Shrine, a national treasure and an important cultural property, where even the ebb and flow of the tide shows a different scenery every day. It was an evening like a treasure, touching the true charm of Maaya Sakamoto, an artist who can deliver her songs while drawing our hearts to the mystique and sublimity of the shrine.