Fukuoka City Hall, a long-standing cultural landmark in Chuo Ward of Fukuoka, Japan, is set to close its doors on March 23, 2025, after a remarkable span of over 61 years. The building has served as a vital venue, hosting numerous concerts, including those by the legendary Hibari Misora, dance performances, and community events, all contributing greatly to the cultural fabric of the city.
In a seamless transition, the legacy of Fukuoka City Hall will continue with the grand opening of the new Fukuoka City Hall on March 28, 2025, located in the nearby Ohori Park. This new facility is designed to maintain the community-oriented spirit and cultural significance of its predecessor.
Leading up to the closure, a special event called 'Facility Open Day' was organized from March 17 to March 19, 2025. This event allowed 175 attendees on its first day to experience the building in a more intimate setting, as staff gave insights into its operations, including a fascinating demonstration of the 'seributai' stage mechanism. The staff showcased how part of the stage, roughly ten meters wide, could lower beneath, a feature that excited many visitors. "客席と舞台が近いのが市民会館の魅力。気軽に来ることができる場所だった" (The charm of the City Hall is that the audience and stage are close, making it a place that was easy to visit), remarked a 73-year-old participant from the Sawara Ward, expressing nostalgia for the venue.
Fukuoka City Hall, which opened its doors in October 1963, featured a large hall with 1,770 seats and a smaller hall accommodating 354 seats. It became a cherished performance venue for many renowned artists, perhaps most notably the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, who performed an impressive 17 times since 1991. Their most recent concert, titled 'Thank you!!! Fukuoka City Hall and to the Future!', took place on March 1, 2025, marking an emotional farewell to the venue. Atsushi Tanaka, a member of the band, shared his emotions on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "会館でライブ出来る喜びを噛み締めた20代の頃から、ずっとお世話になった場所。友達とのお別れみたいな気持ちになりました。感謝！" (Since my twenties, I have cherished the joy of performing at the hall; it feels like saying goodbye to a friend. Thank you!).
The hall’s role extended beyond entertainment; it also hosted musicals, dance, ballet performances, and even the city’s solemn memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers. Masataka Kajiwara, who has served as the director for nearly 40 years, noted, "幸せを届ける施設としての役目は果たせた" (We have fulfilled our role as a facility that delivers happiness). He highlighted the additional functionality of the hall, which included several conference rooms with simultaneous interpretation booths, making it one of the foremost international conference venues in western Japan at its inception.
The upcoming Fukuoka City Hall is poised to inherit this rich heritage, continuing to serve as a vital hub for cultural activities, civic engagement, and community events. City officials are optimistic about the transition, emphasizing that the new hall will be equipped to host even more diverse events, ensuring that Fukuoka remains a vibrant center for the arts.
As the community bids farewell to the City Hall that has been a part of their lives for over six decades, memories of performances past and the impact it has made will linger even as the new hall opens its doors. The change not only signifies the end of an era but also heralds a new chapter for cultural expression in Fukuoka.
