[2026.09.16] Toyo Keizai - Yuzuru Hanyu to hold encore performance in Saga

During his competitive career, Yuzuru Hanyu drew many fans from across the world to the competitions he participated in. Many traveled as far as Canada and Northern Europe just to cheer him on during his short program and free skate, which together lasted only seven to eight minutes.

Since turning professional, Hanyu has been based in Sendai while actively performing in ice shows across Japan, primarily in solo shows and productions in which he serves as the lead performer. Fans who want to see him perform live travel from far and wide to attend his shows.

For local governments seeking to attract visitors from outside the area and generate activity, Hanyu’s performances represent a rare opportunity for regional revitalization.

On Friday, January 12, and Sunday, January 14, 2024, Hanyu’s “RE_PRAY” Saga performances were held at SAGA Arena. With approximately 5,500 people from Japan and abroad attending each performance, the local community did not let this opportunity pass them by.

In preparation for the shows, Saga Prefecture and Saga City jointly planned the “#RE_PRAY_SAGA_Hotomeki Project.” “Hotomeki” means hospitality in the Saga and Fukuoka dialects.

Thorough "Hotomeki" Efforts

The project featured "RE_PRAY" in a surprisingly straightforward manner. Based on materials created by Saga Prefecture, the initiative can be represented on a map as shown below.

Large banners and flags featuring the key visual adorned the streets, creating excitement for fans. Public transportation was also involved, with train stations and even temporary bus routes decorated to match "RE_PRAY." Illuminations were extended to coincide with the event, further enhancing the city’s appeal.

For the project meetings, three people from the prefecture and four people from the city attended each time. The prefecture was in charge of the area around the station, while the city handled the central downtown area to the south.

Mai Ejima from the Saga Prefecture SAGA Arena Convention Bureau recalls, "The arena is located on the north side of Saga Station, but the area with many restaurants and shops is on the south side. What the prefecture and city focused on was how to create a flow of people to the south side of the station."

In the bustling area south of the station, large photo-worthy tapestries were installed in places like Tojinmachi, just a short walk from the station, encouraging fans to explore the city. On social media, many posts were shared with hashtags like "#RE_PRAY_SAGA_ほとめきプロジェクト" (Hotomeki Project) and "#ほとめきプロジェクト" (Hotomeki Project), featuring information about local cuisine. Encouraging people to walk and enjoy local food helps revitalize the city.

As part of the "Hotomeki" initiative from local businesses, the souvenir shops inside Saga Station, where arriving visitors first stop to look around, attracted a lot of attention from fans. According to Ejima, the PR representative of "Ocha no Suezakien," handmade illustrated POPs were displayed in the sales area, promoting their "Ureshino Kocha Yuzu Blend," which evokes "Yuzuru" (結弦) (Yuzuru ゆづる → Yuzu ゆづ→ Yuzu ゆず). He mentioned that sales during the 3-day event reached the equivalent of a year's worth of stock. "Saga Kobo" also displayed welcoming POPs, promoting products like yuzu pepper.

Daisuke Shin, from the Saga City Central City Revitalization Office, said, "We didn't have enough time to publicize the plan, so there were some challenges in engaging with downtown businesses. However, I think it was positive that we were able to cooperate with them through initiatives like the coupon campaign."

The information was made publicly available in September 2023, and the first meeting between the prefectural and city officials was held in November, two months before the performance, so the time was limited.

According to Miho Yonekura, who was in charge of attracting events to the SAGA Arena, "We have been putting a lot of effort into attracting large events in the first year of operation, and I had been persistently pushing to bring Hanyu's performance to Saga, so I was really happy when it was finalized. However, we couldn't disclose the details until the information was made public. Initially, all we told the local government was that we were 'considering an ice event.'"

This is the first time that the prefecture and city have jointly carried out a welcoming project linked to an event. Yonekura notes that it is rare for an area to set up such a strong collaborative framework. "Both the prefecture and the city have a strong will to use the SAGA Arena not just as a venue, but as a tool for regional revitalization. The city's full support for the event is something that could only have been achieved in a rural area," said Yonekura.

The organizers were also cooperative in this effort. The prompt provision of key visuals allowed for the smooth production of tapestries and flags used for city dressing in the southern area. The prefecture spent approximately 200,000 yen on production, while the city spent about 1 million yen. Additionally, they were able to implement hospitality efforts by leveraging existing events and initiatives.

482.1 million yen effect

The economic ripple effect of the "RE_PRAY" performance was substantial, with Saga Prefecture estimating it at 482.1 million yen. This figure is based on an input-output table of visitor and organizer spending on accommodation, food and drink, and souvenirs, and includes the impact of the Hotomeki Project. Both the local government and Saga Arena personnel expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying it exceeded their expectations.

The prefecture, city, and SAGA Arena officials all agree that the excitement exceeded expectations and that they felt a strong sense of accomplishment with this initiative. What were the factors behind the success? Several reasons can be considered, but one of the most significant was that the people involved in the Hotomeki Project and local businesses genuinely welcomed Yuzuru Hanyu and "RE_PRAY," treating them with respect. Many fans expressed their gratitude on social media, praising the "warm welcome" and the "city-wide enthusiasm."

The fact that the local community cherished the event and its visitors contributed to increased interest in Saga’s local culture, food, and attractions. While the high purchasing power of Hanyu's fans and their enthusiasm for tourism and food likely played a role in the success, Saga's example offers valuable insights into "regional revitalization centred around events."

On September 11, 2026, a new announcement was made: an encore performance of “Yuzuru Hanyu ‘REALIVE’ an ICE STORY project” (“REALIVE”), which had two performances in Miyagi in April 2026.

The performances will be held on Saturday, November 28, and Sunday, November 29, 2026, at SAGA Arena. Immediately after the announcement, accommodation around Saga Station, which offers convenient access to the venue, began filling up. Efforts to secure lodging have spread throughout Saga City and Saga Prefecture, as well as to Fukuoka/Hakata and other prefectures across Kyushu. Some fans have even said they purchased flights before the ticket lottery. On social media, fans have been actively reminiscing about the January 2024 “RE_PRAY” Saga performances.

This raises the question of how SAGA Arena came to host Hanyu’s solo show for a second time. Following its efforts to bring “RE_PRAY” to Saga, the arena also took charge of bringing “REALIVE” to the city. We spoke with Miho Yonekura, who was involved in both efforts. Yonekura has been involved in the SAGA Arena project for approximately five years through “SAGA Sunshine Forest (※),” the designated manager of SAGA Arena.

(※ SAGA Sunshine Forest is a special-purpose company established by more than a dozen companies, including local businesses in the prefecture, to operate the facilities of “SAGA Sunrise Park,” including the arena. Yonekura is affiliated with Congrès, one of its member companies.)

“Following the tremendous success of the performance held in Sendai in the spring, they were considering holding it again. Our proposal to host the event happened to reach them at just the right time, and, almost miraculously, it led to the encore performance being held in Saga. We only informed Saga Prefecture and Saga City after the performance had been officially confirmed, but everyone is happy that Mr. Hanyu will be coming,” Yonekura said.

The previous “RE_PRAY” was the first case in which the prefecture and city worked together on a hospitality project, but the initiative has continued ever since. There are five or six events each year, including concerts by prominent artists, that draw people to SAGA Arena from a wide area. For such events, under the framework of the “SAGA Hotomeki Project,” they put up digital signage, posters, and flags at the arena and around the city, coordinate with public transportation providers, and promote the events online. The specific initiatives are determined based on factors such as the artist’s wishes and the budgets of the prefecture and city.

At one point, an artist preparing for a live performance asked whether it would be possible to promote ticket sales locally. Since then, they have also placed greater emphasis on promoting events in advance. For “REALIVE” in November, they began displaying the key visual on SAGA Arena’s outdoor digital signage from September 11, the day the performance was announced. This serves both to promote the event locally and to convey a welcome to fans from across Japan.

During the previous “RE_PRAY,” the businesses around Saga Station were among those that directly benefited the most.

“For shops and restaurants, the response they received from Hanyu’s fans during ‘RE_PRAY’ was very encouraging. Since then, when large-scale events are held, some businesses have taken the initiative to develop their own activities. There is a desire to express our gratitude from the local community to the artists and all the fans who chose Saga,” Yonekura said.

At the same time, the prefecture wants to promote the attractions of not just Saga City but the entire prefecture, and encourage visitors to travel around and explore different areas. Key to spreading the flow of visitors to other areas is convenient transportation and ensuring that visitors have enough time for sightseeing.

Many people traveling from far away to SAGA Arena use the nearby Saga Station. However, tourist destinations elsewhere in the prefecture—such as Yobuko, considered the birthplace of live squid preparation; Arita and Imari, which are famous for their porcelain; and hot-spring destinations such as Ureshino and Takeo—are some distance from Saga Station, and even visiting a single location can take considerable time. In some areas, renting a car or using a private vehicle is more convenient than public transportation. Yonekura says, “That is a challenge we face going forward. We are thinking about what we can do, and what kinds of plans we can offer, to enable visitors to Saga to enjoy other areas as well.”

It is not easy to encourage people who have come for a specific purpose to venture outside the city for sightseeing. However, during “RE_PRAY,” quite a few fans visited various tourist destinations across the prefecture before and after the performances and shared photos of their experiences on social media. These were examples of the enthusiasm among Hanyu’s fans for actively enjoying the local culture, scenery, and food. The prefecture would likely like to reproduce and expand upon the positive examples seen during “RE_PRAY.”

Looking Ahead to “REALIVE”

On September 11, the day the Saga performance of “REALIVE” was announced, there was another announcement concerning Saga: the “Kyushu Recovery Support Discount Saga Campaign.” The campaign is part of the Japan Tourism Agency’s “Kyushu Recovery Support Discount” initiative, which aims to help revive tourism demand in Kyushu following the impact of the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake. Its tagline reads, “Travel and accommodation costs 50% off!” The campaign applies to stays from October 1 through December 26. Although preparations for bringing “REALIVE” to Saga presumably began before the Kumamoto Earthquake occurred, the performances ended up falling within the campaign’s eligible period. The campaign has also attracted considerable attention from fans considering traveling to Saga for the shows.

However, Saga Prefecture’s budget for the campaign is relatively limited, at approximately ¥230 million. (For comparison, the program budgets in other prefectures include approximately ¥6.86 billion in Kumamoto Prefecture and ¥1 billion in Nagasaki Prefecture.) Given that accommodation near the arena is already difficult to book for the performance dates of November 28 and 29, as well as the intense competition for reservations under the campaign itself, it does not appear easy to receive the discount during the performance period.

At the same time, many posts on social media mention the “REALIVE” Saga performances while also expressing concern for areas affected by the Kumamoto Earthquake and an interest in traveling around Kyushu and Saga. The desire to support regions facing difficult circumstances appears to be spreading throughout the fan community.

As interest in Kyushu grows, SAGA Arena is set to host several large-scale events in November, and many visitors from outside the prefecture are expected to come to the area. (Concerts by Mrs. GREEN APPLE and Mr.Children are also scheduled.) How will Saga’s initiatives resonate with those who visit the area in connection with these performances?

As mentioned above, the prefecture and city are committed to promoting regional revitalization centered around the arena. Yonekura also says, “The ‘Hotomeki’ hospitality of the people of Saga is continuing to evolve. I’m sure the local community is already thinking about how to offer another wonderful welcome.”

Will staying in Saga throughout the performance period, including nights before or after the shows, become an experience that leads to future visits? Will the relationship between Saga and those who visit based on their experience with the previous “RE_PRAY” deepen through “REALIVE”? These are developments worth watching as the November performances approach.

—As an aside, there is a difference in how the performance dates have been arranged this time compared with the previous event. “RE_PRAY” was held on January 12 and 14, 2024, with January 13 being a day off with no performance in between. “REALIVE,” on the other hand, will be held on two consecutive days, November 28 and 29, 2026. If the day off between the “RE_PRAY” performances encouraged people to explore the city and go sightseeing, could holding the performances on two consecutive days potentially reduce the economic impact?

That question may arise, but Yonekura has a positive view. “I don’t anticipate any negative impact from the schedule when it comes to Hanyu’s performances. Even during ‘RE_PRAY,’ it seems there weren’t that many people who were able to get tickets to both performances and stayed for two shows with a day in between…”

In other words, the expectation is that many people will attend one performance and spend the time before and after it around the arena, in Saga City, or elsewhere in the prefecture. “We want visitors to spend as much fulfilling time in Saga as possible, but I think what’s most important for that is whether Saga Prefecture can effectively convey what makes it attractive,” Yonekura says.