A Birthday Welcome Before Two Full Houses
Japanese singer and actor Takuya Kimura arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport at about 3 p.m. on November 12, 2026, to a welcome from about 800 fans, a day before his 54th birthday. His two concerts at Taipei Music Center on November 13 and 14 have sold out, with nearly 10,000 tickets taken across both nights.
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Fans shouted birthday greetings as Kimura emerged from arrivals after taking flight NH853. He smiled, waved and repeatedly turned to acknowledge the crowd. Before posing for photographs, he asked fans in English to smile and encouraged them to face the cameras and wave.
The Taipei dates bring together several milestones: his birthday, the 35th anniversary of his debut and his first overseas tour as a solo performer. The visit follows a Seoul stop on TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2026 Checkpoint, a tour comprising nine performances.
Kimura also arrived with a promise to fulfill. During a previous visit to Taiwan, he had said he hoped to return with a microphone in hand. This time, his schedule centers on two concerts, with the opening performance falling on his birthday.
An Airport Greeting Becomes a Birthday Gathering
Kimura wore a dark blue denim outfit with a plaid shirt and carried a bag and cabin suitcase through the airport. His arrival prompted loud cheers, while his waves and nods gave fans gathered in the terminal a chance to exchange greetings before the concerts.
The birthday celebrations began a day early. Fans called out their good wishes, and Kimura turned toward them to express his thanks. His invitation to smile for the cameras made the airport welcome a shared photograph as well as a greeting.
Kimura also stopped for a brief interview with the assembled media, an unusual opportunity at an airport arrival. He spoke about the warmth of the reception and his anticipation of spending the next two or three days in Taiwan.
A Promise to Return With a Microphone
Kimura's previous remark about wanting to perform in Taiwan gave this visit a connection to his last one. At the airport, he recalled expressing that wish the year before and said he was happy to have made it happen.
Asked what he most looked forward to after fulfilling his promise to return with a microphone, he said, in the published Chinese-language account of the interview, translated here: "Being able to visit everyone in the form of a concert, being able to make this happen, really makes me very happy."
The Japanese performer explained that both the concerts and the chance to spend his birthday with fans made the trip special. Speaking at the airport, Kimura said:
Everyone here has welcomed me with such warmth, and I will be spending tomorrow and the day after here. I am really looking forward to sharing that time with so many people.
Kimura then linked that welcome to the timing of the opening concert:
Tomorrow happens to be my birthday. I am excited and happy that we can make this a special time.
His comments placed the audience at the center of the celebration. Rather than marking the birthday away from the stage, he will spend the evening performing in Taipei, followed by another concert at the same venue the next day.
Nearly 10,000 Tickets Across Two Nights
Taipei Music Center's performance hall can accommodate about 5,000 people. Across two concerts, that puts the scale of the engagement at roughly 10,000 admissions, matching the nearly 10,000 tickets described as sold out.
The Taipei performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. on November 13 and 6 p.m. on November 14.
The two Taipei performances account for two of the tour's nine shows, or about 22% of the schedule. Seoul preceded Taipei on the overseas itinerary, making the Taiwan concerts part of a broader solo tour rather than his first stop outside Japan.
For fans, the dates offer two chances to see Kimura perform, but only the November 13 audience will attend on his birthday itself. Some fans who tried to buy tickets were unable to secure seats, reflecting demand for the limited number available.
The new album Checkpoint shares its name with the tour. Its release and the overseas performances coincide with Kimura's 35th anniversary in entertainment, connecting a new recording project with a new stage in his solo concert career.
What Kimura Wants Fans to Remember
Kimura used the Japanese expression "ichigo ichie" when asked what he wanted to tell his Taipei fans. Often translated as "a once in a lifetime encounter," it expresses the idea that a shared moment is precious because that exact meeting can never happen in quite the same way again.
The published Chinese-language account quotes his answer as follows, translated here: "There is a saying, ichigo ichie. I am very grateful and very happy to share this moment with everyone. If possible, I hope it can last a long time... For me, too, and for everyone as well, I hope it can become part of your lives. Enjoy it to the fullest."
For the singer, the phrase described the value of being together with the audience. He said he was grateful and happy to share the moment and hoped the experience would remain meaningful to both him and the people attending.
Kimura, speaking about his hopes for the meetings and performances in Taiwan, said:
I hope that meeting, spending time and connecting with fans this time can become an unforgettable memory in their hearts and lives.
His message gave the birthday concerts a focus beyond the anniversary numbers. He wanted the time spent together to become part of the audience's personal memories, while also becoming a lasting memory of his own.
A Quiet Farewell Before the Airport Cheers
Before leaving for Taipei, Kimura shared a photograph on social media showing him holding his dog Amour. The affectionate farewell offered a quieter moment before the crowds awaiting him in Taiwan.
The photograph appeared on his Instagram and showed him drawing his dog close with both arms, looking directly at the camera over the dog's head. The accompanying Japanese message read: "台北LIVEに向けて!!" "3回寝たら、帰ってくるからね…。待っててね！" "行ってきます"
Kimura's family has publicly shown at least five dogs, with Amour described as the youngest. In the departure post, the performer addressed the dog while announcing that he was setting off for the concerts:
Heading to Taipei Live! I'll be back after three nights. Wait for me, I'm off!
The brief message gave fans a glimpse of his preparations at home. By the afternoon of November 12, he was in Taipei, turning his attention to the two performances and the birthday he would spend with his audience.
The Taipei Visit, Date by Date
Kimura's Taiwan schedule runs from the airport welcome on November 12 into consecutive concert nights. The first performance carries the added occasion of his 54th birthday, while the second completes the Taipei engagement.
- Before departure on November 12: Kimura shared a photograph with Amour and a message saying he was leaving for the Taipei concerts.
- November 12, about 3 p.m.: He arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport on flight NH853, greeted fans and spoke briefly to the media.
- November 13: Kimura turns 54 and performs the first Taipei concert at Taipei Music Center at 7 p.m.
- November 14: He returns to the same venue for the second sold out performance at 6 p.m.
Kimura said at the airport that he expected to spend the next two or three days in Taiwan. His immediate plans center on the two concert nights, following the enthusiastic reception that began his visit.
At a Glance
- About 800 fans welcomed Takuya Kimura at Taipei Songshan Airport on November 12, 2026.
- His November 13 and 14 concerts at Taipei Music Center, scheduled for 7 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively, have sold nearly 10,000 tickets between them.
- The opening concert falls on his 54th birthday.
- The nine performance Checkpoint tour is his first overseas tour as a solo artist and follows a Seoul stop.
- The visit coincides with the 35th anniversary of his debut and the release of his album Checkpoint.
- Kimura said he hoped his time with Taiwan fans would become an unforgettable memory.
