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Mar 25, 2026 By Joshua Mellin Photography by Joshua Mellin Web Exclusive

Japanese jazz-fusion legend Masayoshi Takanaka has been an inescapable presence in Tokyo’s record stores lately, so catching him live in his hometown was an absolute necessity. Yet, nothing could have fully prepared me for the sheer brilliance of his performance at Billboard Live Tokyo. The venue provided a strikingly intimate, classy “dinner and a show” atmosphere where patrons could order food and drinks directly to their tables, but that sophisticated setting certainly didn’t keep the crowd in their seats.

From the opening whistle of “Ready to Fly,” fans were on their feet, chanting and waving glow sticks. Takanaka proved himself a consummate showman, parading through the entire venue and even shredding from the upper deck within the first five minutes of the set. He ripped through hit after hit before closing out the night with his iconic track, “Blue Lagoon.”

While his signature surfboard guitar remained in retirement for the evening, the legendary instrument is slated to make a highly anticipated return during his upcoming U.S. run through New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles next month. Standing toe-to-toe with intimate masterclasses like Prince at City Winery or a Jack White pop-up, this was hands down one of the most uniquely phenomenal guitar shows I’ve ever witnessed.

Check out the gallery below for a glimpse into the night.