NHK Symphony Orchestra to perform Pokémon concert tour throughout Japan, featuring music from Pokémon Winds and Waves

The Pokémon Company is once again collaborating with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, this time for a series of Pokémon-themed concerts to be performed across Japan. The tour offers four dates in four cities, beginning in August of this year. Performances will include musical selections from Pokémon games, including Pokémon Red and Green and the upcoming Pokémon Winds and Waves. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale in May.

The NHK Symphony Orchestra has previously worked with The Pokémon Company for one-off concerts featuring Pokémon music, though this tour will be the largest collaboration they have done to date. The tour celebrates both the NHK Symphony Orchestra’s 100th anniversary and the Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary, making it appropriate that some of the music comes from Pokémon’s oldest and newest games. The full orchestra performance specifically will not feature appearances from Pokémon or other special effects, as some previous Pokémon/NHK performances have.

Each concert will be performed in two parts with an intermission in between. Part I begins with, fittingly, the opening theme from Pokémon Red and Green. Then, more classical selections are themed after the Grass, Water, and Fire types; Grieg’s "Morning" from "Peer Gynt" Suite No. 1 represents Grass, Smetana’s "The Moldau" represents Water, and a selection of ballet pieces by Stravinsky represent Fire, including “The Firebird.” Part II begins with a medley of Pokémon music spanning from Pokémon Red and Green to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The finale for each concert will be the main theme from Pokémon Winds and Waves. This piece is special in that the NHK Symphony Orchestra performed the original and official recording of this theme, featuring in the trailer for the game. See below for a list of performance locations and times.

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre in Tokyo​	August 21st - doors at 6 PM, performance begins at 7 PM local time
Kyoto Performance Hall in Kyoto​	August 22nd - doors at 2:30 PM, performance begins at 3:30 PM local time
The Symphony Hall in Osaka​	August 23rd - doors at 1 PM, performance begins at 2PM local time
Fukuoka Symphony Hall in Fukuoka​	August 24th - doors at 6 PM, performance begins at 7 PM local time

More details are still to come regarding this tour. The NHK Symphony Orchestra states that performances will be archived to later streaming, but have not specified when or where, only that details will be announced on the official Pokémon X (formerly Twitter) account. Previous Pokémon/NHK performances have been archived via the official Pokémon Kids TV Japan YouTube channel. The orchestra is also advertising that merchandise will be available for purchase at the venues, though have not announced what it will be or if it will be exclusive to the tour.

Tickets for all locations will be available to NHK Symphony Orchestra Annual Members beginning May 14th, and to the general public by lottery beginning May 19th. The orchestra notes that children above pre-school age are permitted at the concerts, and must be accompanied by an adult.