TOKYO - Pop idol group Arashi is set to perform its final concert on Sunday, ending its nearly 27-year history that has made it into a household name in Japan.
Over the weekend, throngs of fans flocked to Tokyo Dome, where the five-member boy band's concert tour "We are Arashi" across five major cities will wrap up. Many were seen taking photos and videos of an installation showcasing the Arashi logo with the words "We are Arashi," buying merchandise or simply hanging around with fellow fans.
With Sunday's concert, Satoshi Ono, the group's leader and main vocalist, will leave entertainment agency Starto Entertainment Inc., formerly known as Johnny & Associates Inc., a powerhouse agency noted for fostering a talent pool of male idols.
The four other members -- Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, Jun Matsumoto and Sho Sakurai -- are expected to continue to make appearances on television, including in dramas and variety shows.
The group, which released its debut single in November 1999, shocked fans when it announced in January 2019 that the members were taking a hiatus from performing together. The decision came after Ono told the others of his wish to leave and "live freely."
They performed a livestreamed concert without spectators at the end of 2020.
In May last year, they announced they would come together again for one final concert tour.
While the group became one of the most successful idol groups, their road to stardom was not easy, and their breakthrough came after Matsumoto starred in teen romance drama "Hana Yori Dango" (Boys Over Flowers) in 2005.
In subsequent years, other members started breaking new ground, with Sakurai becoming a newscaster, Ninomiya appearing in the Clint Eastwood film "Letters from Iwo Jima," and Aiba being active on variety shows.
The group's hits include their debut single "Arashi," "Love so sweet" and "Happiness." They also collaborated with Grammy artist Bruno Mars who wrote and produced the group's first all-English song "Whenever You Call."
Beyond their success in music, they have also hosted their variety shows on television.
The group has also created a fan base elsewhere in Asia.
Yam Lee from the Philippines came all the way from Manila to watch the group perform in the southwestern Japan city of Fukuoka last month. She described it as an "emotional experience being able to say my 'arigato' (thank you) to them in person."
The farewell concert tour, which started in March in Sapporo, also took the band to Nagoya and Osaka.
"Their closeness and dynamics as a group have always fascinated me, especially when it's common for pop groups to fall apart due to different personalities, career paths and opinions," said Lee, who has been a fan since 2005.
