“READING HIGH'' is a music reading drama brand launched by room NB (Sony Music Group) in collaboration with playwright and director Fumio Fujisawa.
The official report of READING HIGH premium “TAIL to TALE ~Story from Yoshitsune Senbonzakura~” held on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at the Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall in Osaka has arrived!
Additionally, distribution tickets for the next production “ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~'' to be performed on November 29th (Saturday) and 30th (Sunday) are now on sale.
Official report of the reading drama “TAIL to TALE ~Story from Yoshitsune Senbonzakura~”
“READING HIGH'' is a music reading drama brand launched by room NB (Sony Music Group) and playwright/director Fumio Fujisawa.
The much-talked-about work READING HIGH premium “TAIL to TALE ~Story from Yoshitsune Senbonzakura~'', whose Tokyo performance in May sold out immediately, will be performed again at the Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall. Stage photos have arrived.
“Yoshitsune Senbonzakura'' is a historical masterpiece that is famous as one of the three major Kabuki plays. Yoshitsune's life was threatened by his older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo, and he fled to Hiraizumi, Oshu, with Benkei and others. Along the way, the story is about meeting a young fox named Genkuro Fox, but this work is set four years after the events of “Yoshitsune Senbonzakura'' by Fumio Fujisawa.
Tomokazu Sugita as Yoshitsune Minamoto, Akira Ishida as Yoshitsugu the Gold Seller, Ayane Sakura as Genkuro Kitsune, Junichi Suwabe as Benkei Musashibo, and Koichi Yamadera as Yasuhiro Fujiwara, and the gorgeous voice actors perform their amazing performances.
Tomokazu Sugita, who plays the role of Yoshitsune Minamoto, turns around when the theme song is played, and acts in a way that makes you think of a scene where he looks back on the past. He also showed a wide range of range by changing his tone of voice and acting approach between his younger years as Ushiwakamaru and his later years as Yoshitsune.
Akira Ishida, who plays the role of Yoshitsugu, the gold seller, expresses the role of a “merchant who loves money” in a pop way, but towards the end of the play he transforms into a loving and loyal man, and his acting is full of love. Furthermore, the cold yet deep acting of Minamoto no Yoritomo, who also played the role, was a masterpiece.
Ayane Sakura, who plays the Genkuro fox, gives a great performance as a fox that is both adorable and has strong feelings. Everyone was captivated by this healthy and cute little fox. On the other hand, in her role as “Shizuka Gozen,'' she showed her skill as an actor to the fullest, with a performance that conveyed the elegance of an adult woman and even a youthful voice as “Young Samurai.''
Junichi Suwabe, who played the role of Musashibo Benkei, gave a performance that showed his high level of understanding in acting, as he was able to freely go back and forth between hard and soft, giving a charming expression of “Benkei disguised as a fox'' and also acting out the scenes of the “strong Benkei'' that everyone thought of.
Koichi Yamadera, who plays Yasuhiro Fujiwara, is the only key person who participated from the Osaka performance. With him playing Yasuhira, the approach of the other four members clearly changed, and each of them appeared to have a different personality than the one in the Tokyo performance, creating a high-quality chemical reaction. In particular, the opening of the second act began with Yasuhira, the new head of the Fujiwara family, “greetings to his vassals,'' and the performance was brought to life with an extraordinary performance that was both tense and exhilarating.
The stage is reminiscent of cherry blossom trees and Gojo Ohashi Bridge, and moonlight-like lighting shines down on it, and at times there are scenes where pillars of fire rise, and scents that engulf the entire venue. The beautiful worldview of the story was expressed through various elaborate stage productions.
In addition, the dynamic live performances and singing by the musicians were closely intertwined with the dialogue between the cast members and stirred the imagination of the viewers.
In the climax scene, a large amount of cherry blossoms fall, and the excitement in the venue reaches its peak. The performance engulfed the audience in a whirlwind of emotion and ended with applause.
Furthermore, READING HIGH is scheduled to perform one more performance in November, with the opening of READING HIGH's “ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~'', Fumio Fujisawa's latest original work depicting “the aftermath of Shinsengumi''.
Tickets for the venue were sold out immediately, but in response to requests from many people, it has been decided that the Chishu Raku performance will be distributed (overseas distribution available)!
The cast includes Junichi Suwabe (as Hajime Saito), Yuichi Nakamura (as Toshizo Hijikata), Miyuki Sawashiro (as Souji Okita/Mitsu/Tayu), Yuichiro Umehara (as Nao Sakamoto), and Hiroki Higashichi (as Munemitsu Mutsu).
Also, this time, a group of newly written songs by music director and composer Toshiyuki Muranaka will be performed by a five-member band, including Japanese drums.
Along with the beautiful music that is one of the appeals of the READING HIGH series, we hope you will be immersed in the story of the moment in time when the era of “Samurai'' changed to “Modern Nation.''
For those who purchase a distribution ticket, you will receive a[cast comment video]from behind the scenes that is still hot as a distribution bonus. This is a great distribution ticket that allows you to enjoy the world of READING HIGH as many times as you like, along with the main story and archive distribution.
READING HIGH “ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~” distribution tickets are now on sale!
The live broadcast will start at 16:30 on Sunday, November 30th. *Archive available
I hope you enjoy it.
READING HIGH premium “TAIL to TALE ~Story from Yoshitsune Senbonzakura~” Performance Overview
Catchphrase: Yoshitsune's last story It was a tearful cherry blossom at night
Date and time: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Venue: Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall (19-1 Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka)
Original work, screenplay, lyrics, and direction: Fumio Fujisawa
Composer/Music Director: Toshiyuki Muranaka
Cast:
Tomokazu Sugita (as Minamoto no Yoshitsune), Akira Ishida (as the gold seller Yoshitsugu), Ayane Sakura (as the Genkuro fox), Junichi Suwabe (as Musashibo Benkei), Koichi Yamadera (as Yasuhiro Fujiwara)
READING HIGH official goods are now on sale!
★READING HIGH Official Goods Store
・“TAIL to TALE ~Story from Yoshitsune Senbonzakura~” Official Site
Recommended hashtag: #Lehi Yoshitsune
READING HIGH “ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~” Overview
Catchphrase: The sword scatters the past and cherry blossoms
Original work, screenplay, lyrics, and direction: Fumio Fujisawa
Composer/Music Director: Toshiyuki Muranaka
Cast:
Junichi Suwabe (as Hajime Saito), Yuichi Nakamura (as Toshizo Hijikata), Miyuki Sawashiro (as Souji Okita/Mitsu/Tayu), Yuichiro Umehara (as Nao Sakamoto), Hiroki Higashichi (as Munemitsu Mutsu)
Musicians: Toshiyuki Muranaka (Comp.&Vc.), Rin Inaizumi (Vo.), Yas Nakajima (Vo. Gt. Ba.), Nana Arima (Dr. Japanese Drum), Shu Kanematsu (Key./etc.)
Distribution ticket information (archive available) *Distribution benefit: Cast comment video included
Price: 4,500 yen (tax included)
★Distribution ticket sales URL
★Inquiries regarding ticketsTicket Pia Help
■Notes
*A separate system usage fee will be charged in addition to the above amount.
*Please note that there are no subtitles for both domestic and international versions.
*Only the main episode will be streamed; the curtain call will not be streamed.
*The bonus video will be distributed from around December 4th (Thursday) as soon as it is ready. The latest information will be provided on Official X.
READING HIGH “ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~” Story
9th year of Meiji….
Japan was on the path to becoming a modern nation, trying to catch up with the European powers.
However, samurai gather around Takamori Saigo in Kagoshima to fight against the arrival of a new era that is far from ideal.
At the same time, information is received that the Shinsengumi, led by Toshizo Hijikata, is gathering at Goryokaku in Ezochi (Hokkaido).
If Toshizo Hijikata, who was supposed to be dead, raised an army in the north, and Takamori Saigo raised an army in the south, the Meiji government would be forced into a predicament.
Is that Shinsengumi real?
The Meiji government targets these two individuals.
Mitsu, the older sister of Souji Okita, who died of tuberculosis.
And then there's Hajime Saito, the leader of the Shinsengumi's third division.
Hajime Saito became the dog of the Meiji government
How can I lower my head and go meet them?
The cherry blossoms we once saw together are in my mind…
A journey into the past begins.
To kill the past…
★“ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~” official site
Recommended hashtag: #LehiONE
Production: Live Exam
Sponsor: room NB (Sony Music Group)
(C)READING HIGH
