Why I chose Hibana in London and Reason for not going to US
I’ll be visiting London on June 18th to see Hibana performed by Ado, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. From what I’ve seen on Twitter, only a few fans from Japan will be attending the London show. It’s understandable, as London is quite far from Japan. Personally, I love Europe and have always wanted to visit. Initially, Paris or Berlin were my top choices, but due to scheduling conflicts, I settled on London.
So why not choose other Asian cities like many other fans? Bangkok was out of the question because of conflicting dates, and while cities like Taipei could have been an option, I’ll already be attending the Hibana concert in Saitama on April 27th. Visiting so soon afterward felt unnecessary, so I decided to skip it.
What about the U.S.? Actually, the U.S. was my first choice for Hibana. I considered San Jose, Seattle, or Honolulu—places I haven’t visited before—and I haven’t been to the U.S. in six years. But in the end, I decided against it, and here’s why. (For the record, I still love the U.S. I work for a U.S.-based company and hold a CPA license in Washington State. I believe the U.S. will remain a leading, innovative country. Its entertainment industry is still incredible, despite being influenced by some questionable trends. Overall, I find the U.S. highly attractive and continue to follow it closely.)
Reasons for Skipping the U.S.
1. Safety Concerns
The U.S. is not as safe as Japan, especially since the COVID pandemic, which has led to a noticeable decline in public order. While my concern isn’t so much about the present, I worry about the future. For instance, with Donald Trump recently elected as the next U.S. president, I anticipate significant challenges related to illegal immigration. However, in the end Extreme groups might not grow wealthier, —like far-left extremists in Japan focus on blaming others instead of making efforts to improve their situation.
I fear this could lead to increased prejudice against Asians, as some might conflate all Asian people with China. While I firmly believe that 99% of Americans are not racist, I think racial tensions, particularly against Asians, may worsen in the coming years.
2. Overcapitalism
As someone who studied economics, I believe capitalism is superior to communism. Personally, I value money but don’t think it’s everything. I dislike narratives that pit money against love or kindness—it’s not a fair comparison. That said, the U.S. is becoming too capitalist.
For instance, Hibana platinum tickets are over $1,500! That’s outrageous. I feel this extreme focus on wealth exacerbates the gap between the rich and poor, creating frustration and even fueling harmful behavior like online hate.
To summarize, I’ve chosen London and look forward to connecting with other fans and taking some great photos. Honolulu from Japan is of little interest to me, especially with tours costing around ¥600,000. Instead, I plan to apply for VIP seats for the first day of Saitama and attend the second day with S seats as mentioned earlier.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Cheers,
Tio