On-site report: AniBeat brings an intimate anime music concert to Kyoto nights, with live performances of music from Ghibli films, NARUTO and Attack on Titan for international visitors
Where would you send a visitor from overseas who said they wanted to attend a concert in Kyoto?
A new evening option has opened in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-Gojo area. AniBeat | KYOTO ANIME MUSIC NIGHT, scheduled to hold regular performances from October 2026, is an intimate concert of anime music performed by a soprano, violinist and pianist. Its venue is Kiyomizu Elite Terrace, a hotel that opened in March 2026.
This article reports on the approximately one-hour program and its venue.
Reported on September 19, 2026.
An intimate anime music concert begins in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-Gojo area
AniBeat | KYOTO ANIME MUSIC NIGHT presents Japanese anime music performed live by a soprano, violinist and pianist. Following performances in Shimbashi, Tokyo, the Kyoto concerts begin in fall 2026.
The organizer is Kitayama Trading, Inc., which operates Kiyomizu Elite Terrace. The program is conducted in English and Japanese and is aimed primarily at travelers visiting Kyoto from overseas. Regular performances are planned from October 2026.
The venue: Kiyomizu Elite Terrace, which opened in 2026
A hotel about five minutes on foot from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, convenient after sightseeing in Kyoto
Kiyomizu Elite Terrace is about a five-minute walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station on the Keihan Main Line. It is also near Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Sanjusangendo Temple and the Kamo River. Its exterior blends into the surrounding streetscape so naturally that it would be easy to walk past without noticing it.
Beyond the hotel entrance, a restaurant and bar occupy the basement level. The restaurant normally serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the day of our visit, the bar remained open while the concert took place in an area separated by doors.
A small salon setting where the performers’ fingertips are visible
The concert takes place in the hotel’s restaurant area. Instead of a large hall, the organizers have chosen a small salon format. The space accommodates about 23 people with the doors closed and up to 50 with them open. At a previous performance, so many people came that the concert was held with the doors open to accommodate them.
A defining feature of AniBeat is the proximity between performers and audience. Guests can see the violinist’s fingers and the singer’s expressions up close. The concert is accessible to anime fans as well as parents and children, couples and groups of friends. It begins at 8 p.m., a time that can fit into an itinerary after daytime sightseeing or dinner in Kyoto.
A Kyoto anime music concert that begins with a welcome drink
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Before the performance, guests can enjoy a welcome drink and light snacks, both included in the admission price. The bartender, fluent in Japanese and English, chatted warmly with guests and served drinks according to their preferences.
Welcome drink menu
A menu tailored to the artists is also available.
Tequila Sunrise
About an hour of music from Attack on Titan, NARUTO and Studio Ghibli works
The performance starts at 8 p.m. and continues until 9 p.m., with an intermission of about 10 minutes. The small venue lets the audience hear the piano keys, observe the movement of the violin bow and experience the resonance of the singing at close range.
The program included music from works known in Japan and overseas, including Attack on Titan, Spirited Away, NARUTO, Oshi no Ko, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Dragon Ball and Castle in the Sky. A wide range of anime music was packed into approximately one hour.
Soprano, piano and violin performers
The three performers are a soprano who received a judges’ award at the Junior Classical Music Competition in Japan; a pianist who won the grand prize at a street piano competition; and a violinist studying at Kyoto City University of Arts who has performed with the Wakayama Philharmonic Orchestra.
International visitors attending as couples, families and friends
On the day of our visit, couples, families and groups of friends from Europe and North America attended. Travelers from overseas accounted for about half of the audience. Guests were also seen chatting after the performance.
Why hold an anime music concert for international visitors in Kyoto?
The “concert” that overseas travelers seek
Wendy Lee, representative director of Kitayama Trading, Inc. and the creator of AniBeat, focused on two things: Japanese anime, which is widely enjoyed overseas, and concerts, which are a familiar part of cultural life in Europe and North America.
—Why did you create AniBeat?
“When people think of cultural experiences in Japan, activities such as samurai experiences and sushi making come to mind, but many of them take place during the day. There are few activities to join at night.
“Whenever I travel overseas, I look for a local concert and go to one. In New York and London, nearly 100 concerts take place at night, and you can find them throughout the city. In Japan, though, I felt there were still few concerts that tourists could attend casually. So I decided to organize one myself.
“All the international guests who came today were travelers from Europe and North America. When I asked how they had found AniBeat, they all said they had searched for the word ‘concert.’
“Japan has many bars and live music venues, but there are very few concerts focused on anime music that overseas visitors can attend easily and that bring the performers and audience this close together,” Lee said.
—How do you choose the music?
“People visiting Japan from overseas do not necessarily want to hear classical music. I thought about what they would enjoy hearing while in Japan, and anime music seemed like a good choice.
“I was not particularly knowledgeable about anime to begin with. But when I heard anime music performed live, I was deeply moved. I consult people who know the music well and the artists when choosing pieces. The program mainly features songs familiar to both Japanese and international audiences, while also including music from newer works,” Lee said.
Lee said that one anime fan from overseas attended the Tokyo performance three times during their stay in Japan.
An option for small MICE events with overnight stays in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-Gojo area
The hotel’s 40 rooms can accommodate guests after an event
Kiyomizu Elite Terrace has 40 guest rooms measuring 27 to 45 square meters, providing spacious accommodation. All rooms were occupied on the day of our visit. Being able to stay at the hotel after watching AniBeat is one advantage of holding the concert there.
The 35-seat restaurant is available for private use
The restaurant where AniBeat takes place has 35 seats and can be booked for private use. Possible uses include small meetings, corporate networking events, receptions with meals and social gatherings featuring live anime music. With a venue, dining and accommodation in the same hotel, the property is also suited to small MICE events welcoming participants from overseas.
A new way to spend a Kyoto evening through anime music
Reporting on AniBeat showed that there is still room to expand the ways visitors can spend an evening in Kyoto. Alongside nighttime visits to temples and shrines and experiences of traditional culture, listening to Japanese anime music performed live can be another way for overseas travelers to experience Japanese culture. Attending the event made that clear.
The program lasts about an hour from 8 p.m., welcomes a small audience and can be enjoyed in English. These features also make it a possible evening program for corporate events and incentive travel welcoming participants from overseas, as well as for independent travelers. AniBeat offers one idea for considering what Kyoto can provide at night.
