In February 2026, Pokémon will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, and details of the various commemorative events are finally emerging. 2026 also marks the 100th anniversary of Japan's NHK Symphony Orchestra, so the two institutions are teaming up to put on a Classical Concert Tour.
Videogame concerts aren't a new phenomenon - we visited both the Genshin Impact concert and Stardew Valley concert in 2024, and a few of us have tickets lined up for other shows already. Although these performances don't usually make it outside of Japan, Pokémon also has a long-standing history of working with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, though often on a much smaller scale. For example, the orchestra's brass quintet is set to perform alongside Pikachu and the water Pokémon, Oshawott, in a mini concert in the Mie Prefecture in November 2025.
Mie's performance also offers a special bonus for visitors who have the Pokémon Home mobile app, letting them claim a special Pikachu and Oshawott commemorative medal for the smartphone software. If you can get this kind of reward at a local brass performance, who knows what kind of goodies we can expect from the Pokémon Classical Concert Tour? Maybe there'll be some exclusive Pokémon figures or plush on offer at the gift shop.
When is the NHK Symphony Orchestra x Pokémon Classical Concert Tour?
The NHK Symphony Orchestra x Pokémon Classical Concert Tour is set to take place from August 21 - 24, 2026. You can catch the performance at four different venues across the country:
- Friday, August 21, 2026: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
- Saturday, August 22, 2026: Kyoto Concert Hall
- Sunday, August 23, 2026: The Symphony Hall
- Monday, August 24, 2026: ACROS Fukuoka
Pokémon isn't the only videogame series collaborating with the NHK Symphony Orchestra to celebrate its centennial year, as a Dragon Quest IV concert is also on the program for February 2026. Dragon Quest games have such iconic and recognizable musical scores that I can't wait to hear how they sound with a full orchestra. If you love Pokémon and music, but prefer a less buttoned-up genre, there's still time to get your tickets to the Project Voltage Live show.