A live report has arrived from the Kuji performance of the “NON Jiyuu (10) Tour 2026,” held on October 18 in Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture!

The “NON Freedom (10) Tour 2026,” commemorating “NON’s 10th Anniversary” and her 20th debut anniversary, kicked off on October 18 in Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture. Here, we bring you coverage of the first day of this tour—which takes NON to places with special significance to her—at the Jumonji Chicken Amber Hall in Kuji, the setting for the 2013 NHK morning drama *Amachan*. The acoustic performance featured special guests Ai Hashimoto and Yoshihide Otomo.

Upon entering the hall, the first thing that caught the eye was a banner featuring an illustration of “Shiosai no Memories,” the local idol unit from “Amachan.” The warm welcome extended to Ai Hashimoto—who played Yui Adachi, a friend of the heroine Aki Amano (played by NON)—as she returned to her hometown for the first time in 13 years was evident from the various displays throughout the hall. Tickets, of course, sold out immediately. Many fans had traveled from far away, and a long line had formed since early morning at the city’s “Moka” café (said to have been the model for “Café Rias” in the series)!　Held in the small, beautiful town of Kita-Sanriku—with which NON has maintained a connection ever since *Amachan*—the “NON 10th Anniversary” concert kicked off the moment the background music for “Hitotsu Dake” (One and Only), sung by Kiyoshiro Imawano and Akiko Yano—who influenced NON when she first started making music—faded out.

 

Amid thunderous applause, a boyish-looking NON, dressed in a black suit, appeared on stage. “Welcome, everyone. I’m NON.” Holding an acoustic guitar, she announced, “I want to make this the freest day I’ve had in the last 10 years.” The first song was “Because Dreams Get Hurt (Inspired by Tokyo Hyakkei).” Inspired by Naoki Matayoshi’s essay collection *Tokyo Hyakkei*, the lyrics NON wrote tell a poignant and bittersweet coming-of-age story. Her presence as she sang while strumming the acoustic guitar was truly commanding. “I chose Kuji for the first show of the tour because it’s a place that holds deep meaning for me. Performing a solo concert here feels like a dream,” she said. The next song, “Spring, I Stand Ready,” is a track from her third album, *Renarrate*, set for release in 2025. This song, which powerfully expresses her yearning for freedom, is a fitting theme for this tour. NON says she became interested in acoustic live performances after appearing alongside Tamio Okuda and Rekishi on this year’s “Takashi Hamazaki GACHI Special.” Seeing her stand alone on stage, strumming her guitar and singing, conveyed not just a sense of growth but also the pride of a musician.

 

After singing two songs as a solo artist, guitarist Kei Higuchi took the stage. Kei, who has created music alongside NON and become an indispensable partner in their live performances, told NON, “That was really great,” to which NON replied, “Hmm, I think I was a little more nervous than during rehearsal.” This friendly back-and-forth between the two created a relaxed atmosphere. With the words, “Please enjoy a cozy, acoustic set today—a free and laid-back time,” they moved on to the NON + Kei segment. They performed “Beautiful Stars,” a song provided by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, and “Renarrate,” with lyrics by NON and music by Kei. These two songs—one from her second album *PURSUE*, which she described as “packed with the essence of my 20s,” and the other from her third album *Renarrate*, which she created as a way to “re-tell her own story”—overflow with the independent artistic expression she’s cultivated since launching her music career. The lyric “Even now, I can go anywhere” (“Renarrate”) may have reflected the honest feelings of a woman who found liberation after taking the name NON and embarking on her musical journey.

“It’s been since our livestream that the two of us have played acoustic guitar together like this—it feels fresh.” After a bit of casual, intimate banter between the two, they moved on to “Aliens.” This is a classic song from Yasuyuki Horigome’s Kirinji days that gained attention when NON performed it in a commercial in 2017. Here, Kei played the guitar while NON sang this “treasured song from my time as NON” with a gentle, thoughtful voice. They also performed “Usukearai na,” a song written and composed by NON that reflects on her past self, bringing their perfectly synchronized performance to a close.

 

At this point, special guest Yoshihide Otomo took the stage. “It’s been a while. This is my first time in Kuji in three years, since the ‘Amachan 10th Anniversary’ event,” Otomo said in his greeting. Even after composing the music for *Amachan*, he has continued to collaborate with NON on her solo projects and as part of the trio “NON to Mo. M,” featuring NON, Yoshihide Otomo, and Sachiko M. On this day, I was looking forward to seeing what songs the trio—NON, Otomo, and Kei—would perform and how they’d play them in this acoustic lineup. First up was “Sherry” from the album *The Show Is About to Begin!*, released in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. NON delivered a stunning falsetto rendition of The Four Seasons’ 1962 No. 1 U.S. hit, impressing Otomo so much that he remarked, “NON-chan, your voice really carries!” For “Itsudemo Kimi wa,” Otomo played the banjo and whistled, while NON sang humorously and leisurely. Regarding “Can’t Sleep”—about which Otomo remarked, “I wondered if it was okay to have NON-chan sing a song like this”—he explained that although the lyrics include lines like “Hey, old man over there, you little brat,” he wrote it with the frustration people felt during the COVID-19 pandemic and NON’s then-night-owl lifestyle in mind. Otomo’s noisy guitar solo, NON’s vocals—which sounded almost like a poetry reading—and Kei’s acoustic guitar came together to create an intense, intimate world shared only by the three of them.

NON and Kei exited the stage, leaving only Otomo behind. “Just a moment ago, when NON-chan introduced me as a special guest and then left the stage, I could feel everyone’s disappointment (laughs). Please bear with me for just a few more minutes,” he said, lightening the mood with his MC remarks.

Otomo, who had rushed to Kuji from Yamaguchi—where his own art exhibition is currently being held—remarked, “Thirteen years have passed since the drama aired, and I’ve now reached the age of Aki’s grandfather, Chubei Amano.” He then performed “TIME” from the *Amachan* soundtrack as a solo piece. Playing that melancholic melody with nothing but a whistle and an electric guitar, he deeply moved many fans. He shared a behind-the-scenes story about “Memory of the Tide,” revealing that director Tsuyoshi Inoue had rejected it multiple times, and sang a brief snippet of the chorus from the version of “Tide” that came just before the final cut (which ultimately became “Aki’s Theme” in the soundtrack). It was simply irresistible to hear one special song after another—songs unique to this Kuji performance—unfold one after another.

“Young folks, it’s almost time for the main characters to make their entrance,” Otomo announced, prompting an even louder round of applause.

 

“I want to be an idol!” Yui Adachi’s voice rang out! Everyone in the audience cheered, and there’s no doubt tears welled up in their eyes. Taking the stage were Aki Amano (NON) and Yui Adachi (Ai Hashimoto) from “Shiosai no Memories.” As that familiar intro played and the two began singing with the choreography everyone had imitated, the energy in the venue reached its peak. Hashimoto sang the opening lines, followed by Non, as penlights swayed all around. Fans were delighted to see Aki in a red costume and Yui in a blue one. Two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the heroines of the national drama that brought brightness, fun, and energy to Japan stood together on a stage in the very city where the series was set—13 years later. Seeing the two of them sing “Memories of the Tide” with such vitality and smiles still brought a lump to my throat. 

 

A voice calling out, “Welcome back, Yui-chan!” and a banner warmly greeted her. When NON introduced her as “Ai Hashimoto,” Hashimoto replied, “I’m Yui. Thank you for inviting me today,” fully embodying the character of Yui. This was the first time in 13 years—since the 64th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2013—that the two had sung together as “Shiosai no Memories.” “We haven’t released any recordings, so hearing us sing live is super rare, isn’t it?” said Hashimoto. She explained that, as she was still a high school student at the time, she couldn’t attend the after-parties or drinking gatherings, but upon returning to Kuji after so long, “I was happy to feel both nostalgia and a sense that things hadn’t changed. The sign for ‘Us’ in front of the station had been replaced, and the mamebu was delicious. I love that sweet-and-salty flavor!” she said, expressing her love for Kuji. Although they’d co-starred in movies since *Amachan*, this reunion came about because Non reached out to Hashimoto. Though brief, it was a special, almost miraculous moment born from the friendship and bond—the “sisterhood”—between the two, who’d each walked their own paths. “Today’s experience is deeply etched in my memory,” Hashimoto said before leaving the stage, and Kei returned. It was a surprise to hear “The Amachan Theme” performed as an acoustic guitar ensemble by NON, Otomo, and Kei. That lively instrumental number, originally performed by the “Amachan Special Big Band,” was recreated using only acoustic guitars, greatly energizing the audience. It was proof that when the original song is good, it works perfectly well even in this kind of arrangement.

“I performed a variety of songs in Kuji today, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt this way. Is this what it means to be moved?” Non began to speak, as if searching for the right words to describe what she was feeling at that moment. “It’s been 10 years since I started performing as ‘N,’ and 20 years since I entered the entertainment industry. I’m truly happy to have made it here, having overcome a bumpy, rough road.” The audience knew that the path she had walked was far from smooth. That’s precisely why they knew this day’s performance would be something special. 

“This song is like an alter ego of mine—it tells the story of my journey,” she said as she introduced “Standing in the Wilderness.” NON set aside her guitar to perform this dramatic song—in which she poured out her heart and which was written and composed by Kei’s older sister, Ai Higuchi—as a solo vocal piece. Since becoming NON, music and the guitar have been her strongest allies as she stood in the wilderness. While continuing her acting career, she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to music, took on the challenge of writing her own songs, performed numerous live shows, and has now returned to Kuji for this solo tour. The final song of the main set was “Climy.” As NON sang lightly and freely while playing the harp, accompanied by Kei’s guitar, fans couldn’t help but see in her the tough, forthright Aki from *Amachan*—the character who always gets back on her feet no matter what. After all, it’s certain that her grit—as if she were “crying in a fighting pose” (“Climy”)—will continue to weave new stories and music in the future.