Tsuda Hall Closing

Tsuda Hall, which is part of the private Tsuda Juku University, opened in 1988 during the “classical music boom” that accompanied the opening of Suntory Hall in Tokyo, which remains probably the most well-known and well-respected concert hall in Japan.

When Suntory Hall opened in 1986 during the height of the so-called Bubble Era, when Japan was considered the most economically powerful country in the world, every local government in Japan suddenly wanted a classical music hall and had them built at considerable expense. More than 500 were constructed, but many have since closed in the ongoing stagnant economy that resulted after the bubble burst in the early ’90s.

However, two Tokyo venues built exclusively for chamber music, Casals Hall and Tsuda Hall, continued to thrive because they catered to a community that appreciated them. The idea was to make classical music not only affordable for the average person, but also accessible. Casals Hall closed in 2010 when its sponsor, Nihon University, underwent redevelopment. The reason for Tsuda’s closing is ostensibly the same.

Tsuda Juku University is being renovated, though some people also think it has something to do with the 2020 Olympics, as the main stadium for the Games is located in the same Tokyo neighborhood. In any event, the university has made no official announcement as to whether the hall will reopen after the renovation project is completed.