August 27, 2026
Refreshing at Hassyoku, Spirit at Yoyogi
Hello everyone! How is everyone doing?
Today marks the final installment of Chapter 1 of this column! Fortunately, the column has been renewed, so Chapter 2 will kick off next week, but this serves as a nice little milestone for now! That being said, I’m just going to keep doing what I always do and write about whatever I want!
I had a rare weekend off on August 22nd and 23rd for the first time in a while, so I bolted straight to Aomori Prefecture! The reason, of course, was to go to the Hassyoku Summer Free Live (HSFL). Believe it or not, it was actually my first time visiting Aomori. The only prefecture in the Tohoku region I haven’t been to now is Akita, so I’m hoping to make it out there whenever the timing works out.
For those of you wondering, “What on earth is Hassyoku Summer Free Live?”, let me give you a quick rundown. It’s an absolutely killer free music festival held every August in the parking lot of the Hassyoku Center in Hachinohe, Aomori. I’ve wanted to go every single year, but it always clashed with my match schedule, so just being able to attend this year was a miracle in itself. (Crying face) The lineup was packed with my absolute favorite bands. The weather was perfectly sunny both days, making for an amazing atmosphere. Also, the event poster is just too cool. The back featured on it belongs to Kuni-san from THE FOREVER YOUNG, and it’s a back that commands so much respect that I’m just grateful to look at it. I’m still thinking, “I need that poster!”
Let’s talk about Day 1. I met up with a friend and was already having a blast, but during 39degrees’ set, I thought, “With weather this sunny, it’s gotta be melodic hardcore,” and when they played at peep of the day, I turned into a total dopamine-crazed kid. I don’t think I’ve introduced 39degrees here before, but I highly recommend them.
I was blown away by how cool Jason Andrew was. Just like with OwL who played that day, seeing my friends standing on such a massive stage really lights a fire under me. It makes me feel like I can’t let myself be outdone. They’re such an important presence in my life.
Also, I got to see NUBO! Fun fact: the title of this column, “Can’t give up,” actually comes from a NUBO song! Finally, THE FOREVER YOUNG closed out the night, and I was bawling my eyes out from the very first note. They were just ridiculously cool. Seeing them illuminated by the setting sun was so awesome I literally lost my vocabulary!!
I originally had other plans for the second day and was supposed to head home, but I was having so much fun that I just couldn’t resist sticking around. I pushed my schedule back a bit so I could hang out for part of the day. The sushi and senbei-jiru I ate at the Hassyoku Center were so delicious…
On Day 2, I got to see Northern19 for the first time in a while, and my friends in FUNNY THINK and MARITSU were absolutely killing it too! Mori-san, the drummer for FUNNY THINK, has apparently gotten super hooked on Sendai Girls recently, and I was so happy when he passionately geeked out to me about it! (Laughs) My only major regret is missing KUZIRA and Stompin’ Bird. (Crying)
A few people even called out to me over the two days. While I generally couldn’t take photos, I was thrilled to hear people tell me they support me! Thank you all so much!
This has totally turned into a concert review rather than a column, hasn’t it? But it was so much fun, please just let me process all these feelings… I actually went to another killer gig on Monday, but I’ll save that story for another time!
Since I have matches on most weekends, I rarely get to go to events like this. Going all out and having a blast on these miraculous days where my schedule clears up is exactly how I recharge my batteries.
Our upcoming Yoyogi show is tomorrow, Friday. Sendai Girls’ Tokyo shows are usually on weekends, so I really want people who normally work weekends to come out for this one! Just like at Xebio, we are inviting anyone 18 and under in for free. All the specific details for the day have been officially released, so please check them out! Even if you don’t have a ticket, you can still buy merchandise!
There are three singles matches on the card, and two of them are title matches. The only non-title match is ours. Aya Sakura is a tag team champion now, too. I saw her tweets yesterday, and it seems like she’s dealing with her own struggles and overthinking things day by day. But once we step in the ring, none of that matters. We have 10 minutes to show which one of us has grown more over the past year. Who will stand on top? Let’s settle this definitively.
So, whether you’re stopping by after work or looking to make one last summer vacation memory, I’ll be waiting for you at Yoyogi!
And with that, Chapter 1 is officially complete! I’m so glad people are getting to know me through this column, and reading everyone’s feedback makes me genuinely happy! Please keep supporting me moving forward! See you next week!
Translator’s Notes
- HSFL / Hassyoku Center: The Hassyoku Summer Free Live is an annual outdoor music festival held in Aomori Prefecture. The Hassyoku Center itself is a massive indoor market famous for fresh seafood, hence YUNA’s mention of eating delicious sushi there.
- Senbei-jiru: A traditional regional dish from Aomori consisting of a soy-based soup filled with vegetables, meat, and special Nanbu senbei (wheat crackers) that soften in the broth.
- “Melodic Hardcore” (メロコア – Merokoa): A heavily utilized term in the Japanese punk scene referring to fast-paced punk rock with highly melodic vocals. YUNA’s personal aesthetic and wrestling gear are heavily inspired by this music scene.
- Band Nicknames & Slang:
- “Eba-Yan” (エバヤン): The common shorthand/nickname for the punk band THE FOREVER YOUNG.
- “Senjo” (仙女): The abbreviated Japanese name for Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling, the promotion YUNA primarily wrestles for.
- “Dopagaki” (ドパガキ): A portmanteau slang term combining “dopamine” and “gaki” (kid/brat), essentially meaning reverting to an overly excited, hyperactive state. Translated here as “dopamine-crazed kid.”
- Xebio: Referring to Xebio Arena Sendai, a major venue that occasionally hosts large-scale Sendai Girls events.
- Aya Sakura: A wrestler for World Wonder Ring Stardom (currently holding the Future of Stardom Championship and part of the Cosmic Angels). She and YUNA share a compelling crossover dynamic that spans both Sendai Girls and Stardom rings.