Stray Kids bring RUN IT to Tokyo at the height of their global momentum
Stray Kids perform on August 30, 2026, at MUFG Stadium in Tokyo, with the concert scheduled to begin at 17:00. Gates open at 15:00. It is the second of two consecutive Tokyo nights of the Stray Kids World Tour , following the August 29 concert at the same stadium.
The Tokyo shows carry additional significance within the tour schedule. RUN IT is the group's new world tour, launched at the end of July with a series of concerts in Seoul, while Tokyo opens its Japanese leg. JYP Entertainment particularly emphasizes that with these performances Stray Kids enter the National Stadium as the first foreign male act to hold a concert there. This is therefore more than just another tour stop: the group is arriving at one of Japan's most recognizable stages during a period of exceptionally strong international growth.
For the STAY audience, another reason for interest is the timing of the concert. Stray Kids arrive in Tokyo only a few weeks after the release of the new THIS & THAT release and several months after the single RUN IT, which gave the new tour its name. Material from 2026 therefore enters the concert cycle while it is still completely fresh.
It is worth securing tickets in time, especially for visitors planning a trip to Tokyo because of the concert.
THIS & THAT gives the concert a completely current context
The mini album THIS & THAT was released on August 7, 2026, only 23 days before the second concert in Tokyo. The release contains eight songs, and the title track This & That continues the group's recognizable approach: powerful rhythms, a hip-hop foundation, sudden shifts in energy and production that leaves plenty of room for the different vocal colors of the eight members.
The creative core of Stray Kids remains 3RACHA, consisting of Bang Chan, Changbin and HAN. All three members have participated in creating the group's music since its beginnings, and all eight songs on THIS & THAT are connected to 3RACHA's production work. It is precisely this involvement of the members in their own repertoire that is one of the reasons Stray Kids differ from acts whose studio material and concert identity are more separate.
The new album immediately achieved an important result outside the Korean and Japanese markets as well. THIS & THAT became Stray Kids' ninth album to reach number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. In doing so, they reached nine consecutive releases that debuted at the top of that chart. At the same time, the title track This & That entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 38, the highest position achieved by a Stray Kids song on that chart so far.
That means the Tokyo concert does not belong to a period in which an artist mainly lives off older hits. The audience is coming to see a group that is currently presenting new material while simultaneously achieving some of the biggest results of its career.
What Stray Kids sound like when the music moves into a stadium
Stray Kids are difficult to reduce to a single genre label. Their discography combines hip-hop, electronic music, pop, rock elements and highly rhythmic productions built for choreography and large sound systems. Songs such as God's Menu, Thunderous, MANIAC, S-Class, LALALALA and Chk Chk Boom have shown through different stages of their career how strongly the group relies on contrasts: aggressive rap can turn into a more melodic chorus within a few seconds, then shift again into an instrumental hit or a dance section.
For a concert audience, that rhythm is particularly important. The group's performances are not designed simply as a sequence of songs played one after another. A large part of the impact comes from choreography, the distribution of vocal and rap sections among the members, and changes in intensity that become even more pronounced in a large venue.
The RUN IT tour opened at KSPO DOME in Seoul with five concerts between July 25 and August 2. Tokyo is the next major phase of the tour, but the exact song list for August 30 should not be considered known in advance. The program for an individual night may change, and the final Tokyo set list has not been announced beforehand.
Reliable expectations should therefore be built around the group's identity rather than the assumption that a specific song will definitely be performed. RUN IT and THIS & THAT are naturally at the center of the current phase of their career, while the extensive catalog leaves plenty of room for material from earlier periods as well.
Eight members, eight different roles on stage
The current Stray Kids lineup consists of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, HAN, Felix, Seungmin and I.N. Their different vocal colors and performance roles can be heard particularly clearly live.
Changbin and HAN can completely change the dynamics of a song in a short time with rap sections, Bang Chan often connects the production and performance sides of the group, while Felix's deep voice gives certain parts of songs a very easily recognizable character. Lee Know and Hyunjin strongly carry the dance aspect of the performance, while Seungmin and I.N provide a different melodic balance.
For long-time fans, the appeal lies precisely in those differences. For audiences who know Stray Kids only through a few of their biggest songs, the concert can provide a good demonstration of why their discography works beyond a handful of viral choruses. Eight members allow for a constant shift of focus, which is especially important in a stadium where one act has to hold the attention of tens of thousands of people spread across several tiers of stands.
Tokyo is the beginning of the Japanese leg of the RUN IT tour
After the opening concerts in Seoul, the tour moves to Japan through Tokyo. Two nights at MUFG Stadium follow one another on August 29 and 30.
The Japanese schedule then continues to other major stadium and arena venues:
- Tokyo - MUFG Stadium - August 29 and 30
- Nagoya - Vantelin Dome Nagoya - September 5 and 6
- Osaka - Kyocera Dome Osaka - September 19 and 20
- Fukuoka - Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka - October 24
The August 30 concert is therefore the final night of the Tokyo portion, not an isolated performance. This may affect the audience's energy because a large number of fans will already have gathered in the city the day before, while the group itself will already have completed the first night on the same stage.
Tickets for this event are in demand, particularly because these are two unique Tokyo nights within the broader Japanese tour.
MUFG Stadium is a completely different kind of venue from a traditional arena
MUFG Stadium is the name used since the beginning of 2026 for Japan National Stadium in Tokyo's Shinjuku district. The stadium was completed on November 30, 2019, and has 66,727 seats in its standard configuration.
Its size strongly shapes the concert experience. This is not a compact concert hall where most of the audience is physically close to the stage. The stands are arranged across three main tiers, so the impression of the concert differs depending on the section. In the lower areas, the emphasis is more on the sense of the stage's scale and the performers, while from the upper stands it is easier to see the production as a whole, the choreography of the crowd and the arrangement of the audience throughout the stadium.
Sound should also be considered in the context of the venue. In a stadium of this size, the experience depends on seat position, distance from the main sound system and stage configuration. This is not the acoustic feeling of a small hall, but a stadium format in which powerful bass, big choruses and a synchronized audience become part of the overall impression.
The stadium's architecture is also highly distinctive. Wood from all 47 Japanese prefectures was used on its exterior sections, while a series of horizontal eaves and green areas was designed to connect the large sports facility with the surrounding Meiji Jingu Gaien area. The structure has five above-ground and two underground levels and reaches approximately 47 meters in height.
How to get to MUFG Stadium
For a large concert, public transport is by far a more practical choice than a car. The stadium does not have parking intended for the general public during events, so visitors are advised to arrive by train or subway.
The address is 10-1 Kasumigaokamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.
The nearest stations are:
- Kokuritsu-kyogijo on the Toei Oedo Line - Exit A2 is approximately a one-minute walk away.
- Sendagaya on the JR Sobu Line - approximately a five-minute walk.
- Shinanomachi on the JR Sobu Line - approximately a five-minute walk.
- Gaiemmae on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line - Exit 3 is approximately a nine-minute walk away.
For visitors coming to Tokyo for the first time, it is useful to choose an alternative station for the return journey in advance. After the concert ends, tens of thousands of people head toward several of the same transport points. The nearest station is not necessarily the fastest option if larger queues form immediately after the performance.
Arriving by car is particularly impractical. Stadium parking during events is reserved for vehicles with appropriate authorization, while driving through the city after the concert is additionally slowed by the large number of people in the surrounding streets.
When to arrive at the stadium
For August 30, gates open at 15:00, while the concert begins at 17:00. The two-hour interval is not accidental for an event of this size. Admitting tens of thousands of visitors, finding the correct entrance and section, and passing through the required checks all take time.
For visitors unfamiliar with the stadium, it makes sense to arrive in the wider area earlier than they would for a concert in a smaller venue. It is particularly useful to check the entrance designation and seat location in advance, because walking around such a large facility can take time.
The exact duration of the performance has not been specified in advance, so it is not reasonable to plan a very tight connection for a train, flight or another event immediately after the concert. Return time is affected not only by the length of the performance but also by the controlled emptying of the stadium and crowds at nearby stations.
Late August requires practical preparation
Tokyo is in its summer period at the end of August, and much of the journey to the stadium and the waiting time before entry takes place outdoors. Light clothing and enough time for arrival are more practical than trying to enter at the last moment.
Before departure, it is worth checking the current event instructions again, particularly the rules regarding items that may be brought in, bag dimensions, photography and any possible changes to entrances. Such operational rules can differ from one concert to another and should not be assumed based on previous performances.
For an easier concert day, a basic plan is useful:
- save entrance and seat information before arriving in the crowd
- choose a primary and backup train station
- arrive in the stadium area sufficiently before the gates open
- do not count on parking next to the stadium
- leave enough time for departure after the performance ends
Who this concert is particularly interesting for
The clearest audience is long-time STAY fans who want to see the new tour at the beginning of its cycle. RUN IT has only just begun, THIS & THAT was released in the same month, and Tokyo is the first Japanese stop. There is very little time between the new music and its concert phase.
The concert is not interesting only to audiences who know the entire discography, however. Stray Kids have a sufficiently clearly defined sound for a stadium performance to work even for listeners who know only a few songs such as God's Menu, MANIAC, S-Class, LALALALA or Chk Chk Boom. The focus is not on a calm vocal concert, but on a combination of rhythm, rap, choreography, electronic production and big choruses.
For fans of concert production, the group's transition into this kind of venue is also interesting in itself. The difference between an arena and a stadium is not only in the number of spectators. Performers have to use the stage, cameras and the entire width of the space differently in order for the concert to work for an audience located tens of meters away from the center of the action.
Tokyo around the stadium
MUFG Stadium is located in the central part of Tokyo, in Shinjuku, next to the Meiji Jingu Gaien area. For international visitors, this makes organizing the day easier because the stadium is not isolated on the outskirts of the city and is connected to several railway systems.
The location's most important practical advantage is precisely the choice of stations. The audience does not have to depend on a single line, which is useful both before and after the concert. Visitors staying in different parts of Tokyo can adapt their route to their accommodation instead of everyone traveling along the same route.
At the same time, the immediate surroundings of the stadium on August 30 should be viewed as a major-event area. The time required to cover a short distance on a map can be considerably longer when tens of thousands of people are moving in the same direction.
What is confirmed and what should not be assumed
For August 30, Stray Kids are confirmed as the performer, MUFG Stadium as the venue, gates opening at 15:00 and the performance beginning at 17:00. The concert is part of the Stray Kids World Tour and is the second of two nights in Tokyo.
The final Tokyo set list has not been announced in advance. Therefore, song lists from earlier concerts should not be treated as a promise that an identical repertoire will be performed in Tokyo. The same applies to the duration of the performance, possible guests and individual production elements - if something has not been confirmed for this particular night, it is not useful to build arrival plans around assumptions.
What can be expected with much greater confidence is a concert that connects the new RUN IT phase, fresh material from THIS & THAT and the catalog that has taken Stray Kids from their 2018 debut to today's stadium tours.
For audiences traveling to Tokyo specifically because of the concert, it is worth securing tickets in time and organizing the rest of the trip with enough flexibility around the event itself.
Sources:
- MUFG Stadium - schedule for the Stray Kids World Tour , gate opening and concert start times, capacity, stadium characteristics, address, railway connections and parking rules
- JYP Entertainment - member profiles, discography, start of the RUN IT tour, RUN IT release, THIS & THAT album and information about the performance at Tokyo's National Stadium
- Sony Music Japan - schedule of the Japanese leg of the RUN IT tour and confirmed dates for Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka
- Yonhap News Agency - results of the THIS & THAT album on the Billboard 200 and the title track This & That on the Billboard Hot 100