Stray Kids bring RUN IT to one of Tokyo's most important stadiums
Stray Kids are performing at MUFG Stadium in Tokyo as part of the new "RUN IT" world tour, with the first Tokyo concert taking place on August 29, 2026. Entry begins at 15:30, while the performance is scheduled to start at 17:30. Another concert at the same stadium follows the next day, before the Japanese leg of the tour continues through Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.
For Stray Kids, this is not just another major stop on the schedule. The Japanese tour announcement highlighted that they are the first male act from outside Japan to perform at MUFG Stadium, formerly the National Stadium, giving the Tokyo dates additional significance. The stadium is one of the city's most recognizable sports venues and the main arena from the Tokyo 2020 period, and since the beginning of 2026 it has carried the name MUFG Stadium.
The concert also comes at a very precise point in the group's career. The new "RUN IT" era has only just begun, the new material is fresh, and the Tokyo performances follow the tour's first five concerts at KSPO Dome in Seoul. As a result, the Tokyo audience gets a performance in the early stage of the tour, when the new repertoire is only beginning to turn into a stadium show.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
THIS & THAT defines the sound of Stray Kids' current phase
Immediately before the Japanese concerts, Stray Kids released "THIS & THAT", an album that arrived on August 7, 2026. The album directly connects to the tour concept: "RUN IT", released on June 24, appears on it and at the same time functions as the musical foundation of the new concert era.
The title track "This & That" is based on a hip-hop approach, a pronounced groove and the group's characteristic combination of rap, vocals and choreography. The album continues the group's long-standing working model in which the members play a direct role in creating the music. The production unit 3RACHA - Bang Chan, Changbin and HAN - is credited on several tracks, including "RUN IT", "This & That" and "After You".
The new material is important for understanding the concert because Stray Kids are currently not on a tour that relies only on a catalogue of hits. "RUN IT" is conceived as a new stage. At the opening performances in Seoul, the group combined the new material with songs from almost their entire career, from early titles to the latest releases.
This creates a range that is particularly interesting for audiences who have followed Stray Kids for years. Their sound has never remained in one tidy genre box. Electronic production, hip-hop, powerful rap sections, melodic choruses, rock elements and emphasized rhythm often alternate within the same song. In a large stadium, songs like these have room for exactly what the group is known for - massive choruses, precise choreography and sudden shifts in energy.
What the RUN IT concerts so far tell us about the repertoire
The Tokyo set list has not been confirmed in advance and it should not be assumed that it will be identical to the concerts in Seoul. Nevertheless, the opening performances of the tour provide a very good framework for the kind of evening Stray Kids are currently building.
At the opening of the "RUN IT" tour at KSPO Dome, the repertoire included songs from different periods of the group's career. Among the performed titles were "Hall of Fame", "Hellevator", "District 9", "Side Effects", "Double Knot", "Back Door", "MANIAC", "God's Menu", "Thunderous", "LALALALA", "Chk Chk Boom" and "S-Class". The new "RUN IT" was positioned as one of the central moments of the main part of the concert, while "After You" appeared in the final part of the program.
Such a selection shows that the concept is not limited only to the latest album. Early material such as "Hellevator" and "District 9" is placed alongside songs that marked the group's later international breakthrough, including "God's Menu", "MANIAC", "S-Class" and "Chk Chk Boom".
- For long-time fans, the return of songs from earlier phases of the group's career is important.
- For audiences who discovered the group in recent years, there are major internationally recognizable singles.
- New material from the "THIS & THAT" era gives the concert the identity of the current tour.
- The Seoul set showed that songs from different albums are arranged into one long, dynamic concert arc.
That is still no guarantee of individual songs for Tokyo. The set list, running order and performance versions may change between cities, especially when the tour moves from an arena to a stadium. The safest expectation is a cross-section of several career phases with a strong focus on "RUN IT" and the new album, without counting on one specific song or encore.
Why MUFG Stadium is a different kind of concert venue
MUFG Stadium is located in Kasumigaoka-chou in Shinjuku and was completed in 2019. According to data from the venue's operator, it has 66,727 seats. The large volume of the stands completely changes the feeling of a concert compared with arena performances attended by several tens of thousands fewer people.
Architecturally, it is recognizable for the wooden elements on its exterior levels and a design connected with the greenery of Meiji Jingu Gaien. For visitors, the more important practical consequence of its size is that getting from the wrong side of the stadium to the correct entrance can involve a serious walk. In its stadium guide, the Japan Association of Athletics Federations states that the outer perimeter is approximately one kilometre and recommends that visitors check in advance which side their entrance is on.
The concert configuration of the stage and sound system has not been published in detail, so it is not possible to reliably assess in advance the acoustics of every sector or the sense of distance from the performers. Organizational information also warns that from certain seats, part of the stage, the members or certain production elements may be less visible. At a stadium concert, the row number is therefore not the only important piece of information - the sector and its position relative to the stage can have a much greater impact on the experience.
At the same time, the stadium enables a dimension that smaller venues cannot offer. Songs such as "MIROH", "God's Menu", "S-Class", "Chk Chk Boom" or "RUN IT" rely on rhythm and choruses that work especially well when taken up by a large crowd. For the STAY audience, for whom collective singing and reactions are an important part of the experience, the Tokyo concert has the potential to feel significantly different from hearing the same program in an enclosed arena.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
Arriving by public transport is the simplest option
MUFG Stadium has several very practical rail and metro connections. The nearest station is Kokuritsu-kyogijo on the Toei Oedo Line, whose A2 exit is approximately a one-minute walk from the stadium. JR Sendagaya and Shinanomachi are about five minutes away on foot, while Gaienmae on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line is approximately nine minutes away.
For visitors who do not know Tokyo well, it is useful to remember that there is not only one "correct" station. It makes sense to match the choice with the entrance listed on the ticket and the part of the city you are coming from. This can reduce the amount of walking around the entire complex and avoid unnecessary crowding toward the nearest station.
From Shinjuku, Sendagaya can be reached very quickly by a local JR Chuo-Sobu train, while from the direction of Shibuya the Ginza Line toward Gaienmae is convenient. Visitors arriving from other parts of Tokyo therefore do not have to pass through a single major transport hub.
Parking for the general public is not available at the stadium. The organizational instructions for the concert additionally ask visitors not to arrive by car or arrange drop-off and pick-up immediately next to the stadium. For an event of this size, public transport is not only more practical but also considerably more predictable.
After the concert, visitors should expect controlled crowd dispersal. The organizer has announced the possibility of releasing individual sectors gradually in order to reduce congestion, so the moment the performance ends does not necessarily mean an immediate exit onto the street. This is important if you have a later transport reservation or are returning to a more distant part of the metropolitan area.
Entering the stadium requires a little preparation in advance
The gates for the first Tokyo concert open at 15:30, a full two hours before the 17:30 start. At a stadium of this size, arriving immediately before the beginning is not a good strategy, especially for visitors coming to the complex for the first time.
Concert tickets use a digital format on a smartphone. Visitors are advised to download them to the device before arriving because heavy mobile-network congestion is expected around the stadium. If several people have separate tickets from the same purchase, their distribution to the devices of the people entering must be completed in advance.
The organizer may also conduct identity checks, so bringing a photo identification document is recommended. Children under four years of age cannot enter, while from the age of four a separate ticket is required.
Once inside, re-entry is not permitted. This is another reason to check before passing through security that you have your phone, documents, a portable battery if you need one, weather protection and everything else you will use during the evening.
Large bags are also not a practical choice. For this concert, it is stated that the stadium has no cloakroom or permanent lockers intended for concert visitors. Filming, photography and audio recording during the performance are not permitted.
Heat and rain can be as important as the concert schedule
Late August in Tokyo requires serious consideration of weather conditions, and the organizational information for these concerts particularly emphasizes protection from the heat and regular hydration. The stadium concert takes place outdoors and is planned to go ahead even in rain, while severe weather could interrupt it or prevent it from taking place.
The audience is encouraged to bring enough fluids, wear breathable clothing and protect themselves from the sun. At the same time, there are restrictions on what may be brought inside. Cans, glass bottles and plastic bottles with a capacity of 601 ml or more are not permitted. Visitors in the arena area are subject to an additional rule related to protecting the natural grass - in that area, water is the permitted drink, while other non-alcoholic beverages are not allowed in that section.
Umbrellas may not be used inside the stadium. If the forecast shows the possibility of rain, a lightweight raincoat or poncho that does not block the view of people behind you is a more practical choice.
The combination of summer temperatures, waiting before entry and a concert lasting several hours means it makes sense to plan hydration before thirst appears. The organizer states that the estimated duration of the performance is around three hours, with possible variations depending on how the concert unfolds. This turns the Tokyo evening into a multi-hour stadium stay, not merely the time spent during the performance itself.
Tokyo is the first Japanese stop of the new tour
"RUN IT" began with a series of concerts in Seoul, and Tokyo is the next major step and the beginning of the Japanese leg of the tour. After two performances at MUFG Stadium, the schedule takes Stray Kids to Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka, for a total of seven concerts in Japan.
Tokyo is also not merely a logistically convenient host city. The group has had a strong concert audience in Japan for years, and is now moving into a venue that represents a different level of performance scale. The fact that this is the first performance by a male act from outside Japan at this stadium further distinguishes these two dates from a standard tour stop.
For international visitors, the stadium's location is also favorable. Shinjuku and Shibuya are only a short public-transport ride away, so it is not necessary to look for accommodation immediately next to the stadium. The areas around Sendagaya, Shinanomachi, Gaienmae and Meiji Jingu Gaien are considerably quieter than Tokyo's largest commercial districts, while the busiest city centres are only a few stops away.
If Tokyo is part of a longer trip, it makes sense to secure the ticket before arranging the rest of the itinerary.
Who will find this concert particularly interesting
Long-time STAY fans will get the most out of it. The opening concerts of the tour showed an intention to connect the current phase of Stray Kids with earlier periods, so the new material does not erase the songs that built the group's identity.
At the same time, the concert is not intended only for audiences who know every album. Over the past several years, Stray Kids have built a catalogue recognizable enough that songs such as "God's Menu", "MANIAC", "S-Class", "LALALALA" and "Chk Chk Boom" also function as an entry point for a broader K-pop audience.
For fans of performance-intensive pop, the concert is interesting because of the way the group combines rap, vocals, choreography and highly rhythmic production. Stray Kids rarely build a performance around a calm, linear flow. The contrast between more aggressive songs, large choruses, melodic sections and altered concert versions is one of the reasons their catalogue works well over long performances.
What should not yet be taken for granted
The final Tokyo set list has not been announced, so the list of songs from Seoul should be viewed exclusively as an indication of the current concert direction. The same applies to stage details, possible guests and individual production elements. Stray Kids, the date, venue and basic information about the concert have been confirmed, but there is no reason to promise special guests or specific effects in advance.
For visitors, the most useful approach is therefore to plan what can already be planned: arriving early enough, choosing the appropriate station according to the entrance, preparing the digital ticket, bringing an identification document, carrying minimal luggage, bringing water in permitted packaging and protecting yourself from summer weather conditions.
The most important musical context is already clear. The "RUN IT" tour arrives in Tokyo immediately after the opening performances in Seoul and only a few weeks after the release of "THIS & THAT". The audience will therefore see Stray Kids at a moment when the new material still carries the energy of a fresh release, while the catalogue is large enough for a stadium program to connect almost the group's entire career to date.
Sources:
- Stray Kids Japan / Sony Music Japan - dates and cities of the "RUN IT JAPAN" tour, gate-opening and concert-start times, and the information about the first performance by a male act from outside Japan at MUFG Stadium
- SOGO TOKYO - concert time, entry rules, digital tickets, approximate duration, re-entry rules, recording, baggage, weather conditions, hydration and gradual crowd-release procedures
- MUFG Stadium - capacity, year of completion, address, architectural features and access from the nearest rail and metro stations
- Japan Association of Athletics Federations - stadium entrance layout, size of the outer perimeter and practical information for arriving by public transport
- JYP Entertainment and JYP Publishing - release of "THIS & THAT", "RUN IT", track list and songwriting contributions by 3RACHA members
- Yonhap News Agency - context of the new world tour and the scope of Stray Kids' previous tour
- JamBase / setlist.fm - repertoire performed at the opening "RUN IT" tour concerts in Seoul