Shōgin Tact Tsuruoka is a multipurpose hall located in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
One of its greatest features is the acoustic design that maximizes the resonance of live sound.
Created by Nagata Acoustics, one of Japan’s leading acoustic design firms, it offers an outstanding space that accommodates everything from classical music and choral performances to theater and lectures.
🎧 Acoustic Features
1. Consulting by Nagata Acoustics
Japan’s top acoustic design firm, Nagata Acoustics, oversaw everything from design to inspection and measurement, ensuring uncompromising quality.
While it offers acoustics comparable to a dedicated concert hall, it is also adaptable for multipurpose use.
2. Vineyard-style seating arrangement
The seating is arranged in terraced blocks in an asymmetrical vineyard style.
This design ensures that early reflections are evenly distributed, allowing every seat to enjoy a natural and pleasant resonance.
3. Innovative use of reflected sound
The handrail walls are designed with ridges to diffuse reflected sound.
Curved walls and ceilings further help prevent the sound from becoming too strong, creating a softer, more balanced resonance.
4. Sound insulation design
Double doors are installed between the lobby and the hall to block outside noise, creating an environment where audiences can fully focus on the acoustic experience inside.
5. Exposed installation of proscenium speakers
Equipped with a lift system and installed within the hall, the proscenium speakers provide clear and natural amplification, ensuring flexibility across all genres.
👂 Acoustic experience from every seat
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Front center seats: The performers’ sound reaches directly, allowing you to savor the finest nuances.
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Rear center seats: With added reflections, the sound gains depth and spaciousness—ideal for choirs and orchestras.
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Side seats: While the sound balance shifts slightly, they offer a vivid sense of presence with a full view of the stage.
A defining feature of Shōgin Tact is that it feels comfortable no matter where you sit, with minimal differences between seats compared to other halls.
🌍 What is Nagata Acoustics?
They are renowned not only in Japan but also internationally, having designed numerous concert halls around the world.
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Founder: Minoru Nagata
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Established: Founded in 1971, incorporated in 1974
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Notable halls:
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Japan: Suntory Hall, Muza Kawasaki, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Kyoto Concert Hall
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Overseas: Walt Disney Concert Hall (USA), Elbphilharmonie (Germany), Philharmonie de Paris (France)
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🔬 Design philosophy: “Silence, good sound, and rich resonance”
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Silence: Blocking out external noise
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**Good sound**: A natural and clear sound image
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Good resonance: Pleasantly expansive reverberation
🌍 The Excellence of Nagata Acoustics
1. Trusted by musicians around the world
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They have designed some of the world’s premier halls, including Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), and the Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg).
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These halls are said to be admired as “venues every musician wants to perform in at least once.”
2. Combining science and craftsmanship
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Rather than relying on deskbound design, they actually build 1/10-scale models and test them with sound—a rigorous approach.
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They design from both architectural and musical perspectives, considering how the sound ultimately reaches the audience’s ears.
3. Guided by a clear philosophy
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Beyond technology, they uphold three core principles: “Silence, Good Sound, and Rich Resonance.”
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This design philosophy goes beyond numbers, prioritizing whether people can enjoy sound in comfort above all else.
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That’s why their halls instantly feel “natural and comfortable” the moment you hear the sound.
✨ Shōgin Tact Tsuruoka and Nagata Acoustics
Multipurpose halls often end up being “compromises that don’t fully suit any genre.”
However, thanks to Nagata Acoustics, Shōgin Tact achieves a *miraculous balance*—offering resonance on par with a dedicated classical hall, while still accommodating theater and lectures.
And yet, acoustics can never truly be conveyed through words alone.
You really have to visit in person and experience the sense of presence for yourself.
🐇 For your stay, **Guesthouse Watausagi** is highly recommended.
If you’re visiting Tsuruoka for its architecture tours or concert experiences, **Guesthouse Watausagi** is a great choice for accommodation.
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It’s within **walking distance from Sogin Tact Tsuruoka**.
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An **exchange space where you can meet travelers from all around the world**.
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A place where you can **experience local life while sharing conversations about architecture and culture**.
Many architecture enthusiasts also stay at **Watausagi**.
Spend the day experiencing the architecture of Sogin Tact, and the evening sharing stories with fellow travelers at Watausagi.
This is the kind of special time that only Watausagi can offer.
🏆 Highlights of Shōgin Tact Tsuruoka
Shōgin Tact Tsuruoka is a hall that values creating a space where people and music connect naturally, rather than pursuing “perfect reverberation.”
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A miraculous balance—though a multipurpose hall, it offers resonance on par with a dedicated classical hall.
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It connects local culture with music, serving as a space open to the community.
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It offers an acoustic experience to be proud of, both in Japan and abroad.
When visiting Tsuruoka, be sure to experience the “world-class acoustics” of this hall for yourself.
That’s all for today’s article.
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