The English translation is below
2026年5月31日、「嵐」は東京ドームでのファイナルコンサートをもって
活動休止となりました
その前の3月4日、最後のシングル「Five」がデジタル配信され
同日にオリコンチャートなどで1位を獲得しました。
曲を発表したら、もしかして歌番組に出るのでは？との周りの期待をよそに
5人揃った「嵐」として、テレビなどのメディア出演は一切ありませんでした
もし出演したら、視聴率はとんでもないことになっていたでしょうけど…
その1番の理由は、「ファンへの誠実さ」でした
彼らにとって、26年半もの間支えてくれたファンに感謝を伝える場所は
TVの向こうの不特定多数の視聴者に向けてではなく
「自分たちのために集まってくれたファンとの直接的な空間（ライブ）」
であるべきだという強いこだわりがありました
活動休止が決まってからの彼らは、最後のコンサートの準備に
全てのエネルギーを注いでいたと言っても過言ではないほど！
ライブパフォーマンスの質を極限まで高めることこそが
ファンへの最大の誠意である、という職人気質な考え方があったらしいです
嵐って昔から5人の合意を優先するグループだったから
すごく嵐らしい幕引きだった気がしますね
嵐はファンでなくても高齢者でも、メンバーの顔と名前が一致する
本当に国民的なグループでした
サビだけ聴いたら全部知ってる曲♪というくらいです
男性からも、友達の結婚式に振り付けを覚えて歌った
なんて話もよく聞きましたね
グループでよくあるような、一部の人気の高いメンバーが
ソロ活動を始めて、よく分からないうちに解散。。。
なんてこともなかった。もともと寄せ集めのメンバー5人が
20年以上かけて本当の最強グループになっていったストーリー
でもありますな〜
女の子に推しメン尋ねると、見事に結果がバラけるのも嵐
それでいて、推しはいるけど5人の嵐が好き、が多数なのも嵐
嵐もそれを分かっていたのでしょう
コンサートツアーで、燃え尽きるように「今までありがとう」を込めた、
最後のデッカイ打ち上げ花火を上げて嵐は完結しました
寂しさはあっても後味のいい、すがすがしい終わり方でした
…といっても、これからコンサートのDVDなど発売されるワケで（笑）
私も嵐のベスト盤はランニングのお供でちょこちょこ聴いていたし
これからも聴くと思います♪ ノリよく走れるんで♬
大野くん以外の4人は、テレビ局の楽屋で会ったりするそうなので
これからも個人レベルでますます活躍して欲しいですね！
…大野くんが帰ってきたくなるくらいに・・・
On May 31, 2026, Arashi concluded their activities with a final concert at the Tokyo Dome.
Earlier that year, on March 4, they digitally released their final single, Five, which reached No. 1 on the Oricon chart and several other music rankings on the very same day.
Many people expected that the release of a new song might lead to appearances on music programs or other television shows. However, despite those expectations, the five members never appeared together as Arashi on television or in any other media.
Had they done so, the ratings would likely have been extraordinary.
The main reason, however, was their commitment to the fans.
For the members, the proper place to express gratitude to the fans who had supported them for more than 26 years was not through a television screen to an unspecified audience, but in a direct, shared space with the people who had gathered specifically to see them — a live concert.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that once their final activities were decided, they devoted virtually all of their energy to preparing for that last concert.
They reportedly believed that delivering the best live performance possible — refining every detail to the highest standard — was the greatest way to show their appreciation to their fans.
Arashi had always been a group that valued consensus among all five members above everything else.
In that sense, it felt like a very Arashi-like way to bring their journey to a close.
Even people who were not fans — including many older generations — could recognize all five members of Arashi by name and face.
They were truly a household name in Japan.
Their songs became so familiar that most Japanese people would recognize them after hearing only the chorus.
I have even heard many stories from men who were not particularly idol fans, saying things like, “I learned the choreography and performed an Arashi song at a friend’s wedding.”
What was also remarkable was what didn’t happen.
Many successful groups eventually drift apart as some members focus on solo careers, and before anyone realizes it, the group quietly disappears.
Arashi never followed that path.
In many ways, their story was about five members who were originally brought together rather unexpectedly, yet spent more than two decades growing into an extraordinary group.
Another interesting thing about Arashi was their fans.
Ask a group of female fans who their favorite member was, and the answers would often be evenly split among all five members.
Yet at the same time, many would say:
“I have a favorite member, but I love Arashi as all five together.”
I think the members understood that better than anyone.
And so, with a concert tour filled with gratitude for everything that had come before, they brought their journey to an end.
It felt like launching one final, spectacular firework into the night sky — a way of saying, “Thank you for all these years.”
There was certainly sadness, but more than anything, it was a graceful and uplifting farewell.
Of course, this is not quite the end.
There are still concert DVDs and other releases to look forward to. (And yes, I’m sure many fans are already counting the days! 😆)
I have often listened to Arashi’s greatest hits while running, and I expect I will continue to do so.
Their songs have a way of keeping your energy up and your pace moving. 🎵
As for the members themselves, the four who remain active in the entertainment industry have mentioned that they still occasionally run into one another backstage at television studios.
I hope each of them continues to thrive and achieve even greater success in their individual careers.
And perhaps…
just enough success to make Satoshi Ohno feel tempted to come back someday.
