Hibino Corporation is a specialist company in PA systems and related businesses. Its activities include the import and sale of professional audio and video equipment; the design of audio and video systems; the development, manufacture and sale of LED displays; the rental and operation of video and PA equipment for concerts and events; and live recording. Its head office is in Minato, Tokyo.
Credited On
- X Japan - Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen GIG - X Japan, released September 5, 2001 (
KSB5-5734). P.A. (Yoshimi Nakamura). - L'Arc~en~Ciel - TOUR 2007~2008 THEATER of KISS - L'Arc~en~Ciel, released August 27, 2008 (
KSBL-5909). House Sound Mixers (Hideki Takama), House Sound Mixers (Tadashi Shida), Monitor Sound Mixer (Takatoshi Sugimoto), Pro-Tools Operator (Hiroshi Furubayashi), Pro-Tools Operator (Jun Takahashi), Sound System Planner (Mitsunari Gengoromaru). - JAM Project - JAM Project Hurricane Tour 2009 Gate of the Future - JAM Project, released September 25, 2009 (
LABM-7056). Projector (Shigenori Kikuchi), Projector (Yukino Takatsuki). - The Gazette - TOUR11-12 VENOMOUS CELL FINALE OMEGA LIVE AT 01.14 YOKOHAMA ARENA - The Gazette, released May 9, 2012 (
SRBL-1523). FOH Engineer (Yasushi Naka), Monitor Engineer (Daishi Sato). - Hatsune Miku - Hatsune Miku Live Party 2013 in Kansai - Hatsune Miku, released August 30, 2013 (
MKPB-2002-1). Projection System (小材剣吾), Projection System (菅野勝義). - ONE OK ROCK - Jinsei Kakete Kimi wa Tour Live & Film - ONE OK ROCK, released October 9, 2013 (
AZBS-1015). FOH Engineer (Masanori Hirakawa), Monitor Engineer (Daishi Sato), Screen (Tomoya Miuru), Sound System Engineer (Kesuke Toda). - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu no Magical Wonder Castle - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, released June 11, 2014 (
WPXL-90072). Imaging Technique (Atsushi Morita), Imaging Technique (Motonari Izumi). - Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas - Starburst - Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas, released May 13, 2015 (
VPCC-82656). LED Design (Naoya Fujita), LED Operator (Mitsuyuki Yabuki), LED Operator (Taiji Ito). - Nightmare - NIGHTMARE 20th Anniversary SPECIAL LIVE GIANIZM Saiaku - Nightmare, released July 15, 2020 (
LHXD-2004). Sound (Atsushi Shimada), Sound (Daishi Sato), Sound (Hiroshi Inoue), Sound (Ryoichi Hashimoto), Sound (Satoshi Nitta).
History
Translated from the ja.wikipedia article ヒビノ (音響映像) (CC BY-SA 4.0), revision 109728782.
Overview
The company’s core businesses are the import and sale of audio equipment; the development, manufacture, and sale of visual products; and the rental and operation of equipment for PA (concert sound) and concert and event video production. It has the largest scale in Japan in the PA and video businesses and among companies specializing in professional audio equipment.
In 1956, Hiroaki Hibino opened Hibino Denki (日比野電気) as a television sales and repair shop. In 1964, he established Hibino Denki Onkyo Co., Ltd. (ヒビノ電気音響株式会社; now the company) as an audio equipment company and began selling professional audio equipment. At Expo '70 in Osaka, the company encountered Shure PA systems and began selling them in Japan. Although their high cost and the specialist knowledge required to operate them prevented sales from gaining momentum, requests to use the systems continued. In 1971, alongside sales, the company began its PA business, providing PA equipment rentals and technician operation services, becoming a pioneer of the PA business in Japan.
While working in concert sound, the company anticipated an era in which concerts would require video. It entered the video business in 1984 and began providing video production services for events and concerts in 1985. Although demand was initially low, as video was considered unnecessary for concerts in Japan, the company was the first in Japan to introduce Multi Vision as a concert video production element in 1985. Demand for video expanded at exhibitions and corporate events, and the video business grew.
In 1988, the company introduced a corporate identity program, renewed its corporate logo, changed its name to Hibino, and adopted the slogan “Presenter of Sound and Visual.” It subsequently entered the IT and post-production businesses, but later withdrew from them. In 2002, President Hiroaki Hibino became chairman, and his son, Akihisa Hibino, became president. The company also entered the business of developing and manufacturing professional video equipment. In 2003, it began a staffing business that dispatches audio, video, and editing technicians. It was listed on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange in February 2006.
The company made Media Technical a wholly owned subsidiary in 2006, Heavy Moon in 2007, and Studer Japan-Broadcast in 2008. In 2010, it acquired shares in Victor Arcs and formed a strategic alliance with the company. In 2013, it made A83 a wholly owned subsidiary and entered the live music venue business, and made First Engineering a wholly owned subsidiary and entered the field of stage lighting equipment. In 2015, it made Nitobo Acoustic Engineering a wholly owned subsidiary and entered the field of architectural acoustics. It has expanded its business areas and manufacturing business around sound, video, music, and live entertainment.
Electroacoustic Equipment, Sales and Installation Business
This business, which has operated since the company's founding, handles import agency services for overseas brands of audio equipment and sales agency services for domestic audio equipment. It primarily designs and installs audio systems using professional and commercial equipment and materials for broadcasting stations, music halls, cinemas, live music venues and commercial facilities, as well as selling such equipment to PA companies and rental companies.
Import agency brands: AKG, BSS Audio, CROWN, dbx, JBL PROFESSIONAL, Lexicon PRO, Soundcraft, STUDER
Concert and Event Services Business
The Concert and Event Services Business consists of an audio division and a visual division.
The audio division handles concert PA (concert sound). Operating with 30 teams, it is distinguished by the quantity of equipment and number of staff capable of supporting five dome venues simultaneously. It is Japan's largest PA company, supporting concerts by more than 130 artists, primarily in the rock and pop genres.
The visual division provides the rental and operation of large-scale visual equipment for large concerts, exhibitions, ceremonies, sporting events, corporate events, television programs and other occasions. It possesses one of the world's largest inventories of visual equipment, including LED screens and projectors. The business began full-scale operations in 1987 and was the first in Japan to introduce Multi Vision as a visual production element at concerts. Unlike the audio division, it supports numerous and diverse large-scale events besides concerts, including the Olympic Games, motor shows, world's fairs, shareholders' meetings and international conferences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it provided visual experiences unique to streaming by combining LED screens with XR technology. In 2021, it established in-camera VFX virtual-production technology based on its LED-display operational technology and began providing it to Japan's video-production industry. In director Takeshi Kitano's film Getting Any? (みんな〜やってるか!), the company's screen was used to display the message, “How about Hibino's Super Vision?”, in the logo mark, and the rental fee was negotiated down from ¥1 million to ¥50,000.
Artists: aiko, access, Acid Black Cherry, Arashi, Alice, Angela Aki, E-girls, UVERworld, Ulfuls, AKB48, EXILE, EXILE ATSUSHI, X JAPAN, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Ai Otsuka, ORANGE RANGE, Yoshihiro Kai, KAT-TUN, Gackt, the GazettE, Yuzo Kayama, Kanjani Eight, ℃-ute, Kis-My-Ft2, Shunsuke Kiyokiba, KinKi Kids, Crazy Ken Band, Kuroyume, Kumi Koda, GLAY, Hiromi Go, Kobukuro, Golden Bomber, Motoharu Sano, Kenji Sawada, Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE, Southern All Stars, THE YELLOW MONKEY, the HIATUS, Shonan no Kaze, Superfly, Shikao Suga, SMAP, Takizawa Kabuki, Tackey & Tsubasa, T.M.Revolution, TOKIO, DREAMS COME TRUE, AAA, Nightmare, Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, NEWS, HiGH&LOW, Taro Hakase, BUCK-TICK, Ayumi Hamasaki, Shogo Hamada, VAMPS, BUCK-TICK, B'z, Kyosuke Himuro, Fumiya Fujii, V6, flumpool, Hey! Say! JUMP, BABYMETAL, Noriyuki Makihara, Nana Mizuki, Mr.Children, miwa, Morning Musume, Nogizaka46, Eikichi Yazawa, Masayoshi Yamazaki, Tatsuro Yamashita, YUKI, Yuzu, Unicorn, Ken Yokoyama, Kazuyoshi Yoshii, LOUDNESS, L'Arc-en-Ciel, RADWIMPS, Ling tosite sigure, Red Hot Chili Peppers and ONE OK ROCK.
Music events: Inazuma Rock Fes, UDO MUSIC FESTIVAL, a-nation, ap bank fes, Augusta Camp, COUNTDOWN JAPAN, Summer Sonic, J-WAVE LIVE, JAPAN NIGHT -MOVE WITH THE MUSIC-, Jonetsu Tairiku SPECIAL LIVE, FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, FREEDOM aozora and Tokyo JAZZ.
Sporting events: the National Sports Festival, the Sydney Olympic Games, the Salt Lake City Olympic Games, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Tokyo Marathon, the Nagano Olympic Games, B.LEAGUE, T.League, FORMULA 1 JAPAN GP, the ANA Windsurfing World Cup, the Rugby World Cup Japan tournament, the Panasonic Open Golf Championship, JAPAN SWIM, the Japan Open (50 m), the FINA Swimming World Cup, the Asian Winter Games, KNOCK OUT, SUPER GT, the Coca-Cola International Premier Tennis League, the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Fukuoka event and Tokyo Game Show e-Sports X.
Events: Expo 2005 Aichi, XFLAG PARK, the Sapporo Snow Festival, Expo 2010 Shanghai, the Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival, the Ceremony of the Enthronement, the State Funeral, the 42nd G7 Summit (Ise-Shima Summit), the Dragon Quest Live Spectacle Tour and Expo 2015 Milan.
Television programmes: Asamade Nama TV!, Ikinari! Ogon Densetsu, Quiz Zatsugakuou, Indy Japan 300, NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, FNS Kayosai, F1 Grand Prix, Geinoujin Kakuzuke Check, SASUKE, Sardie, Downtown DX, TV no Chikara, Buratamori Antarctica, Prebat!! and Wonder × Wonder.
Exhibitions: the Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Game Show, Business Show, Amusement Machine Expo, NTT GROUP COLLECTION, Tokyo Auto Salon and overseas motor shows in New York, Seoul, Shanghai, Frankfurt, Chicago, Detroit and Guangzhou.
Development, Manufacturing and Sales of Video Products
The company develops, manufactures and sells LED displays. Its proprietary ChromaLED (クロマレッド) brand, characterized by high brightness and high definition, uses products manufactured by Nichia Corporation and is produced under a fabless model by domestic partner companies. It is sold to street-display operators, commercial facilities, television stations, and rental companies in Japan and overseas.
LED display brands: ChromaLED, ChromaVision (クロマビジョン), and infoLED (インフォレッド).
Customers and installation locations include the Tokyo Stock Exchange Arrows Market Center; Akasaka Sacas Sacas400; Akihabara UDX Vision; Advision Osaka; Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park; Ikebukuro Replay Vision; iTSCOM STUDIO & HALL Futako Tamagawa Rise; Umekita Rurutto! Vision; Omotesando Hills; QFRONT Q'S EYE; Kumagaya Sports Culture Park Athletic Stadium; Metropolitan Police Department sign cars; Sunshine City; Shinagawa Station Konan Exit Fureai Plaza; Shibuya Ekimae Vision; Shibuya Cast; Shibuya Hikarie; Shimbashi Hibino Vision; JR Omiya Station; Sogo Chiba Store; Chubu Centrair International Airport SORA Vision; T-WEST Vision (a street display in front of Nagoya Station); Tokyo International Forum; NISSAN CROSSING; Nissan Global Headquarters Gallery; the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation; Nihonbashi Advision; Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium; Pacifico Yokohama; Bicqlo Uniqlo Shinjuku East Exit Store; Fuji Television Jumbo Vision; PRADA, including its Ginza store and 50 other locations; Honda Welcome Plaza Aoyama; Boatpia Narashino; Boat Race Heiwajima; Minami-machida Grandberry Park; DHC Channel, formerly Mighty Vision Shibuya; Uniqlo, including UNIQLO TOKYO, the Ginza store, the Ikebukuro Sunshine 60 Street store, UNIQLO OSAKA, stores in Shanghai and Guangzhou, the Guangzhou Victory Plaza store, the Emporium Melbourne store, the Midcity Centre store, the Manila Global Flagship Store, and other locations; Yokohama Arena Yokoari Vision; Yokohama Stadium; Radio City Music Hall; Roadside Network Vision, in Roppongi, Azabu, Shiba Park, Nihonbashi and Edogawabashi; and the Tokyo Fire Department's VR BOSAI.
Other Businesses
In addition to the three businesses mentioned above, the company also engages in new businesses and other activities.
Major lighting brands for which its subsidiaries serve as import agents include Avolites, Capture, LeaderLight, Minuit Une, and TheatreLight.
Live music venues operated by its subsidiaries include Kennedy House Ginza and REAL DIVA'S.
Headquarters and Branch Office Locations
Head Office (Minato, Tokyo) Hibino Hinode Building (Minato, Tokyo) Tokyo Branch (Koto, Tokyo) Sapporo Office (Sapporo, Hokkaido) Sendai Promotion Office (Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture) Nagoya Branch (Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture) Osaka Branch (Suita, Osaka Prefecture) Fukuoka Branch (Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture)
Credited Together
Names credited on every one of the same releases.
- On 3 releases: Bravoo, club c's entertainment, HIBINO and lucky by lucky.
The Gazette - TOUR11-12 VENOMOUS CELL FINALE OMEGA LIVE AT 01.14 YOKOHAMA ARENA, ONE OK ROCK - Jinsei Kakete Kimi wa Tour Live & Film and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu no Magical Wonder Castle
Often Credited With
Credited on 2 or more of the same releases, most shared first.
All 40
Sources
- Wikidata entity Q11330158.
- ja.wikipedia, ヒビノ (音響映像) (revision 109728782), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photograph: logo.png - Hibino's own logo (hibino.co.jp) - public domain; a trademark of its owner.