An eccentric billionaire who spent more than £300,000 to rent an Italian town for his 73rd birthday has welcomed guests to his party.
Kaoru Nakajima has taken over several luxury hotels for 1,400 guests and secured the use of two top theaters.
They were flown halfway around the world by Mr Nakajima for the event planned for his 70th birthday but postponed by the Covid pandemic.
Ticket holders in tuxedos and evening gowns were welcomed to the Teatro Massimo in central Palermo for a concert on Sunday.
The venue – the largest in Italy and the third largest in Europe – is known for its perfect acoustics and can accommodate guests in seven rows of boxes.
Kaoru Nakajima has acquired several luxury hotels for 1,400 guests and secured the use of two top theaters
A few guests pose as they arrive at the Teatro Massimo theater in Palermo, Sicily, for the ongoing birthday celebrations of Japanese billionaire Karol Nakajima
It was also the scene for the ending of The Godfather Part 3, where the daughter of mafia boss Michael Corleone is shot dead on the stone steps by a hit man.
Guests at Mr. Nakajima’s party were treated to a performance by the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra and arias by opera star Andrea Bocelli’s son Matteo, who will perform with Mr. Nakajima’s wife.
One attendee arrived wearing a classic Godfather tie with a photo of Marlon Brando – much to the amusement of locals who asked to pose with him outside the theater.
Keisuke Hitomi, from Kyoto, told MailOnline: ‘It’s fantastic to be here in Palermo, the food is fantastic, as is the weather and the people.
“I am very grateful to Mr. Nakajima for inviting me to the party. I’m only here for three days, but I’ll make the most of it.
‘I want to see all the sights; the city is beautiful, and everyone thinks of the mafia when they hear Sicily and the tie is the perfect souvenir.”
A guest has a ticket at the Teatro Massimo theater in Palermo, Sicily for the birthday event
Guests arrive for the festivities at the Teatro Massimo theater in Palermo, Sicily
Guests arrive at the Teatro Massimo theater, Palermo, Sicily for the ongoing birthday celebrations of Japanese billionaire Karol Nakajima
Guests arrive for the event at the Teatro Massimo theater in Palermo, Sicily
Other guests were dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos and happily posed for photos with locals who had gathered in large numbers outside the Teatro Massimo.
Inside, Mr Nakajima spoke to guests from the royal box at the Teatro Massimo, telling them to “have fun in one of the most beautiful cities in the world” as they clapped and sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
Mr Nakajima paid 100,000 euros to rent the venue, plus another 35,000 euros to rent out the nearby Teatro Politeama on Sunday evening, where a more intimate dinner for 400 guests will be held.
Hotels in the city are sold out and local businesses and restaurants are excited by the influx of big-spending visitors at a slow time of year.
The Teatro Massimo theater in Palermo, Sicily
Guests arrive for the event at the Teatro Massimo theater in Palermo, Sicily
Mr. Nakajima has lunch at Osteria Ballaro in Palermo, Italy, as part of his birthday celebrations
Mr Nakajima is invited to Palermo for a lunch by the mayor for his birthday
Under an un-PC headline, local news website LiveSicilia described the huge number of visitors as a “Japanese invasion.”
It added: ‘The workaholic pleasure-seekers of the Land of the Rising Sun photograph, walk and spend money on shopping, accommodation and meals.
“It’s not just a cultural contamination of two worlds, it’s a godsend for companies.”
Nicola Farruggio, president of the Palermo Hotel Association, said: ‘The majority of guests stay at Villa Igiea and Grand Hotel des Palmes, the best in the city and sold out.
‘Others sit in hotels in the city and spend money here and post pictures of Palermo that are seen all over the world, which is a great advertisement for the city.’