This is Japan's first all-female symphony orchestra.

Despite their high level of skill...

many professional female musicians are often forced to stop working

in order to give birth or take care of their children.

Today's On-Site Report features a unique orchestra that was created to allow female musicians

to have a family without sacrificing their careers.

The Tokyo Women's Orchestra was founded in June of 2022.

Founder Fukumoto Marie has been a professional violinist for nearly 20 years.

Despite managing to keep working while raising two children,

she has seen many female musicians who were forced to give up their careers in order to take care of their families.

It's extremely sad to see musicians who've put in so much hard work

to become professionals only to have their careers cut short.

Hara Hinako is the orchestra's harpist.

Come here, Sora!

She's currently raising two boys, aged 3 and 5.

Prior to giving birth, I was working for a different orchestra.

When I was approaching my due date, they told me,

'We'll see you again sometime after you've given birth and things have settled down.'

But the way they said it, it made me wonder if they were really going to invite me back.

The Tokyo Women's orchestra gave its first performance in December of 2022.

The fee to rent a concert hall and cover the necessary expenses was nearly $60,000.

In addition to ticket sales, the group relied on a government grant and sponsorship agreements.

One of those sponsors is a lighting fixture company run by Terumichi Goro.

Once an aspiring musician himself,

in the past, Terumichi has awarded scholarships to nearly 20 female musicians,

however not a single one of them went to on to have a professional career in music.

I couldn't understand why people weren't more sympathetic to the struggles

that female musicians have to face - especially younger musicians.

So, we looked for ways we could help support them and this was one of them.

With two days remaining before its second regular performance, the orchestra gathered for a rehearsal.

Of the 65 musicians set perform, 11 are currently raising children.

And a new mother will soon join their ranks.

Cellist Ari Sari is currently five months pregnant.

I'm final past the morning sickness!

- Congratulations!
- Thanks!

It was pretty rough, but now my appetite is back with a vengeance!

I'm happy to hear that!

Ari says being able to share her experience with fellow musicians

who have gone through childbirth and are raising kids of their own has really helped her to prepare for motherhood.

Being able to continue playing and performing the music I love while also raising a child is a dream come true.

I couldn't have asked for a better environment than this!

There are only a few years in a mother's life when their children are little,

so if we can all work together to get them through those years,

I think these women can go on to enjoy long and successful careers.

We want to let musicians pursue their professional goals while also getting the most out of their personal lives.

It's concert day.

Seven hours before the show, the musicians begin to arrive - some with their children in tow.

Clarinetist Wakabayashi Megumi shows her daughter Momoka the concert hall.

Are you excited?

It's the first time Wakabayashi has brought her daughter to a performance.

They said I was welcome to bring my daughter and a babysitter!

The orchestra isn't just flexible and understanding - it even covers babysitting expenses.

From practices to performances, it places a priority on making things as convenient as possible

so the musicians can focus on the music.

Mama will be back in a little bit, okay?

It's 6 o'clock and time for the doors to open.

Scattered amongst the crowd are families with small children.

I really wanted her to experience a high-level orchestra.

In the past, Orchestra founder Fukumoto experienced the frustration

of not being able to take her young children to classical performances,

so she decided their shows would be open to all-ages.

Even when my daughters were in preschool, they were perfectly capable of sitting quietly through a concert.

So it was really sad and frustrating that many places were so strict with age limits.

With a mix of adults and children in the audience, the 800-seat concert hall was nearly filled to capacity.

Wrapped in her father's arms, even Momoka was patiently waiting for the show to begin.

Tonight's program features an extremely popular piece - Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture.

I think it was a really special experience for her!

How was it?

- It was fun.
- Oh, good!

For this concert, the orchestra offered 53 special VIP seats at a premium price of about $180.

Turnout was strong and every single VIP ticket was purchased.

Thanks to the overwhelming support,

proceeds from ticket sales alone were enough to cover the expenses of the performance.

Today is actually her 10th birthday,

and I have always wanted to take her to a proper classical music concert at a famous concert hall like this!

It was a great opportunity to come and experience
the rich tones of a professional orchestra.

Today's performance left me feeling even more optimistic.

I hope that by growing and nurturing this orchestra,

we can continue to provide support and motivation to female musicians

as well as have a lasting impact on those who come to hear us perform.