Star Kingdom! Artist and singer from Kanagawa Prefecture
When you hear “artists from Kanagawa,” do any come to mind right away?
Even when it’s about your favorite artists, it can be surprising to realize, “Oh, they’re from there!”
From venerable legends to idols and that hugely popular musician…
Finding artists from your own hometown gives you a little thrill, doesn’t it?
Kanagawa has produced many nationally beloved artists like Southern All Stars, Yuzu, and Ikimono-gakari,
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Star Kingdom! Artists/Singers from Kanagawa Prefecture (41–50)
A third of pure-hearted feelingsSIAM SHADE
Jun-ji, the drummer, is from Hadano City.
This song was released in 1997 and was used as the ending theme for the anime Rurouni Kenshin.
SIAM SHADE disbanded and has been reuniting periodically, and they also appeared on a Nippon TV music program in 2016.
It became a topic of conversation that Jun-ji’s drum set was small and he was air drumming.
BEATKawamura Ryuuichi
Ryuichi Kawamura is from Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and this was released in 1997 as his third solo single.
The song was used as the opening theme for NHK’s Pop Jam, and at the 30th Japan Cable Awards it earned him the Most Requested Artist Award.
It reached No.
4 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
Like the flow of a riverMisora Hibari
Hibari Misora was from Takigashira, Isogo Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, and this was the final single released during her lifetime.
It became a million seller.
After her death, at the 31st Japan Record Awards, she received the Special Honorary Singer Award, the Gold Award, and the Composition Award.
Even now, the song continues to be sung, gently accompanying the hearts of many people.
Monkey MagicGodiego
Keyboardist Yoshino Mickey is from Yokohama.
Speaking of Godiego, their song “Monkey Magic” was the theme song and “Gandhara” was the ending theme for the 1978 TV drama Journey to the West, and both were huge hits.
EXILE’s version of “Galaxy Express 999” is also originally their song.
ChankapanaKoyama Keiichiro
Keiichiro Koyama is from Kanagawa Prefecture.
Chankapāna was the first single they released as a four-member group after Tomohisa Yamashita and Ryo Nishikido left.
Among some fans, NEWS fans are referred to as “Pāna,” taken from the title of this song.
Shake Hip!kome kome CLUB
Vocalist James Onoda and leader/bassist BON are from Kawasaki City.
He met vocalist Carl Smoky Ishii as a club mate during their time at Bunkagaikuin (Bunka Institute), and after graduating they formed Kome Kome Club.
Believe it or not, there was a period when they didn’t have a drummer and the legendary Char filled in! Pretty surprising, right?
Ikkyu-sankomuai
A one-of-a-kind artist nurtured by Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Kom_I, who has taken the music scene by storm with her unique worldview and overwhelming performance skills, began her career in 2012 as the vocalist of the music unit Wednesday Campanella.
She drew attention with innovative sounds that nimbly leap over genre boundaries—J-POP, EDM, hip-hop—and with original lyrics inspired by historical figures and mythology.
In 2016, she performed at SXSW in the United States, and in 2017 she headlined a successful solo concert at Nippon Budokan, earning high acclaim both in Japan and abroad.
With the album “SUPERMAN,” she further broadened her musical range, and through contributions such as providing songs for NHK’s “Nihongo de Asobo,” she has garnered support from a wide audience.
Highly recommended for music fans seeking unfettered expression and high-art performances that defy conventional frameworks.