Bands and artists from Gifu Prefecture: From famous singers to up-and-coming groups, an all-in-one introduction
Located in the heart of the Japanese archipelago, Gifu Prefecture is famous for many tourist destinations like Shirakawa-go and ski resorts known for their excellent snow quality.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of bands and artists from Gifu! Because Gifu is geographically close to Aichi Prefecture, many members of bands active in Nagoya also happen to be from Gifu.
Now, let’s check out musicians from Gifu Prefecture working across diverse genres—singer-songwriters, bands, hip-hop artists, and more!
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Bands and Artists from Gifu Prefecture | A Comprehensive Introduction from Famous Singers to Spotlighted Groups (11–20)
LaundryKamiyama Yagi
Singer-songwriter Yoh Kamiyama, who originally worked as a Vocaloid producer, is also from Gifu Prefecture.
He began his career as a Vocaloid producer in 2014 and later self-covered his own songs with his own vocals.
In 2018, he finally launched his activities as a singer-songwriter.
His repertoire ranges from tracks with catchy, driving beats to songs with a calm, mellow mood, all distinguished by a stylish finish.
His fresh, composed vocal tone has also earned strong support from many listeners.
A New Morning SongTomita Shiori
Singer-songwriter Shiori Tomita is also from Gifu Prefecture.
Some of you may know that she was active as the MC of the music information program “saku saku” starting in 2012.
In addition to her work as a TV personality, as a singer she not only writes and composes her own songs, but also frequently receives songs from popular musicians, offering a wide variety of music—that’s part of her appeal.
She is a singer known for her straightforward, approachable voice.
Keep On Runnin’retsugo
Retsuko competed in the 9th High School Rap Championship in 2016 and won, instantly making a name for himself in the hip-hop scene.
In 2017, he also made waves as a Monster on the rap battle TV show Freestyle Dungeon.
In addition to his success as a battle MC, his tracks are, of course, highly popular, and he has produced numerous hits to date.
He’s known for his refreshing voice and light, agile flow.
He’s definitely one of the artists whose future work I’m excited to see.
A person who has amassed over 100 million yen (a “hundred-millionaire”).SHO
SHO is a rapper from Takayama, a mountainous city in Gifu Prefecture, with a background as a former member of Japan’s national alpine skiing team.
During his athletic career, he was inspired by hip-hop artists like 2Pac, DMX, and Nelly, and began his own career as a rapper in 2007.
Known for his strong live performances, he’s a skilled artist who has even shared the stage with popular rappers TYGA and IYAZ.
With his unwavering, unique style, he’s an artist poised for continued success on the global stage!
ACTIONYuuki (CHAI)
CHAI is a girls’ rock band active under the slogan “New Excite Onna Band.” Vocalist twins Mana and Kana and drummer Yuna are classmates from the same high school and hail from Aichi Prefecture, while bassist Yuuki is from Gifu Prefecture and met them at university.
Seamlessly incorporating a wide range of genres and distilling them into their own unique style, their songs are all exceptionally stylish—and the more you listen, the more you’ll be captivated by their world.
The Boy of DefeatHorie Shota (PENGUIN RESEARCH)
Akita Horie, the bassist of the rock band PENGUIN RESEARCH, is from Gifu Prefecture.
PENGUIN RESEARCH is a popular band formed in 2015 with Horie at its center, known for producing many anime songs.
In addition to creating many of PENGUIN RESEARCH’s tracks, Horie is also active as a composer in his own right.
He has provided songs across genres to numerous popular artists, including singers, idols, and vocalists such as LiSA, Babyraids JAPAN, and Amatsuki.
Bands and Artists from Gifu Prefecture | From Famous Singers to Buzzworthy Groups, All in One Go (21–30)
The basement is paradise.OKD (Za Kureetaa)
The Crater is a rock band made up of distinctive members: Kikunaga, the former guitar-vocalist of Komazawa☆Style; Shimosenian, the former drummer of Hige; and OKD, the former bassist of ACHOO.
OKD is from Nakatsugawa City in Gifu Prefecture.
The sunglasses and the pompadour…
their look makes quite an impact.
They’re a talented group who even performed at Summer Sonic in 2013.
They’re a rock ’n’ roll band brimming with nostalgia, delivering songs that bring both laughter and tears!