Musicians, singers, and bands from Shiga Prefecture
When you think of artists from Shiga Prefecture, home to Lake Biwa—the largest lake in Japan—who comes to mind? For many, the first name that pops up is probably Takanori Nishikawa, who also serves as a Shiga Hometown Tourism Ambassador.
But of course, Shiga has produced many artists across genres like J-pop, rock, and hip-hop beyond just him.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of musicians from Shiga, spanning genres and covering everyone from top-tier mainstream singers to up-and-coming indie bands.
We’ll feature each artist along with one of their signature songs, so enjoy exploring them together!
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Musicians, singers, and bands from Shiga Prefecture (21–30)
PRINCEHIZAKI
HIZAKI, the guitarist for the visual kei metal band Versailles, is from Shiga Prefecture.
Their third single, “Prince & Princess,” was their first double A-side single.
This single reached No.
1 on the Oricon Indies chart.
One more time,One more chanceYamazaki Masayoshi
Masayoshi Yamazaki is a singer-songwriter from Otsu, Shiga Prefecture.
Not only does he perform his own songs, but he also provides many compositions to other artists, so many Japanese people have likely heard his melodies.
While his live shows are strongly associated with a stripped-down style of singing while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar or piano, in the studio he sometimes plays all the other instruments himself, showcasing seemingly limitless talent.
In addition to his work as a musician, he is also active as an actor, making him a multi-talented artist.
Flower of the Heart〜Lefa〜
Lefa is a music duo based in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture.
Originally, Yota Kitagawa and Hiroyuki Kawano were merely acquaintances, and the group was a hastily formed unit created for an event.
However, after their first live performance, offers poured in from music festivals and commercial facilities, prompting them to begin full-fledged activities.
In 2011, they were appointed as a tourism PR team by the Nagahama Tourism Association, and in recent years, beyond their work as artists, they have engaged in collaborative initiatives with local communities and government bodies, mainly in Shiga.
They are truly artists committed to community-rooted activities.
Look that waySwimy
Swimmy is a rock band from Shiga Prefecture formed in 2011.
Their signature song “Acchi Muite” was used as the theme for the anime Gintama°, so many of you may have heard it.
Until drummer Mikke left the band in 2017, the group featured a distinctive triple-vocal setup with guitarist Takumi and bassist Mao.
Since then, leveraging their mixed male-female twin vocals, they have produced a wide range of music—from danceable, catchy tracks to songs with a fantastical atmosphere.
Menhera Circussylph emew
sylph emew is a five-member rock band from Shiga Prefecture.
“Menhera Circus” is included on their first EP, “Uncontrollable.” The song explores uncontrollable human emotions, instinct, and reason, and its music video expresses this through a black-and-white world.
Our SongŌsawa Shin’ichi
Since his debut in 1993, Shinichi Osawa—a musician from Otsu, Shiga—has been active under a wide range of titles, including bassist, music producer, and DJ.
His prowess is evident from his 1990s production work for renowned divas such as UA, Chara, and bird.
In recent years, he has also written songs for Namie Amuro, JUJU, and Tomohisa Yamashita, continuing to thrive at the forefront of the industry with his broad scope of activity and exceptional musical sensibility.
How to tell a lieLOVE LOVE LOVE
LOVE LOVE LOVE is a three-piece male band formed within a university music club in Shiga Prefecture.
They made their major debut in 2009 and are known for their true-to-life songwriting and lyrics that pierce sharply from a slightly unusual angle, as you can tell from their song titles.
Over relaxed, unforced performances, they pursue a sense of realism that expresses, within a single track, universal emotions everyone has felt at least once, as well as moments from the process of everyday growth.
