Bands, artists, and singers from Tochigi Prefecture

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Which famous person from Tochigi Prefecture comes to your mind first?

In this article, we’ll introduce bands, artists, and singers from Tochigi!

Of course, we’ll cover well-known names, but we’ll also spotlight artists from Tochigi who may not be very famous yet and deserve to be discovered through this opportunity.

If you’re curious about what kind of artists come from Tochigi Prefecture, be sure to check this out!

If you’re also from Tochigi, you might feel a sense of closeness—don’t miss it!

Bands, artists, and singers from Tochigi Prefecture (31–40)

Draft King

erica

Draft King “Abracadabra” Music Video

Draft King is a girls’ rock band whose vocalist, erica, is from Nikko City.

The band was newly formed when members NOHANA and SHIHO took the dissolution of their previous band, Stereopony, as an opportunity to start fresh.

In less than a year after forming, they successfully held a solo show at a live house in Shibuya.

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Ikeda Satoshi

Satoshi Ikeda - Monochrome Venus (12-inch Version)

Born in Karasuyama, Tochigi Prefecture.

Satoru Ikeda, a singer-songwriter born in 1963.

The video features his debut single, released on August 5, 1986.

When this song was used in a Suzuki Alto commercial and entered the charts on music shows, it seems the whole town rallied in support.

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Moonriders

kashibuchi tetsurou

Tears aren’t made only from sadness. — moonriders

Tetsuro Kashibuchi, born in 1950, is from Tochigi Prefecture.

He is the drummer and vocalist of the rock band Moonriders, which was formed in 1975.

In the 1980s, he also wrote songs for idols such as Seri Ishikawa, Agnes Chan, Yuki Saito, and Yukiko Okada.

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sekiguchi yuki

Yuki Sekiguchi “LADY SNOW”

Singer-songwriter Yuki Sekiguchi from Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture.

Just as her catchphrase says, “Let the DNA sing,” her clear, soaring voice is wonderful.

In 2011, she won the Excellence Album Award at the Japan Record Awards for her album “Sugao — Aisubeki Onna-tachi —” (True Face — Beloved Women —).

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Miyata Dai

Dai Miyata First Album Premium Video

Dai Miyata is a cellist born in 1986 from Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture.

He reportedly drew attention for his talent from a young age, even taking first place in every competition he entered.

He continues to perform both in Japan and abroad with renowned musicians and conductors.

He also appears frequently in the media, including multiple appearances on the program “Untitled Concert.”

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Bands, artists, and singers from Tochigi Prefecture (41–50)

BL. WALTZ

Nanase Michiru

BL. WALTZ "The Night the Blue Wind Blew"

Michiru Nanase, who has been active as the keyboardist for the Japanese guitar-pop band BL.WALTZ formed in 1988.

Hailing from Tochigi Prefecture, he plays a crucial role in supporting the band’s crystalline high-register vocals and their acoustic-leaning sound.

In 1990, BL.WALTZ made their major-label debut on Pony Canyon with the album “Monochrome no Bōken” (Adventure in Monochrome).

They went on to release the single “Aoi Kaze no Fuita Yoru” (The Night the Blue Wind Blew) and the album “Shibu no San Byōshi no Futatsu no Hāto” (Two Hearts in Three-Four Time), among others.

The band has also worked on music for anime and TV dramas, showcasing a wide range of activity.

Their music, marked by delicate tones and soothing melodies, is perfect for when you want to feel calm.

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Ren

Strawberry Song / Quena Player Ren

Born in 1980, I am a quena player from Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, and a graduate of Ashikaga High School.

The video was produced with the city of Ashikaga as its setting and is a promotional video released on YouTube on July 13, 2015.

The quena is a vertical flute originating in South America that produces a tone similar to Japan’s shakuhachi.

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