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Famous Japanese saxophonists

How familiar are you with saxophone players active in Japan?

While overseas saxophonists often get most of the attention, Japan also has a wealth of outstanding musicians!

In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of players—from superstars who have led the scene for many years to younger musicians who’ve been attracting attention in recent years.

We’re highlighting artists not only from the jazz and fusion worlds, but also those active in classical and pop scenes.

You might even discover the sax player who performed on one of your favorite songs.

Playlist

Famous Japanese saxophonists
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastTRUTHHonda Masato
TRUTHHonda Masatoplay_arrow
Known by the nickname “Hyper Sax Player”…
2eastOrange ExpressWatanabe Sadao
Orange ExpressWatanabe Sadaoplay_arrow
You can’t talk about Japanese saxophonists without mentioning this person…
3eastFlorida to TokyoSugawa Nobuya
Florida to TokyoSugawa Nobuyaplay_arrow
When people think of the saxophone, jazz and fusion tend to come to mind...
4eastMy Foolish HeartToki Eishi
My Foolish HeartToki Eishiplay_arrow
Tsuchi..., who is also known as the father of singer Asako Toki,
5eastIT’S MAGICItō Takeshi
IT'S MAGICItō Takeshiplay_arrow
Japan’s leading fusion band, T-S…
6eastThe Flight of the BumblebeeUeno Kohei
The Flight of the BumblebeeUeno Koheiplay_arrow
Born in 1992, and from the age of 8 was in the school band, sa…
7eastSAX MACHINEhujiinaoyuki
SAX MACHINEhujiinaoyukiplay_arrow
Former Checkers saxophonist, Fujii…
8eastLover Come Back To MeYukko Mirā
Lover Come Back To MeYukko Mirāplay_arrow
Also known as the Kyary Pamyu Pamyu of the saxophone world...
9eastBeat #5Katsuta Kazuki
Beat #5Katsuta Kazukiplay_arrow
Katsu, also known by the nickname 'katsuo,' ...
10eastsunflowerSakata Akira
sunflowerSakata Akiraplay_arrow
Akira Sakata is one of Japan’s leading saxophonists...
11eastA Taxing WomanHonda Toshiyuki
A Taxing WomanHonda Toshiyukiplay_arrow
Toshiyuki Honda is the son of jazz critic Toshio Honda...
12eastYES OR NOTerakubo Erena
YES OR NOTerakubo Erenaplay_arrow
Terakubo, who had been playing the saxophone since the age of nine...
13eastNothing gonna change my love for youKobayashi Kaori
Nothing gonna change my love for youKobayashi Kaoriplay_arrow
Between a mother who is a piano teacher and a father who is a photographer...
14eastOnly a handfulMiyazaki Takamutsu
Only a handfulMiyazaki Takamutsuplay_arrow
The saxophonist who was a member of T-SQUARE...
15eastWind, screamTanaka Yasuhito
Wind, screamTanaka Yasuhitoplay_arrow
Yasuto Tanaka, born in Wakayama City in 1964, sa...
16eastTake FiveHagiwara Takashi
Take FiveHagiwara Takashiplay_arrow
A saxophonist from the prestigious wind ensemble program at Tenri University...
17eastTake a wild guessOishi Masaki
Take a wild guessOishi Masakiplay_arrow
Saxophone in classical and contemporary music…
18eastPlay That Funky MusicHonma Masato
Play That Funky MusicHonma Masatoplay_arrow
Recordings by various artists...
19eastZuizui ZukkorobashiHirano Kimitaka
Zuizui ZukkorobashiHirano Kimitakaplay_arrow
While inheriting the traditions of classical music, jazz...
20eastAir on the G StringMasato Kumoi
Air on the G String Masato Kumoiplay_arrow
Masato Kumoi, the saxophonist, won the 51st Japan...
21eastSky WalkerMALTA
Sky WalkerMALTAplay_arrow
Mr. MALTA, who is from Kurayoshi City in Tottori Prefecture. His real name is…
22eastDeo VolenteKikuchi Naruyoshi
Deo VolenteKikuchi Naruyoshiplay_arrow
Not only as a saxophonist, but also as other arti...
23eastIn a sentimental moodKawashima Tetsurō
In a sentimental moodKawashima Tetsurōplay_arrow
Tetsuro Kawashima engages in a wide range of activities centered on jazz...
24eastDanny BoyMatsumoto Hidehiko
Danny BoyMatsumoto Hidehikoplay_arrow
His narrow eyes looked as if he were asleep while performing...
25eastMemoriaNakata Mamoru
MemoriaNakata Mamoruplay_arrow
Mamoru Nakata is a saxophonist from Okayama Prefecture, and …
26eastOLEOTada Seiji
OLEOTada Seijiplay_arrow
A veteran among Japan’s jazz saxophonists…
27eastRock With YouIse Kenji
Rock With YouIse Kenjiplay_arrow
Kenji Ise, a saxophonist from Tokyo, is sa...
28eastALL IS FINETakeda Shinji
ALL IS FINETakeda Shinjiplay_arrow
In 1989, when I was in high school, I entered the Junon Super...
29eastNakamura Seiichi
Nakamura Seiichiplay_arrow
Tenor saxophonist Seiichi Nakamura is a performer…
30eastGeorgia on My Mindheigen makoto
Georgia on My Mindheigen makotoplay_arrow
Mako Hirahara, who is also known as the father of Ayaka Hirahara...
31eastFade into LightNakamura Kensa
Fade into LightNakamura Kensaplay_arrow
Mr. Kensa Nakamura, who is from Tokyo, ... at Aoyama Gakuin University.
32eastSoftly As In A Morning SunriseKōketsu Ayumi
Softly As In A Morning SunriseKōketsu Ayumiplay_arrow
Ayumi Koketsu, a female saxophonist born in Gifu Prefecture…
33eastRocking chairTakahashi Tatsuya
Rocking chairTakahashi Tatsuyaplay_arrow
Tatsuya Takahashi is a jazz musician from Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture...
34eastTohoku (Solo Voice-and-Guitar ver.)Umezu Kazutoki
Tohoku (Solo Voice-and-Guitar ver.)Umezu Kazutokiplay_arrow
Known for performing primarily free jazz...
35eastBE ALL SMILESKayō Masaki
BE ALL SMILESKayō Masakiplay_arrow
While enrolled in the School of Science and Technology at Meiji University, the Yamano Big Band…
36eastTake FiveMiyaji Suguru
Take FiveMiyaji Suguruplay_arrow
Mr. Suguru Miyaji, the tenor saxophone player...
37eastChance has comeKONTA
Chance has comeKONTAplay_arrow
In 1984, BARBEE BOYS’ vo…
38eastHappy Selection of Neapolitan Folk SongsToshihisa Ogushi
Happy Selection of Neapolitan Folk Songs Toshihisa Ogushiplay_arrow
Professor at Tokyo College of Music and Visiting Professor at Showa University of Music...
39eastThe song of BirdsYamamoto Takuo
The song of BirdsYamamoto Takuoplay_arrow
Versatile performances that transcend genre boundaries, and flexible…
40eastComplete ShotWatanabe Faia
Complete ShotWatanabe Faiaplay_arrow
Saxophonist Watanabe Fire, who bears a blazing name...
41eastClean UpMiyazato Yota
Clean UpMiyazato Yotaplay_arrow
Yota Miyazato is a delicate yet passionate saxophonist…
42eastNaadamHayashi Eiichi
NaadamHayashi Eiichiplay_arrow
Eiichi Hayashi is in the Japanese jazz scene...
43eastArai Yasushi
Arai Yasushiplay_arrow
Yasushi Arai, who is from Gunma Prefecture, when he was a sixth-grader in elementary school...
44eastSound RiverOtokawa Eiji
Sound RiverOtokawa Eijiplay_arrow
I’ve been playing the guitar since junior high school, and when I was in high school…
45eastmasehiroko
masehirokoplay_arrow
A soprano saxophone you don’t see very often…
46eastTwilight in Upper West (tribute to Hirotaka Izumi)Miho Terachi
Twilight in Upper West (tribute to Hirotaka Izumi) Miho Terachiplay_arrow
Miho Terachi took up the alto saxophone in high school...
47eastFujiryo Masahiro
Fujiryo Masahiroplay_arrow
Masahiro Tohryo, beginning with the Tropical Jazz Big Band...
48eastBUT NOT FOR MEMatsuda Yasuhiro
BUT NOT FOR MEMatsuda Yasuhiroplay_arrow
Nicknamed the “Japanese David Sanborn”…
49eastConfirmation ~ You Like Whisky, Don’t You?Yano Saori
Confirmation ~ You Like Whisky, Don’t You?Yano Saoriplay_arrow
Previously, a “high school girl alto sax player”…
50eastCool Like JesusYasutake Hiroaki
Cool Like JesusYasutake Hiroakiplay_arrow
Mr. Genko Yasutake is an alto saxophonist from Fukuoka Prefecture…
51eastRhapsody in BlueAoyagi Makoto
Rhapsody in BlueAoyagi Makotoplay_arrow
Keyboard & tenor saxo of Naniwa Express…
52eastTenor HunterYonezawa Miku
Tenor HunterYonezawa Mikuplay_arrow
Miku Yonezawa traverses a wide range of genres...
53eastLover come back to meAbe Kaoru
Lover come back to meAbe Kaoruplay_arrow
Kaoru Abe was known in Japan as a saxophonist, and...
54eastMake It Happen!Nakazono Ami
Make It Happen!Nakazono Amiplay_arrow
Ami Nakazono is involved in a wide range of musical genres...
55eastI Want To Talk About YouNishimura Akio
I Want To Talk About YouNishimura Akioplay_arrow
Akio Nishimura is a Te... from Tosashimizu City, Kochi Prefecture.
56eastDouble TorusTanaka Kunikazu
Double TorusTanaka Kunikazuplay_arrow
A very warm, thick timbre, a dense mass of sound...
57eastKatayama Hiroaki
Katayama Hiroakiplay_arrow
Hiroaki Katayama, a jazz saxophonist from Chiba Prefecture...
58eastKimura Kayoko
Kimura Kayokoplay_arrow
Kayoko Kimura is a saxophone player, ho...
59eastHow About This CatYoshimoto Akihiro
How About This CatYoshimoto Akihiroplay_arrow
Also as a composer, in one of the world’s largest competitions…
60eastFly Me to the MoonOda Koji
Fly Me to the MoonOda Kojiplay_arrow
In 1990, the horn section of Kome Kome Club...
61eastThey Say It’s WonderfulAkamatsu Jirō
They Say It's WonderfulAkamatsu Jirōplay_arrow
Active as a saxophonist in both classical and jazz genres...
62eastSuper Mario BrosTakeda Kazuhiro
Super Mario BrosTakeda Kazuhiroplay_arrow
Various saxophones, flutes, and other multi-…
63eastFuruya Mitsuru
Furuya Mitsuruplay_arrow
He passed away in September 2020, but…
64eastLIFEKayukawa Natsuki
LIFEKayukawa Natsukiplay_arrow
The video is the promo video for the album “LIFE,” so it’s cut off…
65eastIn a dreamshimizu yasuyuki
In a dreamshimizu yasuyukiplay_arrow
A sa...
66eastIn sweet delightYoshida Mitsuri
In sweet delightYoshida Mitsuriplay_arrow
Mitsusato Yoshida is a sack ... born in 1975.
67eastParadise Has No Bordersakanakun
Paradise Has No Bordersakanakunplay_arrow
Visiting Associate Professor and Honorary Doctor of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, and…
68eastDreaming CindyChīpu Hiroishi
Dreaming CindyChīpu Hiroishiplay_arrow
Mr. Cheap Hiroishi playing “Dreaming Cindy”...
69eastGeorgia On My MindIde Shinji
Georgia On My MindIde Shinjiplay_arrow
Active with various bands such as The Shocking...
70eastAsamoto Chika
Asamoto Chikaplay_arrow
During my university years, I went to a university in Los Angeles as an exchange student...
71eastLenaArakawa Tatsuhiko
LenaArakawa Tatsuhikoplay_arrow
He made his professional debut in 1964, and Blue...
72eastParadeYaguchi Hiroyasu
ParadeYaguchi Hiroyasuplay_arrow
Hiroyasu Yaguchi was born on April 23, 1958...
73eastFear NotMaeda Sara
Fear NotMaeda Saraplay_arrow
Maeda, who was born in 1991 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture...
74easthurricaneInoue Daisuke
hurricaneInoue Daisukeplay_arrow
Scouted by Jackie Yoshikawa and the Blue Comets...
75eastIntroduction and Rondo CapricciosoHanawa Misato
Introduction and Rondo CapricciosoHanawa Misatoplay_arrow
Hanawa, who is from Ibaraki Prefecture and graduated from Senzoku Gakuen College of Music...
76eastETHNIC MINORITYYokota Hiroyuki
ETHNIC MINORITYYokota Hiroyukiplay_arrow
As it's called DJ sax, various...
77eastHeineken SerenadeWatanabe Hiroshi
Heineken SerenadeWatanabe Hiroshiplay_arrow
A tenor saxophonist and jazz musician…
78eastLovely youShinoda Masami
Lovely youShinoda Masamiplay_arrow
“Su…” performed by saxophonist Masami Shinoda
79eastSo Far AwayKanzaki Hisaaki
So Far AwayKanzaki Hisaakiplay_arrow
Saxophone player Hisa Kanzaki, a native of Kochi Prefecture...
80eastMISTY BLUESaeka
MISTY BLUESaekaplay_arrow
From classical to jazz to pop, ja...
81eastDream ShadowUranabe Masayoshi
Dream ShadowUranabe Masayoshiplay_arrow
He was a late bloomer who first picked up the alto sax at 20...
82eastSwing GrooveOta Ken
Swing GrooveOta Kenplay_arrow
A saxophonist who continues to shine in the world of jazz…