From Fast Picking to Acoustic: Famous Japanese Guitarists
When people talk about famous guitarists, overseas names often come up, but there are plenty of incredible guitarists right here in Japan too!
Some of them are active on the global stage as well.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of Japanese guitarists we can proudly present to the world.
From blazing fast shredders to soulful, emotive players, from crisp cutting to slap techniques—each guitarist has their own unique charm.
Be sure to find your new favorite!
Get ready to meet a lot of super cool guitarists!
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[From Shredding to Acoustic] Famous Japanese Guitarists (61–70)
Blade · Cobalt BlueSuganami Eijun (THE BACK HORN)
Guitarist of the rock band THE BACK HORN.
He writes the lyrics for most of the band’s songs, crafting many literary, decadent lines.
His guitar is marked by sharp, perilous, and raw phrases.
In live performances, he delivers an aggressive show with an overwhelming, almost demonic intensity.
Metaphor feat. FeryquitousIchika Nito
Ichika Nito is a guitarist with a large social media following who is attracting worldwide attention.
He started piano in childhood and picked up the guitar at 15.
With wide-ranging tastes from metalcore to R&B, he has honed his skills self-taught.
His YouTube channel boasts over two million subscribers, and he ranked eighth as one of the “best guitarists right now” in the UK music magazine Total Guitar.
With his unique sensibility, exceptional technique, and one-of-a-kind tone, he has earned high praise from world-renowned guitarists such as John Petrucci and Pete Townshend.
He also performs live actively overseas.
Well-versed in anime and video game music, his captivating performances that draw on that knowledge point to new possibilities for guitar music.
DominoYamazaki Masayoshi
A singer-songwriter known for representative songs such as “One more time, One more chance” and “Celery.” More recently, the theme song “Sora e (To the Sky)” for the Doraemon movie has also drawn attention.
True to the tagline “More incredible than a genius,” the groove created using only guitar and blues harp reveals an extraordinary talent.
Space BoatJōshima Shigeru (TOKIO)
When it comes to TOKIO—the idol group in a band format—the leader and guitarist can only be this person! In recent years, his main guitar has been a Paul Reed Smith.
He also seems to favor guitars equipped with humbucker pickups and prefers a thick, full tone.
While he’s strongly associated with his appearances on variety shows, there was a time on a TV program when he performed with Char, showcasing his solid guitar and vocal skills.
In conclusion
We’ve introduced a wide range of popular guitarists from Japan.
Among them were players who are active not only domestically but around the world! From lightning-fast shredding and soulful, tear-inducing phrases to acoustic performances and looping-based play—each guitarist has their own unique appeal.
Be sure to find your favorite guitarist from this list!