Recommendations for Japanese Post-Rock: Representative Bands and Popular Groups
Most people who have just started listening to post-rock are probably checking out works that originate from Western music.
Did you know that here in Japan, the post-rock scene includes many bands that are highly regarded worldwide?
The sound design these artists pursued has, in fact, had a significant influence on the production of songs that have become major hits.
That said, because it’s not essentially commercial music, beginners might find it a bit daunting to dig in and discover it.
For music fans like you, this article introduces bands that represent Japan’s post-rock scene.
If you enjoy Japanese rock, be sure to take a look!
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Recommendations for Japanese Post-Rock: Representative Bands and Popular Groups (1–10)
Explosive Pannier-santricot
tricot is a four-piece band with three women up front and a male drummer.
Armed with advanced musicianship, complex song structures, and a unique sense of pop, they are highly acclaimed not only in Japan but overseas as well.
Formed in 2010 by Ikkyu Nakajima, Motifour Kida, and Hiromi Hirohiro, they were joined the following year by their first drummer, komaki♂.
They launched their own label, BAKURETSU RECORDS, and steadily raised their profile in the indie scene.
In 2013, they drew attention abroad, being featured in the long-established UK music magazine NME, and in subsequent years continued their worldwide activities by performing at multiple European festivals; in 2019, they made their major-label debut.
Their music is remarkably unique: while their songs are built on intricate band ensembles that make heavy use of math-rock-style odd time signatures, they always fold in extremely pop, catchy melodies.
The way their nerdy musicality and J-pop-friendly vocals coexist so naturally shows an exquisite sense of balance.
After going major, they astonished listeners with an unflagging creative pace, releasing two full-length albums in 2020 and then Jōdeki, their third major-label album, in 2021.
If you feel that “post-rock” sounds intimidating or highbrow, starting with tricot to get acquainted with its elements might be a great choice.
VIPRega
If you like technical, complex performances and tight band ensembles but still want easy-to-digest melodies, I recommend the instrumental band rega, a four-piece formed in 2007.
Before going on hiatus in 2017, they released four albums and earned a fervent following among music fans who love emotional instrumental rock.
They resumed activity in 2019, though unfortunately guitarist Akira Yotsumoto appears to have left the band.
Their sound is instrumental rock backed by advanced musicianship: while their song structures keep evolving from start to finish and are certainly complex, they pull off the intricacies with an effortless touch.
Above all, their greatest weapon is the abundance of exceptionally catchy hooks in every track.
That’s what I meant at the outset: even if you’re someone who feels unsure about instrumental music, this is a sound you should experience at least once.
And of course, if you like bands such as LITE but haven’t heard rega yet, they’re a must-listen!
atomjizue
Pronounced “Jizoo,” jizue is a Kyoto-based instrumental trio whose exceptional technique and sophisticated songwriting have made them a formidable band, energetically taking on overseas tours and more.
Formed in 2006, they began full-scale activity as a four-piece the following year when pianist Kie Katagi joined.
Their sound interweaves elements of jazz, Latin, progressive rock, and post-rock, quickly drawing attention with a sensibility characteristic of a generation for whom club music is second nature.
Katagi, with her classical background, delivers an aggressive piano style that shifts between lyrical and hard-hitting melodies, while the band’s powerful ensemble—imbued with rock-like dynamism—will resonate with fans of alternative rock as well.
Renowned for their live performances, they have appeared at major rock festivals like Fuji Rock and have successfully toured abroad.
In 2019, they even realized a collaboration with their local Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, underscoring their wide-ranging activity across genres.
Although jizue faced a crisis in 2019 when drummer Shin Kokawa left the band, they maintained their momentum by bringing in Tsukasa Inoue of fox capture plan as a support drummer and, as mentioned at the outset, they are currently active as a trio.
[A Guide to Japanese Post-Rock] Notable Bands and Popular Groups (11–20)
rainPetorōruzu
Petrols is a trio with distinctive members: guitarist Ryosuke Nagaoka—who also performs as “Ukigumo” in Tokyo Jihen led by Ringo Sheena—serves as vocalist and guitarist, joined by bassist Jungo Miura, who originally played in a hip-hop band, and drummer Toshihide Kawamura, whose roots lie in visual kei and metal.
Since their formation in 2005, they’ve pursued a DIY path, focusing on live shows and hand-selling their releases at venues, and they have enjoyed immense popularity on the indie scene from the outset.
Their first nationwide release, the mini-album “Problems,” came out in 2012.
Sticking steadfastly to indie activity, they are said to have little interest in the studio CD format; their approach is to play songs live and savor how they evolve—an attitude quintessential to a live band.
Post-rock is only one facet of their sound; they encompass alt-country, funk, jazz, and psychedelia, yet Nagaoka’s falsetto-led melodies remain accessible, and their trio’s spacious ensemble—underpinned by high-level musicianship—is something you really ought to experience in a live setting.
Until I become the windonsa
If you’re familiar with Japan’s indie scene of the 2000s, there’s a good chance the name onsa rings a bell.
Formed in 2002 in Tokyo’s Shimokitazawa as a four-piece, they released their work through the venerable label UK.PROJECT and earned considerable popularity.
Although they sadly disbanded in 2009, their exquisite catalog—woven from a delicate, meticulously crafted band ensemble influenced by American emo, post-hardcore, and post-rock—drew the attention of Western-music fans.
They often opened for overseas bands on their Japan tours, so some Western-music aficionados may have first discovered them that way.
Vocalist Takakazu Okazaki’s voice, imbued with a tender, boyish quality; the lyrically expressive melodies sung in Japanese; and a sound that surges forward like the very embodiment of youth’s radiance—there’s no better word for it than “emotional.” It’s a bit different from post-rock, but it’s worth knowing that Japan had bands like this in the 2000s.
As an aside, drummer Katsuya Oura now serves as a company president while running the musician-support platform unitive.
Worn heels and the hands we holdenvy
Even when we say “post-rock” as a catch-all, the musical style varies widely from band to band and artist to artist.
Among them, envy—who began with an overwhelming, speech-stealing hardcore assault and ultimately reached the depths of post-rock—is a band I strongly recommend to anyone who wants to dig deep into Japanese post-rock.
Formed in 1995 out of the legendary band BLIND JUSTICE, envy’s debut album under their new name, “Breathing and dying in this place…,” centered on hardcore built from chaotic short tunes—some under two minutes, even less than a minute—yet they gradually shifted their musical approach.
On their masterful third album released in 2001, “all the footprints you’ve ever left and the fear expecting ahead – 君の靴と未来,” they presented the apex of passionate hardcore with harrowing Japanese-language screams, dramatic walls of sound, and intricate song structures, delivering a tremendous shock to the underground scene.
What makes them truly remarkable is that they continued to evolve even after releasing such an album.
If you’re into post-rock, start with envy’s work from their fourth album onward, beginning with the 2006 release “a dead sinking story.” By heavily incorporating elements of post-rock and ambient music and focusing on long, dramatic compositions, their sonic world—while preserving the core spirit—unfurls into an even deeper inner landscape.
Having overcome numerous hardships—vocalist and central figure Tetsuya Fukagawa’s departure and return, other members leaving, and more—they continue to perform today as a trio in the 2020s.
Please pick up the artistic body of work by this solitary band born from Japan’s hardcore scene.
Those who perform using words do not possess talent; they are nothing more than memory.te’
Seeing the titles of the songs discussed here, many of you who aren’t familiar with the band probably thought, “What on earth is this song title?” te’, known for their characteristically long titles—so long and poetic, even philosophical, that they hardly seem like song titles—are a four-piece instrumental band formed in 2004.
Heavily influenced by overseas math rock, post-hardcore, and post-rock, their intense sound made a big splash in the indie scene at the time and stood out in Japan’s rock landscape from the 2000s onward, culminating in a major-label debut in 2010.
Created with a simple two-guitars, bass, and drums lineup, their music leans more rock-oriented compared to fellow instrumental band toe.
While the hallmarks present since their early days—urgent, trademark rhythmic patterns; guitars flinging noise with abandon; and a rampaging bass line—remain intact, each new release has shown increasing refinement and a rich melodic sensibility, reminding us yet again how much musical expression is possible without vocals.
As an aside, the label “Zankyo Record,” founded by guitarist Akihiro Kono, is known not only for te’s catalog but also for launching bands that later found major success, such as early 9mm Parabellum Bullet, People In The Box, and cinema staff.
The musical methodology of these artists—often dubbed the “Zankyo-kei” sound—has influenced not just the indie rock scene but also pop and chart music.
In that sense, it’s fair to say te’ are a highly important band in the history of Japanese music.