Wagakki Band

Named after the Wagakki instruments used in traditional Japanese folk music, Wagakki Band is a Tokyo-based group whose music blends modern influences — including hard rock, pop, and metal — with old-world instrumentation. Shigin singer Yuko Suzuhana, shakuhachi instrumentalist Kaminaga Daisuke, and koto player Ibukuro Kiyoshi began playing folk music together in Tokyo under the name Hanafugetsu in 2012, before expanding their lineup to an octet — including bandmates Machiya, Ninagawa Beni, Asa, Wasabi, and Kurona — and adopting a new name in 2014. That same year, the band's debut album, Vocalo Zanmai, became a Top 5 hit on Japan's Oricon charts, paving the way for international shows in Paris, Taiwan, and Los Angeles. Yasou Emaki topped the Japanese charts in 2015, while the band's subsequent four releases — Shikisai (2017), Otonoe (2018), React (2019), and Tokyo Singing (2020) — all cracked the Top 5. Tokyo Singing also featured an appearance by Evanescence's Amy Lee on the single "Sakura Rising" (2020). In 2024, They released their best album ALL TIME BEST ALBUM THANKS Yasounooto.