Chiba Prefecture: 8 people
Naohito Fujiki (藤木 直人, Fujiki Naohito; born July 19, 1972) is a Japanese actor and singer.
Taiji Sawada (Japanese: 沢田 泰司, Hepburn: Sawada Taiji; July 12, 1966 – July 17, 2011), also known mononymously as Taiji…
Taiji Sawada (Japanese: 沢田 泰司, Hepburn: Sawada Taiji; July 12, 1966 – July 17, 2011), also known mononymously as Taiji, was a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is best known as bassist of the rock band X from 1986 to 1992. The band rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, credited as founders of the Japanese visual kei movement. After leaving X in January 1992, Taiji went on to work with many other recording acts, including Loudness and D.T.R. In July 2011, Taiji was arrested in Saipan for a violent outburst that took place on the flight there. Facing federal charges, he attempted suicide by hanging in his jail cell, which left him brain dead. Taiji died in a hospital on July 11 after his family decided to turn off his life support. In 2018, readers and professional musicians voted him the best bassist in the history of hard rock and heavy metal in We Rock magazine's "Metal General Election".
Yoshiki Hayashi (Japanese: 林 佳樹, Hepburn: Hayashi Yoshiki; born November 20, 1965), known mononymously as Yoshiki, is a…
Yoshiki Hayashi (Japanese: 林 佳樹, Hepburn: Hayashi Yoshiki; born November 20, 1965), known mononymously as Yoshiki, is a Japanese musician, songwriter, composer, record producer, film director, and fashion designer. He is best known as the leader of the visual kei rock bands X Japan and the Last Rockstars, for which he is the drummer, pianist, and main songwriter. He has been described by Billboard as a "musical innovator" and named "one of the most influential composers in Japanese history" by Consequence. Time labeled Yoshiki as "an absolute force" and "one of Japan's most celebrated musicians". Yoshiki's solo career includes several classical studio albums and collaborations with artists such as George Martin, Bono, will.i.am, St. Vincent, the Chainsmokers, Skrillex, Ellie Goulding, Stan Lee, Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen, Gene Simmons and Kiss, Nicole Scherzinger, Sarah Brightman, Jonas Brothers, Jonathan Davis of Korn, Diana Ross, and Josh Groban. In 1999, at the request of the Japanese Imperial family, he composed and performed a classical song at a celebration in honor of the tenth anniversary of Emperor Akihito's enthronement. Yoshiki also composed the theme for the 69th Golden Globe Awards as well as for several anime and film soundtracks including Attack on Titan and Saw IV. In 2023, he made his directorial debut with the feature documentary film Yoshiki: Under the Sky. In 2018, readers and professional musicians voted Yoshiki the best drummer and the best keyboardist in the history of hard rock and heavy metal in We Rock magazine's "Metal General Election". In 2023, he was selected as the first Japanese artist to be honored with a hand and footprint ceremony at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in nearly 100 years. In 2024, Variety selected Yoshiki as the International Achievement in Music honoree. Time named Yoshiki one of the most influential people of 2025 in their Time 100 list.
Kōji Ueno (上野 耕路, Ueno Kōji; born February 1, 1960 in Chiba city) is a Japanese composer, musician, arranger and…
Kōji Ueno (上野 耕路, Ueno Kōji; born February 1, 1960 in Chiba city) is a Japanese composer, musician, arranger and keyboardist. He is noted for his unique style of music. He graduated from Nihon University's department of music at its faculty of art, and in 1978, began his career in music with his first music ensemble, 8&1/2, after which he worked with the group Halmens between 1979 and 1981. In 1980, Ueno formed the musical group Guernica, noted for its unique form of avant garde music, along with vocalist Jun Togawa and lyricist Keichi Ohta. In the 1980s, Ueno worked with Akira Ifukube or Ryuichi Sakamoto on the soundtracks of the films Koneko Monogatari, Oritsu Uchūgun - Oneamisu no Tsubasa, and The Last Emperor. In 2004, he composed the music for the lauded Takashi Nakamura-directed anime television series, Fantastic Children. Ueno formed the musical group Netszo & Gansaku with the first album, Polarity Integration by Sony Music in April 2007. Ueno has also lectured on film music at the Faculty of Art at Nihon University. He has won several awards, including the award for best musical composition at the 1989 Mainichi Film Festival for his composition of the musical score for the film Untama Giru, and has also won numerous international awards, including the best music at the Festival Des Trois Continents in Nantes in 1989, as well as the "Cristal tcheque pour la musique contemporaine" at the 32nd Golden Prague International Television Festival in 1995, held in Prague, for his score for the NHK television series, The Pale Cast of Thought.
Kenichi Yamakawa (山川 健一, Yamakawa Ken'ichi; born 19 July 1953) is a Japanese author and rock musician.
Keiji Haino (灰野 敬二 Haino Keiji; born May 3, 1952) is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter whose work has included…
Keiji Haino (灰野 敬二 Haino Keiji; born May 3, 1952) is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter whose work has included rock, free improvisation, noise music, percussion, psychedelic music, minimalism and drone music. He has been active since the 1970s and continues to record regularly and in new styles.
Boo Takagi (高木 ブー, Takagi Bū) (born 8 March 1933, Toshima, Tokyo) is a Japanese comedian and musician (guitarist and…
Boo Takagi (高木 ブー, Takagi Bū) (born 8 March 1933, Toshima, Tokyo) is a Japanese comedian and musician (guitarist and ukulele player). His real name is Tomonosuke Takagi (高木 友之助). Takagi is one of the members of The Drifters.
Keiko Terada (寺田恵子, Terada Keiko; born 27 July 1963) is a Japanese rock singer. She was co-founder and lead singer of…
Keiko Terada (寺田恵子, Terada Keiko; born 27 July 1963) is a Japanese rock singer. She was co-founder and lead singer of the successful Japanese female hard rock and heavy metal band Show-Ya from 1982 to 1991, before going solo. On her solo albums she expanded from hard rock and heavy metal to blues, pop and soul. Terada's trademark for many years was a fake rose tattoo she wore above her right breast. She was inspired by Bette Midler's film The Rose, in which Midler played a Janis Joplin-like character. She maintained over the years a relevant presence in both Japanese TV and Radio, both alone and as member of other bands. She is now member of the reformed Show-Ya and of the special group Nishidera Minoru.