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Wagakki Band has garnered over 18 million views for their cover of the Hatsune Miku song “Senbonzakura” using traditional Japanese instruments.Their fantastic abilities and new sound sensation continue to attract attention even now.
On May 9 and 10, 2015, Wagakki Band will perform a headline set in Taipei. As tickets for May 9 show sold out so quickly, an additional show on May 10 was added at the last minute. Wagakki Band has garnered over 18 million views for their cover of the Hatsune Miku song “Senbonzakura” using traditional Japanese instruments. Their fantastic abilities and new sound sensation continue to attract attention even now.
Wagakki Band is a “new sensation rock entertainment band” which fuses traditional Japanese instrumentation, rock music and poetry. Mixing Japanese instruments such as shakuhachi, koto, shamisen and taiko with Western guitar, bass and drums, the band also incorporates the elegant vocals of the poetry master Yuko Suzuhana. Even before their debut, the band gained popularity, surpassing millions of views on YouTube. Since their formation in 2013, Wagakki Band has played live on various stages, but is continuing to widen their sphere of activity as witnessed by their contribution to both the opening and the ending themes of the Samurai Warriors anime.
Wagakki Band Members
**"Senbonzakura" - more than 18 million views recorded as of now, April 2015**
Wagakki Band’s characteristic is that each member of the band is a master of their chosen field. Kurona, who plays taiko, began playing at 3 years old and joined a professional taiko troupe in Tokyo at just 9. After training in the traditional way, he went independent and has performed in more than 15 countries throughout the world as well as appeared in magazines, TV and on stage both in Japan and abroad. He has also been on the jury of events sponsored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education and responsible for taiko choreography at Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea. He is one of the most prominent performers in the field of Japanese taiko.
Daisuke Kaminaga, who plays shakuhachi, started playing the instrument at 18 years old and has performed at the world’s highest ranked music festival, SXSW, Japan Expo—the largest Japanese culture festival held in Paris, France—and many other such high profile events both inside and outside of Japan. The force of the sound produced by this band formed of only those who possess true mastery of their instruments is just one of Wagakki Band’s supreme qualities.
Samurai Warriors TV anime series opening theme,“Ikusa"
Wagakki Band continues to amass support throughout the world for the new sound sensation being created by its talented band members, and their further developments will surely be worthy of attention.
“Wagakki Band’s Profile
Wagakki Band is a “new sensation rock entertainment band” which fuses poetry, traditional Japanese instrumentation and rock music. Their debut album, Vocalo Zanmai, was released in April 2014 and entered the Oricon Weekly Ranking top 10 twice, reaching number 5 and remained in the top 100 for 22 consecutive weeks after its release. The music video for their cover version of “Senbonzakura” has been viewed more than 18 million times on YouTube.
In July 2014, they performed at the 15th Japan Expo held in Paris, France to more than 4,000 people. This year, they will perform their first “World Project” overseas solo concert dates in Taiwan.
Future Concert Dates
- Wagakki Band Taipei
Date: Saturday May 9, 2015
Venue: Taipei ATT Show Box
- Wagakki Band Taipei - Premium Encore
Date: Sunday May 10, 2015
Venue: Taipei ATT Show Box (additional date)