Songs of Tokyo

Nana Mizuki is a voice actress and vocalist with multiple hit anime roles and chart-topping songs to her name. In addition to performing in some of Japan’s largest venues such as Tokyo Dome and Koshien Stadium, Mizuki has also held concerts overseas as the scope of her activities has continued to grow. Mamoru Miyano has provided the voices for various anime series including “DEATH NOTE” and “Mobile Suit Gundam 00” as well as expanding into acting in recent years. Also known for his expressive live performances as a singer, Miyano’s talents as an entertainer seem limitless.

Nana Mizuki is a voice actress and vocalist with multiple hit anime roles and chart-topping songs to her name. In addition to performing in some of Japan’s largest venues such as Tokyo Dome and Koshien Stadium, Mizuki has also held concerts overseas as the scope of her activities has continued to grow. Mamoru Miyano has provided the voices for various anime series including “DEATH NOTE” and “Mobile Suit Gundam 00” as well as expanding into acting in recent years. Also known for his expressive live performances as a singer, Miyano’s talents as an entertainer seem limitless.

International superstar YOSHIKI treated us to a special performance accompanied by a live orchestra for our first episode. Since his major debut with X (name later changed to X JAPAN) in 1989, YOSHIKI’s music career has been a turbulent 30 years. He talks to host Shingo Murakami about his international endeavors and unwavering sentiments. YOSHIKI composed the single “Anniversary” in honor of the tenth anniversary of Japanese Emperor Akihito’s reign and performed it at Japan’s Imperial Palace in 1999. Now, the original full version will be aired for the first time on television on SONGS OF TOKYO. Don’t miss this stirring tribute to mark the end of an era.

For our second regular episode, we welcome the girls' chorus group, Little Glee Monster. At an average age of just 19, all 5 members of the group are incredible vocalists and take turns on lead vocals. Known especially for their a cappella performances, they have performed with international superstars like Earth, Wind & Fire, and even members of ABBA have talked about how impressive the group is, words of encouragement that have pushed Little Glee Monster to set their sights on international success. Already, they have performed at events in San Francisco and Shanghai, and last year they embarked on their first ever Asia tour. In this episode of SONGS OF TOKYO, the group shares what drives their passion for music, and they show that passion through exclusive performances. Studio MC Shingo Murakami uses his exceptional ability to connect with artists to get the group to admit to some crazy things that have happened on stage.

The first episode of SONGS OF TOKYO in 2020 will feature the BEST SCENE 2019! We will be bringing to you the best performances by 12 artists who made waves last year. Expect to see Johnny's idols, Anisongs and phenomenal music legends. With the Tokyo Olympics right around the corner, SONGS OF TOKYO brings you the latest trends in the Japanese music scene. Don't miss it!

Episode 9 guest WAGAKKIBAND shares their unique sounds with the world! After debuting in 2014, the band has been making waves by combining modern J-pop with traditional Japanese instruments such as the Tsugaru-jamisen, koto, shakuhachi and Wadaiko. Their first album featured Vocaloid covers, and the single "Senbonzakura" became an international hit, with the music video garnering over 100 million views. WAGAKKIBAND toured the US in 2016, and their 2020 concerts will have Amy Lee of the Grammy Award-winning band Evanescence as a guest vocalist. Host Shingo Murakami is fascinated about the diverse backgrounds of each band member. They bring down the house with hilarious incidents related to traditional instruments. Murakami even makes them all sing Shigin poetry! Don't miss WAGGAKIBAND's unique performance!

The 10th episode will feature JUJU. Her sad ballads have brought tears to the eyes of women around Japan. Why is her music so touching? Can it have the same effect on people around the world? She shares stories of her youth with hosts Shingo Murakami and Chiaki Horan, talking about how an inferiority complex since her youth led her to New York. Despite putting her heart into training, she has had her share of obstacles. Even after returning to Japan and making her debut, her songs failed to top the charts. Yet she didn't give up, and a "miracle" came her way. JUJU shares her heartwarming success story and unveils a special medley of her best ballads. The program also talks about "snack bars," something that helped JUJU become a master of cover songs. JUJU explains Japan's "snack bar" culture to international fans and performs a cover of Miyuki Nakajima's "Ito," a song that has also been covered by various Asian musicians.

This episode features "Winter Queen" Hirose Kohmi, a songstress who has released hit singles such as "My God blessed Romance," "Where's my snow melting love," "DEAR...again" and "promise." Now, she is in the spotlight for cover songs on her YouTube channel. She accompanies these innovative covers with commentary backed by her musical knowledge and fans rave how they have helped them rediscover the allure of music. In the program, she chats with the 2 hosts while playing the piano, demonstrates the appeal of modern pop hits like King Gnu's "Hakujitsu" and opens up about her thoughts on music and approach to cover songs. She also performs "Pretender" by Official HIGE DANdism, the cover with the most views on her YouTube channel, and "All we need is love" alongside Mayumura Chiaki, who she has performed with in the past. Expect an episode packed with smiles!

Members are Sato Shori, Nakajima Kento, Kikuchi Fuma, Marius Yo, and Matsushima So. In November 2011, the group made a debut with the single "Sexy Zone" and debuted at No.1 on the Oricon weekly ranking, which is the most popular music chart in Japan. Since then, all 19 singles and 8 albums (including the best album) have achieved No.1 on the Oricon weekly ranking. In November 2021, the group will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the debut.

Liella! is a school idol group that appears in “Love Live! Superstar!!,” the latest installment in the multi-media “Love Live!” series. On 7 April 2021, they released their debut single “Hajimari wa Kimi no Sora” along with an animated music video. Nijigasaki High School Idol Club is a school idol group from the multi-media “Love Live!”series. They are featured in the “Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS” game app, which is currently in distribution. They appeared in a TV anime series in 2020, and will have their 3rd concert on 8 and 9 May 2021. Aqours is a school idol group from the multi-media “Love Live! Sunshine!!” series. In 2018, they had their own two-day concert at Tokyo Dome. At the end of the same year, they appeared in the 69th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen. In 2019, the “Love Live! Sunshine!!” series had its first Asia tour. They will hold their first outdoor concert in their hometown Shizuoka to celebrate their 5th anniversary in May this year.

The first episode of 2022 takes a deep dive into the world of Japanese music. Thanks to the Internet, J-POP now has an ever-growing fanbase. So, which artists have they been eyeing recently? This episode of SONGS OF TOKYO surveys fans from all over the world to find out who they are looking forward to listening to in 2022. Expect plenty of surprising answers and new info! Take a comprehensive look at J-POP straight from the frontlines on SONGS OF TOKYO! Who are the fan favorites for this year? What kind of music are international J-POP fans looking forward to in 2022? To find out, we interviewed fans from all over the world via the Internet, and also invited some who are currently living in Japan to our studio. Seven of them are people who moved to Japan because they love J-POP so much! Hosts Murakami Shingo and Horan Chiaki are moved by their passion as they share their favorite artists and some unexpected knowledge. Learn more about these ardent fans on the episode!

This episode features singer-songwriter milet. Singer-songwriter milet made a splash in the international scene when she sang "Hymne a l'amour" in both Japanese and French in the closing ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Now, with the 2022 Beijing Olympics underway, her song "Fly High" has been selected as NHK's winter sports theme song. This winter, milet's voice has been taking Japan by storm. milet's unique and enchanting voice has captured the hearts of international fans. She first came into the global spotlight when her song "inside you," sung with only an acoustic guitar in the background, was posted on the popular music site THE FIRST TAKE, the comments section was packed with praise. The songstress treats her fans to a special performance on the show. She sang acoustic versions of 2 songs from the popular anime "Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Battlefront: Babylonia" the theme song "Prover" and the special theme song "Tell me."

In this episode, Anisongs take center stage. Anime is an internationally-beloved facet of Japanese pop culture, and Anisong musicians have been making a splash abroad. Join us in the frontlines of anime music! What kind of music will make a splash in 2022? To find out, we ask international fans online and in the studio about their favorite Anisongs. Their keen ears and unrivaled enthusiasm take hosts Murakami Shingo and Horan Chiaki by surprise. Tune into find out who the fans are rooting for! Appearing as guest artist is the legendary group FLOW. They are beloved around the world for "GO!!!," the theme song for the anime "NARUTO". The members talk about how passionate international Anisong fans are and thrill the visitors in the studio as they perform their signature song. They also unveil their new song "GOLD" for the first time on TV!

This episode features Suga Shikao, who recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of his debut. He has also released his latest album "Innocent" this month. On the show, he will be performing tracks from his latest album as well as his hit single "Progress" (The theme song for NHK's show "The Professionals"). This song continues to be a source of inspiration for Suga, and he'll be opening up about its backstory. Suga also shares his technique for writing lyrics, which makes full use of the Japanese language's unique properties, and his relationship with the prolific writer Murakami Haruki. Don't miss this chance to take a deep dive into the world of Suga Shikao!

This episode invites on stage BAND-MAID, yabai T-shirts yasan and YU-KA. BAND-MAID is a five-piece, all-female band with maid costumes that strike a sharp contrast with their hard rock sound. They've done tours in the US and other parts of the world, and now they will be appearing on the show for the first time. yabai T-shirts yasan is a three-piece band popular for their melodic hardcore sound and humorous lyrics. For the first time since their debut, their restriction on TV performances have been lifted and this will be their first appearance on an NHK music program. They will sing their uplifting song "hurray." YU-KA is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter who made her major debut last year. She will perform her hit song "Hoshizukiyo (Starry Night)," produced by Toru from the renowned band ONE OK ROCK. SONGS OF TOKYO has been airing since 2018 (airing regularly since March 2019) and this will be our final episode.