History of Ichika Nito

 

1. An introverted guitar kid who dreamed of becoming a soloist

Ichika Nito is a Japan-born guitarist who is recognized internationally for his innovative playing style. He grew up in an artistically inclined family—his grandfather was a sculptor, his grandmother a piano teacher, his father a band musician and his younger sister is now a professional ballet dancer. The first instrument Ichika ever touched was the piano in his home, and he has often stated that his earliest musical experience was Bill Evans’ jazz standard “Waltz for Debby,” written for Evans’ niece.

 

Ichika: “I started playing piano at the age of three because of my grandmother, and the first piece that truly struck me was “Waltz for Debby”. When you’re older, music connects with your experiences and memories, but when I heard it back then, I barely had any life experience at all—yet I felt “sadness”. To feel such a strong emotion purely from melody and tone was incredible. It made me realize how powerful music really is, and that’s when I thought I wanted to be able to do that myself. That’s when I began to admire soloist—music that is complete within a single performer. Ever since, I’ve been wanting to create music and been obsessed with the idea of creating a world that I’m fully responsible for.”

 

Holding onto his admiration for soloists, Ichika gradually found more potential in stringed instruments than in piano, which has a much larger player base. In middle school, the first instrument he picked up was the bass. In 2018, he simultaneously released “she waits patiently” (solo guitar) and “He never fades” (solo bass), demonstrating his strong bass skills. However, ultimately, the guitar became his main voice in pursuing “music that is complete on its own.”

 

Ichika: “As a kid, I mostly listened to piano music, but my father had a huge collection of hard rock and heavy metal CDs. When I first listened to Iron Maiden, it was shocking and I thought I wanted to play that music. There was both a guitar and a bass in my father’s room, but I picked up the bass first because it had fewer strings and seemed easier. I copied every Steve Harris bass line from Iron Maiden’s early albums. Once I start something, I go all in—I was convinced I’d become famous as a bassist. But my longing for “music that is complete on its own” never went away, so I decided to try guitar, where I could play chords and melodies at the same time. I started with classic hard rock and heavy metal covers just like bass, and when I got the hang of it, I started listening more complex metal. I received a lot of influence from Veil of Maya and Periphery.”

 

Although influenced by hard rock and heavy metal, Ichika never formed a band during his school years. Instead, the boy whose earliest musical experience was Bill Evans’ piano, spent countless hours practicing alone at home—something that reflected his personality as much as his musical philosophy.

 

Ichika:
“I’ve always been bad at group activities. I preferred being alone—reading, gaming, building things and music was part of that. I struggled to make friends and I had some bad experiences. In my third year of middle school, a popular guy in class invited me to play in a band for a school trip. He also played guitar, and I think his intention was for me to probably make him “look good”. But after one session, I guess I played better than he expected, and I was I was basically pushed out, so he eventually played with a different person. Watching them get all the attention made me think, “I hate bands”. That probably pushed me even more toward making music alone. I was a hardcore introvert—still am, honestly.”

 

Ichika’s playing is characterized by a beautiful clean tone and extraordinary technique, weaving fantastical compositions with both hands. He uses tapping as “glue” to eliminate gaps between notes, playing bass and chords with his left hand while articulating melodies with his right—an original style heavily inspired by piano.

 

Ichika: “When I heard Animals as Leaders’ ‘CAFO,’ I realized how far electric guitar could go. I experimented with tapping, inspired by Van Halen and others. I initially used distortion, but it compromised clarity and precision, so I gradually stripped it away. I began processing DI signals with plugins, which became the foundation of my clean style. I wasn’t trying to invent a new technique—it was simply necessary to handle melody, harmony, and rhythm with one guitar, like a piano solo. The left-low, right-high structure is common to both piano and guitar, but using the right hand for high notes on guitar felt more natural. My piano background heavily influenced how I use both hands.”

 

2. Storytelling through sound, and a belief in fantasy

Ichika approaches composition by first creating a story, then translating it into sound. Through the music, he aims to guide listeners toward more complex emotions by allowing them to relive the story. This concept is closely tied to his deep love of fantasy and storytelling.

 

Ichika: “I’ve always loved stories more than anything—novels, manga, games. Immersing myself in a narrative is my favorite thing. I especially loved European children’s fantasy like Harry Potter, Bartimaeus, and Eoin Colfer’s works. When I ask myself, “What makes something more immersive?” it's not just the atmosphere—without underlying ideas, you can't empathize with the characters or feel their emotions as if they were your own. The works by European authors I often read delved deeply into character development and had profound ideas. Even the characters in Harry Potter, compared to protagonists in Japanese works, have their unpleasant traits depicted far more vividly compared to protagonists in Japanese works. It's precisely because of that honest, human portrayal that they feel more real. Even if it’s a completely different world from the one we live in now,  I could just dive right in. That's why I loved fantasy. ”

 

His love for storytelling was nurtured not only by European writers but also by revered Japanese musicians. Ryuichi Sakamoto, who composed numerous film music, including “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence”, and Joe Hisaishi, also known for his extensive film music work and Ghibli films. Through the works of these two globally renowned artists, the direction of his own music gradually took shape.

 

Ichika: “I practiced Sakamoto’s “Energy flow” endlessly. His music feels like a story—it has a unique structure, changes, evolves, and carries emotion. Hisaishi’s music is the same. My favorite activity is immersing myself in stories, and I realized that listening to music is also linked to that activity. From then on, I became conscious of infusing my own music with narrative elements, and in that sense, I was particularly influenced by these two. Both of them have many songs tied to visual works, but even when listening to the songs alone, I could imagine my own stories and enter their worlds. Even as a child, I felt that their music had that power, and I felt the same thing with Bill Evans.”

 

Ichika always says he wants to create and perform music that “touches the soul.” He says this because he engaged with the stories created by writers and musicians from Japan and abroad, and was deeply moved by the expressions that delve deeply into human emotions and thoughts. He believes deeply in music’s power. “Music is modern magic.", Ichika is not afraid to say such words.

 

Ichika: “In the fantasy novel series "Merlin," the protagonist plays the harp, and the power of music is depicted in magical ways. Even if it’s fiction, I think music can be a kind of modern magic. I think that's the reason I was so moved by "Waltz for Debby," and I want to be able to harness the magical power of music myself. Sound exists everywhere, like stars scattered through space. If you can find those sounds and bring them out, that’s something truly special. I often think about how I can find invisible sounds within what already exists.”

 

Ichika is a visionary who believes in magical powers, yet he’s also a science-oriented researcher type who devoted himself in researching viruses during his university days. He doesn't let his fantasies and delusions end there, but instead studies how to actually make them a reality, and has the determination to bring them to life. That's probably how his magical guitar playing came about.

 

Ichika: “I believe that nothing ever comes true if you just imagine it. I was in the judo club for all three years of middle school, and before that I did karate, so I developed a pretty athletic, grit, disciplined mindset back then. So, I’m a visionary, a theorist, and on top of that, I've got this grit mentality ingrained in me, which I think it makes it really troublesome. To grasp the perfect future I desire, I first think it through theoretically. To grasp the perfect future I desire, I first think it through theoretically and fill in the gaps with the power of imagination. I think that is how I've gotten this far."

 

3. Going viral on social media: From researching viruses to a career as a musician

How did Ichika Nito become a world-renowned guitarist? Ichika’s rise to global recognition cannot be explained without social media. He first posted videos on Instagram and Twitter in 2016, while still a university student. His first step was inspired by his admiration for Polyphia—a band from Texas that rose to popularity through YouTube videos and led the way in guitar instrumental music in the 2010s.

 

Ichika: “Originally, I was posting on a regular social media account, just for my family and friends. But around that time, Polyphia started uploading videos, and watching them inspired me to follow them. So, at first, I uploaded a video of a bass cover of Polyphia’s incredibly difficult solo from "Aviator" featuring Jason Richardson. Polyphia's account reposted it, and little by little, music fans started following me. So, I thought, why not try uploading originals too. At first, I uploaded an original riff I made on bass, and the response was bigger than I expected. From there, I started posting about once a week, and a famous Instagram account called "Pickup Jazz" reposted them. As my followers gradually grew, Brie Larson, the lead actress from the movie “Room”, reposted my videos. That's when my music started reaching beyond just guitar fans. Before I knew it, I was being followed by people like Zedd."

 

Top artists from around the world, from Polyphia members Timothy Henson and Scott LePage, to Animals as Leaders' Toshin Abasi, Jason Richardson, and John 5, to EDM stars Zedd and Martin Garrix, to Snarky Puppy and Jack Black, discovered Ichika's videos on social media and began following him. In Japan, Enon Kawatani, formerly of Indigo la End and Gesu no Kiwami Otome, q was quick to notice him, and the instrumental band ichikoro was formed. Having gained worldwide attention, Ichika submitted his withdrawal form to the administration office the day after his graduate school entrance ceremony.

 

Ichika: “In university, I researched genetic modification to create viruses designed to kill specific cancer cells. My interest in that field was heavily influenced by fantasy, and I had this desire for immortality. I originally studied the brain in the applied animal science department of the faculty of agriculture. I thought that by gaining more specialized knowledge about the capacity of the human brain, it might provide a clue to immortality. From there, I transferred to the virology department of another university's medical school and continued my research. But just before entering graduate school, I released my first EP, ‘forn’. My videos on social media were starting to get decent views, and I thought it was about time people heard a proper collection of my work, and it sold better than I expected. Back then, it made it into the top 10 on Japan's iTunes overall chart, right alongside bands like RADWIMPS. I was really shocked that an instrumental piece with just one guitar, no vocals, could get this much attention. Back then, I was focused on research and only made about 30,000 yen a month from part-time work. But suddenly, I was getting this surprising amount of money for a regular university student. That's when I thought, maybe I should pursue music instead of going to graduate school to study.”

 

In 2018, he launched a YouTube channel and began posting videos. His follower count skyrocketed, and the comment section became flooded with praise from international fans rather than Japanese viewers. In his videos, Ichika basically does not show his face or speak; only the guitar itself and his hands are shown. He intentionally avoided showing his face.

 

Ichika: “At first, I was just reposting videos I'd originally uploaded to Instagram. They started to gain some traction, and within that, the 16:9 frame where only the guitar was perfectly framed really took off. So I decided, data-driven style, to make that my main approach. I had no work experience, but I was forced to go through the PDCA cycle over and over again in my university research. The reason I didn't show my face or speak in the first place was because I wanted people to listen to my music purely. I still get some of it now, but at the time, I received hate just for being Asian. I really hated the bias where people would think, “Oh, they’re Asian, then I won’t listen”, so I wanted to compete just with the sound that came out of my guitar, without anyone knowing who was playing. Now that Ichika Nito is somewhat known, the hate has decreased, but back when I was a “nobody”, there was a lot of it."

 

His song “i miss you”, released in 2019 became his signature song, with its 30-second YouTube video over 12 million views and the full track on Spotify reaching over 18 million streams (as of January 2026). It later evolved into a live sing-along anthem worldwide. The song features a hauntingly beautiful melody woven with clean tones. After touring the world and performing it globally, it has become a live staple where the entire audience now sings along to its melody.

 

Ichika: ““i miss you” was born during the recording of ichikoro. I heard the keyboard part played by Chan MARI and transformed the phrase that came to me into a guitar solo. I often choose titles based on the image of the song. When I thought, "What kind of emotions will I feel when I listen to this song?", I thought of a strong sense of loneliness and longing to be with someone, so I chose this title. Even though I preferred being alone since childhood, maybe there was an unconscious part of me seeking help. I never imagined it would become a singalong song at live shows, but it ended up feeling like an anthem. Back in 2023, during an Ibanez event in Taiwan, there was this incredibly cheerful MC. When I started playing “i miss you,” he started singing along really enthusiastically right next to me. That got the crowd going too, and they started singing along. I thought, “What is this? This is fun!” So after that show, we started doing it in other shows too. The audience tends to mirror the artist, so there are more introverted people than extroverts, and a lot of nerdy guys.  Seeing everyone's feelings of “i miss you” come together like that, turning into  huge sing along, is just incredibly beautiful."

 

4. The first Japanese signature model is born: Ibanez connects the world

Shortly after his guitar videos began gaining traction on social media, Ichika was contacted by Ibanez, a world-renowned guitar brand, and signed an endorsement deal in 2017. A young Japanese musician joined the Ibanez family, beloved by hard rock, heavy metal legends like Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani, and Paul Stanley, as well as new generation artists like Tim from Polyphia and Yvette Young from Covet.

 

Ichika: “Right after releasing ‘forn’, at the start of 2017, someone from Ibanez contacted me saying, “Joe Satriani's currently in Osaka for a live show. Want to grab tea sometime?” That's where we discussed the contract. Looking back now, it feels like they really took a chance on me. I guess they saw some potential in me. In 2018, I was invited to Polyphia's Osaka show and I met the members in person for the first time after the concert. It was a double bill with Covet, and we all took photos together. In Tokyo, I also performed as an opening act, and since it was Tim's birthday, bassist Clay Gober lifted me up onto the stage and we sang “Happy Birthday”.”

 

The ICHI10 (Ichiten), the first signature model for a Japanese artist released four years after the endorsement contract, has remained a long-seller to this day. In 2023, a second model, named ICHI00 (one zero), to signify his roots, was produced, demonstrating the trust Ibanez has in Ichika.

 

Ichika: “I heard from Ibanez that the ICHI10 is still selling incredibly well. Although they may not even know Ichika Nito, over half the buyers are getting it because the guitar itself is great. So, it was a really good product. ICHI10 was positioned as a signature model for the launch of the Q-Line, a headless series. So going headless was a given, and I was absolutely set on having three single-coil pickups. There aren't many headless three single pickups,  so maybe that's where the demand came from.”

 

Marcin, a Polish musician, is a new talent leading the modern guitar scene with his Ibanez acoustic guitar and unique fingerpicking style influenced by flamenco. Now 25 years old, Marcin is part of the generation that looked up to Ichika and other artists from the late 2010s scene. The the two released a joint cover of Bill Withers' "Just the Two of Us" in 2023. Ichika has also appeared as a guest at Marcin's Japan concerts, deepening their collaboration.

 

Ichika: “I was aware of Marcin since he started posting videos, but we actually met through Ibanez. He told me, “Ichika influenced me and shaped my current style,” which made me incredibly happy. “Just The Two Of Us” was also an Ibanez project. Before that, Marcin had said he wanted to make a video together, so we filmed “Acoustic VS Electric Guitar” online, and that one got quite a few views too. At the time, I would say I was "influenced" by him, but the guitars we used and our playing styles were quite different, so I just thought, “I am who I am," but now Marcin has played at the NBA halftime show, collaborated with Will Smith... before I knew it, he'd surpassed me. It makes me feel jealous, and made me think I need to push myself harder too.”

 

Ichika's debut album, "The Moon's Elbow," which releases in January 2026, will bring together some of the world's top guitarists, including Yvette Young, Marcin, and German guitarist Manuel Gardner-Fernandes, who also said he’s been influenced by Ichika. The album is sure to herald the arrival of a new era in guitar music.

 

Ichika: “The pandemic was certainly a tough time, but for me, it felt like a bonus stage. People all over the world were staying home, watching videos, and way more people got really into playing instruments. Video uploads skyrocketed too. Plus, neo-soul and funk were trending right then, so guitarists were super hyped. But now,  that wave has calmed down a bit, and there isn't really a big buzz around any particular genre these days. I think five years ago, new artists were constantly emerging, but recently there aren't many new faces, so Ibanez doesn't seem to be endorsing them, or at least can't. I think the guitarist community has calmed down a bit, so I want to liven things up again from here.”

 

5. Japan, America, Southeast Asia.: Moving between countries both in real life and online

Two years after signing his endorsement deal with Ibanez, Ichika had another pivotal encounter in 2019 that would propel his global career. A direct message from Alex Soifer, an A&R executive at Warner Music Group in Los Angeles, led to opportunities to collaborate with top artists worldwide across different genres—including singer-songwriters, rappers, R&B singers, and DJs.

 

Ichika: “I suddenly got a DM saying, “I'm looking for guitar samples to use in a track, and I really love your guitar playing.” The names listed were Alec Benjamin, Kodak Black, Cardi B, Kehlani, David Guetta—all these big names. I was la bit skeptical at first, but I sent them my sample library anyway, and Alex passed it on to the producers. Their approach is to have producers create various tracks, then the singers and rappers choose one to finish. That's how my phrases started getting used. When I worked on a track for the rapper Killstation, the producer was John Cunningham, who worked on XXXTENTACTION's last album. I've stayed in touch with him ever since. Getting to co-produce “More Than Life” with Travis Barker for MGK's “Mainstream Sellout” was huge for me.

 

Released in 2022, “Mainstream Sellout” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, undoubtedly a remarkable achievement for a Japanese artist. However, regarding activities within Japan, it was still a period of exploration at that time.

 

Ichika: “My focus has always been on overseas audiences, so I feel like I still have a lot to do in Japan. Even within Japanese communities, you can get short-lived buzz. For example, there's this singer named Desmond Roberts. When he posts videos of himself singing over my guitar tracks, they get like 100,000 likes and really go viral. But whether that actually turns people into fans of the artist is tough—it's just a one-off thing. Up until now, I've been posting performance videos without showing my face because I wanted people to listen to the music itself, free from any “Asian” bias. But that approach lacks personality. While it might work overseas, in Japan it can backfire. I really need to rethink my strategy for Japan.”

 

In Japan, he formed Dios in 2019 with Tanaka and Sasano Marii, whom he met at an anime song cover event. They have released three albums to date and have made their presence felt in the J-POP field through nationwide tours and appearances at major festivals.

 

Ichika: “I've always worked alone, so I'd never seriously been in a band before. With three people, it's fun reaching places I couldn't reach alone. When you're alone, you can hit exactly what you aim for. But when you make music with someone you can't control—someone whose intentions aren't your own—it's a combination of chance and coincidence that can take you in the most unexpected directions. That's what makes it fun every single time. Songs made that way have this special attachment, like “a song made with friends,” and they have this festival vibe to them. Playing them live and having everyone listen feels kind of surreal. For the newest Dios album (“Seein' Your Ghost”), we had Pierre Nakano from Ling Tosite Sigure join us. Ling Tosite Sigure's “#4” was the first CD I ever bought by a Japanese artist. It hit me hard, and I think I've been influenced by them ever since.”

 

Following the pandemic's end in 2023, he went on a global tour, performing in over 20 countries and 40 cities by 2025. He has experienced how he can capture the hearts of audiences with just a guitar, and feels that he has grown as a person by experiencing different cultures.

 

Ichika: “Until now, I had this  understanding that “people overseas are watching us on the internet.” But traveling to the Southern Hemisphere, to places like the Czech Republic, Poland and exploring various parts of Asia in detail—I really felt the presence of the people living there. It's obvious, but it's not just one big group of “people overseas.” There are fans in each country, and I realized this isn't something to take for granted. It's incredibly wonderful and something I'm truly grateful for. I knew it intellectually, but now that I understand it on a soul level. That's why I think performing live in different countries is incredibly important. ”

 

In recent years, he has deepened his connections with Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, with particularly strong connection to Thailand. Where he has collaborated with artists like THE TOYS and Scrubb, and Thai singer Flower.far participated in “The Moon's Elbow”. Considering that Polyphia's Timothy Henson has roots in Taiwan and Covet's Yvette Young has roots in China, we feel there's great potential within the Asian guitar community.

 

Ichika: “Currently, my largest fan base is in America, but I'm sure there's potential in other countries as well, so I'd like to expand that scale even further. As a Japanese person and an Asian, I have a strong desire to promote Asian guitar culture. I want to collaborate more and more with China, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand—to grow the Asian community larger. Having experienced hate, I want more people to know that Asian guitar playing is cool, too. There are many changes in the international situation, but we can unite through the power of music. I think the power of music is truly needed now more than ever.”

 

6. Towards a new “New-Era Guitar Hero”

Ichika's work has expanded into various fields. In 2023, he provided an original composition for a Seiko commercial featuring Shohei Ohtani. Ichika and Ohtani are the same age, making this a collaboration between a musician and an athlete both challenging the world. In 2024, he collaborated with the globally popular Chinese action RPG “Genshin Impact.” The fit with Ichika, who loves fantasy, was perfect. Another memorable moment was serving as the musical director for Chanel's collection in June 2023. That day, Ichika performed Ryuichi Sakamoto's “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence,” whom he deeply admires, and his own original “The World is Still Beautiful” alongside Senegalese rapper NIX. This collaboration led to NIX also participating in “The Moon's Elbow”.

 

Ichika: “I got an email from a personal address saying, “Would you play guitar for the Chanel collection?” At first, I was skeptical, but I actually met with the French music director and received a formal offer. Her husband is an artist who follows my work, and apparently he introduced me, since they were doing a collection in Japan and were looking for good Japanese artists. I performed “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” because I'd collaborated with ballet dancer Haruo Niyama before that, and we covered it then. So I thought I'd try it for the Chanel collection too.”

 

 

Exactly ten years since his first social media post. Ichika Nito, now a global artist, will finally release his first full album, ‘The Moon's Elbow,’ in January 2026. He first thought about making an album in 2020, but due to changes in the environment around him, it took a long time to complete.

 

Ichika: The reason it took so long is also tied to changes in my life stage. Back in 2020, I was just focused on growing my YouTube channel, so I spent all my time creating content for that. Even when I did make original music, it was only about the size of an EP. After that, overseas performances increased, Dios started up, and I gradually became too busy even to create social media content properly. There was a period where things felt half-done. Then, last year, I got married and moved from Tokyo to Kagawa, so my living environment changed quite a bit. That's when I reassessed my priorities—what I truly wanted to do and what I needed to do. Before, I was just playing guitar relentlessly, with no time to think things through. But I returned to the core of what I wanted to express through guitar, and from there, I started writing songs all at once.

 

The album, which consists of 11 tracks, was created with various artists and producers from Japan and abroad whom he has met through his work to date, representing his first comprehensive collection as a guitarist. The flow from "Where I Begin" to "Where I Return" is like depicting Ichika Nito's life journey, and by immersing yourself in the story, you can relive a variety of emotions.

 

Ichika: ““Where I Begin” means “the place where I started,” and it begins with solo guitar. My longing to be a soloist since I was three, that feeling that “the music I make has to be solo,” has almost become a curse. But I still wanted to focus on expressing myself with just one guitar, so I made it the first track on the album. From there, the flow is one of presenting my various styles in order, but the last song, "Where I Return," is linked to the circular structure of the moon, which is also the album title, and I wanted to say, "I've returned to the same place, but my perspective has broadened and the view I see has changed.” So, although the theme is the same as "Where I Begin," I deliberately chose not to do it with solo guitar this time; instead, I layered three guitars."

 

"The Moon's Elbow" is both the first culmination of his work and the prologue to a new chapter. Regarding his future prospects, Ichika confidently declares, "I want to become a guitar hero for a new era.”

 

Ichika: “I've never explicitly said “I want to be a guitar hero” before. People around me have been hyping me up as this “new generation guitar hero,” but I never said it myself. But right now, at this moment, I feel like I want to say it myself: “I want to be a guitar hero.” Right now, I think the term “guitar hero” still carries this image of being a symbol of rock music. I want to break away from that and, as a guitar hero for a new era, expand the possibilities and value of the electric guitar, cultivate its cultural foundation—things like that. On YouTube, I see a lot of comments from overseas fans saying, “Ichika Nito is the Protagonist.” It makes me realize I've become someone they can project their aspirations onto. I hope I can strengthen that role even more than before.”

 

An introverted boy who loved being alone became a guitarist who captured the world's attention through social media. His dramatic story is nothing short of a fantasy, and the protagonist, Ichika Nito, still strongly believes in the magical power of music.

 

Ichika: “There's this fantasy movie called Pan's Labyrinth. It's set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War in the 1940s, and it's a story about a young girl who travels between a fantasy world and the real world. It's a very sad, grief-filled story, and when I saw it back then, I thought, “I don't want the world to become like this, no matter what.” Even if I can't solve everything, I I've always felt that music should help save the parts that it can. It might sound really cheap to say, “I want to bring peace to the world through music,” but I don't think it's wrong to feel that way.”

 

Interview・text by Atsutake Kaneko