Instrumental Band 'NABOWA' Begins Chapter Two
Kyoto-based instrumental band NABOWA will resume activities in June 2026 as a trio after a one-and-a-half-year hiatus following the drummer's departure at the end of 2024, entering a new chapter with a renewed musical style and live performance approach.
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- 📰 Published: June 11, 2026 at 07:53
- 🔍 Collected: June 10, 2026 at 23:06
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 10, 2026 at 23:07 (1 min after Collected)
The live style and musicality are completely renewed, moving to the next stage.
NABOWA is an instrumental band based in Kyoto.
After approximately one and a half years of inactivity following the drummer's departure at the end of 2024, the band will resume activities in June 2026.
Since its formation in 2004, NABOWA has built a unique musical world based on a distinctive ensemble of violin, guitar, bass, and drums, traversing diverse musical elements.
The band has released seven full albums, performed at numerous major festivals over 20 years until 2024, and built a substantial career including a tour in Taiwan and a solo concert in Hong Kong.
At the end of 2024, the band announced a hiatus following the departure of drummer Kawakami.
During the hiatus, the three members performed numerous experimental live shows and actively pursued individual solo work.
Violinist Hiraku Yamamoto expanded his activities as a sound artist, providing music for video works and corporate projects, creating sound installation pieces, and performing solo shows. He co-created the work "Hear and There" about his home prefecture of Shiga with photographer Mitsuyuki Nakajima, released from the complex facility "TaLa Voyage" in Takashima City. The work, which fuses sound and photography in a 1:1 ratio to create a new reading experience, has garnered attention. He continues to pursue expressions that traverse music, space, video, and environmental sounds.
Work "Hear and There" with photographer Mitsuyuki Nakajima
Guitarist Kanade Kageyama continued his solo project "THE BED ROOM TAPE." He actively explores beat-making and electronics using diverse tones, not just as a guitarist, creating music and performing live, as well as participating in works by many other artists. He also collaborated with distinctive singer-songwriters, releasing the single "Kanaderu SOUL" featuring Kitaro Kimyo and the collaboration single "Utopia" with Nao Kodama.
Collaboration single "Utopia" with Nao Kodama
Bassist Toru Horikawa continued his unit "WONDER HEADZ" with former NABOWA drummer Yu Kawakami. Currently, they are creating music rooted in dance music and cosmic disco, having welcomed hammered dulcimer player Yuichi Fujisawa as a member. He also runs Cafe "oberton" at the foot of Kitabira in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, leading a community-rooted life.
While performing experimental live shows as a trio, bringing together experiences gained from individual solo activities, various ideas were discussed for future activities, such as adding support members or welcoming new members. However, the consensus among all three members was to "purely pursue the music we want to play now," which conversely strengthened the feeling that "assigning others to recreate what we did in the past feels wrong," leading to the decision to resume activities as a trio.
From left: Toru Horikawa (Ba), Kanade Kageyama (Gt), Hiraku Yamamoto (Vln) Photograph Yuhei Yamamoto/MAISONETTE Inc.
The new NABOWA will mix an ensemble of acoustic instruments (violin, guitar, bass) with electronic elements like samplers and synthesizers in a unique balance, leveraging their 20-year history while pursuing a new style of music without being bound by it.
In 2026, entering its 23rd year since formation, NABOWA's musical activities have entered Chapter Two.
HP https://www.nabowa.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nabowa_jpn/?hl=ja
X https://x.com/nabowa?lang=ja
Member SNS
Hiraku Yamamoto (Vln) https://www.instagram.com/hirakuyamamoto/
Kanade Kageyama (G) https://www.instagram.com/kanadekageyamaa/
Toru Horikawa (B) https://www.instagram.com/horikawaitaru/
LIVE Information
6/13 (Sat) "Fashion Cantata from KYOTO" (Kyoto) *Registration closed
Providing music for the Y's fashion show
6/27~28 "LAMP FES 2026 'DOUBLE THUMBS UP'" (Nagano)
NABOWA is scheduled to perform on the second day.
7/12 (Sun) "NABOWA LIVE TT" 8th Anniversary Closing Party" (Nagoya)
9/26~27 "Ringo Music Festival" (Nagano)
NABOWA is an instrumental band based in Kyoto.
After approximately one and a half years of inactivity following the drummer's departure at the end of 2024, the band will resume activities in June 2026.
Since its formation in 2004, NABOWA has built a unique musical world based on a distinctive ensemble of violin, guitar, bass, and drums, traversing diverse musical elements.
The band has released seven full albums, performed at numerous major festivals over 20 years until 2024, and built a substantial career including a tour in Taiwan and a solo concert in Hong Kong.
At the end of 2024, the band announced a hiatus following the departure of drummer Kawakami.
During the hiatus, the three members performed numerous experimental live shows and actively pursued individual solo work.
Violinist Hiraku Yamamoto expanded his activities as a sound artist, providing music for video works and corporate projects, creating sound installation pieces, and performing solo shows. He co-created the work "Hear and There" about his home prefecture of Shiga with photographer Mitsuyuki Nakajima, released from the complex facility "TaLa Voyage" in Takashima City. The work, which fuses sound and photography in a 1:1 ratio to create a new reading experience, has garnered attention. He continues to pursue expressions that traverse music, space, video, and environmental sounds.
Work "Hear and There" with photographer Mitsuyuki Nakajima
Guitarist Kanade Kageyama continued his solo project "THE BED ROOM TAPE." He actively explores beat-making and electronics using diverse tones, not just as a guitarist, creating music and performing live, as well as participating in works by many other artists. He also collaborated with distinctive singer-songwriters, releasing the single "Kanaderu SOUL" featuring Kitaro Kimyo and the collaboration single "Utopia" with Nao Kodama.
Collaboration single "Utopia" with Nao Kodama
Bassist Toru Horikawa continued his unit "WONDER HEADZ" with former NABOWA drummer Yu Kawakami. Currently, they are creating music rooted in dance music and cosmic disco, having welcomed hammered dulcimer player Yuichi Fujisawa as a member. He also runs Cafe "oberton" at the foot of Kitabira in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, leading a community-rooted life.
While performing experimental live shows as a trio, bringing together experiences gained from individual solo activities, various ideas were discussed for future activities, such as adding support members or welcoming new members. However, the consensus among all three members was to "purely pursue the music we want to play now," which conversely strengthened the feeling that "assigning others to recreate what we did in the past feels wrong," leading to the decision to resume activities as a trio.
From left: Toru Horikawa (Ba), Kanade Kageyama (Gt), Hiraku Yamamoto (Vln) Photograph Yuhei Yamamoto/MAISONETTE Inc.
The new NABOWA will mix an ensemble of acoustic instruments (violin, guitar, bass) with electronic elements like samplers and synthesizers in a unique balance, leveraging their 20-year history while pursuing a new style of music without being bound by it.
In 2026, entering its 23rd year since formation, NABOWA's musical activities have entered Chapter Two.
HP https://www.nabowa.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nabowa_jpn/?hl=ja
X https://x.com/nabowa?lang=ja
Member SNS
Hiraku Yamamoto (Vln) https://www.instagram.com/hirakuyamamoto/
Kanade Kageyama (G) https://www.instagram.com/kanadekageyamaa/
Toru Horikawa (B) https://www.instagram.com/horikawaitaru/
LIVE Information
6/13 (Sat) "Fashion Cantata from KYOTO" (Kyoto) *Registration closed
Providing music for the Y's fashion show
6/27~28 "LAMP FES 2026 'DOUBLE THUMBS UP'" (Nagano)
NABOWA is scheduled to perform on the second day.
7/12 (Sun) "NABOWA LIVE TT" 8th Anniversary Closing Party" (Nagoya)
9/26~27 "Ringo Music Festival" (Nagano)
FAQ
When will NABOWA resume activities?
They will resume activities in June 2026.
Who are the new members of NABOWA?
They will not add new members and will continue as a trio of violin, guitar, and bass.
What are NABOWA's upcoming live shows?
Scheduled for June 13 in Kyoto, June 27-28 in Nagano, July 12 in Nagoya, and September 26-27 in Nagano in 2026.