Nationality, gender, age — none of it matters. I just want to spend my whole life playing sessions and bands, connected by music.
Moved to Tokyo in my 20s to make it in a band. Based at Mandala (a live house) in Kichijoji, I also played at UZU in Fussa. Life pulled me away from bands for a while, but I ended up managing an indie record shop in Harajuku — I just couldn't stay away from music.
In my 50s, the thrill of playing in a band came calling again. I answered every "members wanted" ad I could find. Met a lot of people, said goodbye to many. "It's always been the same. There's nothing more fun than a band." — That belief hasn't changed.
Now I run membo.info — a member recruitment service built by someone who's been searching for bandmates his entire life. So that foreigners in Japan can find band members, theater troupes, and activity groups. Even if they don't speak Japanese.
Moved to Tokyo. Started gigging at Mandala in Kichijoji and UZU in Fussa. Dreaming of making it big.
Left the band due to life circumstances. But couldn't stay away from music — became the manager of an indie record shop in Harajuku.
Couldn't forget the thrill of playing in a band. Applied to every "members wanted" post. Met many people, parted ways, and met again.
Founded membo.info. Channeled 40+ years of searching for bandmates into an 8-language service. Music connections beyond nationality, gender, and age.
Kichijoji Mandala — My base in my 20s. A place where musicians of all genres gathered. Where I learned that everyone is equal before music.
Shimokitazawa GARAGE — A live house and studio run by my close friend Shinji Watanabe. Opened in 1994, visited by roughly 1 million people over 28 years. Bands like Base Ball Bear, ACIDMAN, and Remioromen got their start here. Closed on December 31, 2021 due to COVID's impact. Watanabe-san has since passed away. "He truly ran the place for the musicians. There are many studios like that in Japan."
All articles are available in 11 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Nepali, Hindi, and Traditional Chinese.
Browse recruitment posts from across Japan in 8 languages. No Japanese required.
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