Gunma is my mother's hometown
Gunma is my mother's hometown. However, my mother's family home was deep in the mountains, far removed from band activities and the music scene. When I visited as a child a few times, my memories consist only of green mountains, rivers, and quiet villages.
That's precisely why I was excited to research "Gunma's music scene." I wanted to know what kind of musical atmosphere flowed through my mother's hometown.
After researching, I was amazed.
Takasaki was the "holy land of rock."
BOØWY, BUCK-TICK, back number — three bands that carved their names into Japanese rock history were born in this city. Local media calls these three acts "Gunma's 3B," showing how deeply Takasaki and Gunma are connected to the Japanese rock scene.
My mother's hometown had such a rich musical foundation. Writing this article, I felt a joyful surprise. I hope this article proves helpful to you searching for band members in Gunma.
5 Ways to Find Band Members in Gunma
1. Use member recruitment sites
First, try Membo's member recruitment page. You can search for musicians active in Gunma by filtering for genre, area, and instrument part. With support for 8 languages, you can also connect with foreign musicians living in Gunma. Maebashi and Takasaki have relatively large foreign resident populations, creating opportunities to meet musicians from abroad.
A detailed comparison and guide on using member recruitment sites is explained in 5 Common Traits of People Who Can't Find Band Members and How to Fix It.
2. Attend live houses
The most natural way to meet people is to attend live houses in Takasaki and Maebashi to watch performing bands and chat with the support bands. Gunma's band scene has a strong "close-knit community" feel. If you show up regularly, you'll naturally get approached by others.
3. Participate in jam session events
Regular events like Club JAMMERS's blues session (first Friday of every month) and Kiryu VAROCK's open mic (second Friday of every month) are open for drop-in participation. Participation is valued more than technical skill, and newcomers are welcomed with open arms. Getting Started with Jam Sessions is also worth reading.
4. Check rehearsal studio bulletin boards
Local studios like Dustbowl Takasaki often have handwritten member recruitment flyers posted. It's also effective to tell the studio staff "I'm looking for band members." How to Choose a Practice Studio is worth reading as well.
5. Attend musical instrument store events
Instrument shops like Shimamura Music Keyaki Walk Maebashi store regularly host workshops and jam sessions. They function as places to meet fellow musicians playing the same instrument and can be useful for finding band members.
6 Best Live Houses in the Takasaki Area — The Heart of the "Holy Land of Rock"
1. Takasaki TRUST55
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Takasaki City (7 minutes on foot from Takasaki Station West Exit) |
| Capacity | Approximately 100 people |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Features | Historic indie-focused acoustic venue with 40 years of history |
| URL | http://trust55.music.coocan.jp/ |
A legendary live house founded in 1985. It's the legendary venue where bandsmen of the BOØWY generation spent their youth, accepting a wide range of performers from acoustic acts to full bands. The atmosphere created by over 40 years of history cannot be replicated elsewhere.
2. Club JAMMERS
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 31-1 Saya-cho, Takasaki City |
| Capacity | Approximately 300 people |
| Features | Among the largest in the Kanto region. Blues session held first Friday of every month |
| URL | https://jammers.jp/ |
With a capacity of approximately 300, it boasts one of the largest spaces in the North Kanto region. It serves as the core live house in Takasaki's music scene, accommodating everything from large-scale events to indie booking shows. A regular blues session is held on the first Friday night of every month, drawing guitarists, keyboardists, and bassists. Drop-in participation is welcome, making it easy for newcomers to join.
3. GUNMA SUNBURST
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 22 Renjakucho, Takasaki City |
| Capacity | Approximately 100 people |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Features | Excellent sound, lighting, and recording equipment. Complex-type space |
| URL | https://gunmasunburst.com/ |
A live house and studio complex founded in 2008. Equipped with facilities capable of handling not only live performances but also recording. The environment naturally leads to situations where "performers record together afterward," deepening member connections.
4. the Groove TAKASAKI
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 134 Renjakucho, Takasaki City |
| Capacity | 15–20 people (intimate setting) |
| Founded | Fall 2022 |
| Features | Regular Open Mic events. Independent label "Groove Records" |
| URL | https://thegroovetakasaki.com/ |
A new space that opened in fall 2022. The intimate setting with capacity of 15–20 brings performers and audiences incredibly close. Regular Open Mic Parties are held, gathering genre-free musicians beyond just bands. With its own independent label "Groove Records," connections formed here often lead directly to releases.
5. Takasaki REFUGE
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 4-11 Nitta-cho, Takasaki City (6F Dustbowl Takasaki) |
| Capacity | Approximately 120 people |
| Features | Large screen + bar counter in dressing room. Studio in same building |
A live house located on the 6th floor of "Dustbowl Takasaki," one of the largest music complexes in North Kanto. The dressing room with its large screen and bar counter is designed so performing bands can spend time in the same space even after their set. With practice studios in the same building, there's a smooth workflow of "rehearse then perform."
6. SLOW TIME cafe
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 82 Saya-cho, Takasaki City |
| Founded | 2006 (20th anniversary in June 2026) |
| Features | Café with art bookshop. Hosted artists like Miyuki Hatakeyama and Kan Takano |
| URL | https://slowtime-cafe.com/ |
A café and live space founded in 2006 with an art bookshop. It's a cultural hub in Takasaki approaching its 20th anniversary in June 2026. Notable artists like Miyuki Hatakeyama and Kan Takano have performed here. Rather than rock, the venue tends to attract singer-songwriters, folk, and jazz musicians, making it ideal for meeting musicians across genres.
2 Best Live Houses in the Maebashi Area
7. Maebashi DYVER
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-7-3 Honcho, Maebashi City |
| Capacity | Approximately 200 people |
| Features | Maebashi's core live house. Many battle of the bands events |
| URL | http://dyver.jp/ |
A core live house in Maebashi's music scene. With capacity of 200, it's Maebashi's largest venue and regularly hosts battle of the bands events throughout the year, primarily centered on indie bands. Easy access from Takasaki means bandsmen from throughout Gunma gather here.
8. Maebashi Accuracy
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 202-2 Maehakoda-cho, Maebashi City |
| Capacity | Approximately 150 people (small hall 30 people also available) |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Features | Live house + rehearsal studio complex. Small hall "D Studio" available |
A live house and rehearsal studio complex founded in 2002. In addition to the main hall with 150 capacity for performances, there's a small hall "D Studio" with 30 capacity, flexibly accommodating small live shows and rehearsals. The studio being in the same facility means "getting along while using the rehearsal space together" scenarios naturally occur.
Live House in Kiryu Area
9. Kiryu VAROCK
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-16 Suehiro-cho, Kiryu City, B1F |
| Access | 3 minutes on foot from Kiryu Station |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Features | 43-year-old legendary venue. "VAROCK Night" open mic held second Friday of every month |
| URL | https://www.varock.jp/ |
Founded in 1983, this year marks the 43rd anniversary of Kiryu's oldest live house. In the unique atmosphere of its basement-1 location, genre-free events ranging from rock and metal to DJ sets and comedy unfold. "VAROCK Night" on the second Friday of every month is open-mic style, welcoming first-time performers. Its excellent accessibility—just 3 minutes on foot from Kiryu Station—is particularly valuable in Gunma where car travel is typical.
Gunma's Rehearsal Studios
Dustbowl Takasaki
A 6-story music salon, one of the largest in North Kanto. With 7 studios, member rates are 1,500 yen/hour and general 1,900 yen/hour. Solo practice is affordable at 500 yen and up. Free parking for 4 cars is a thoughtful consideration in car-dependent Gunma. With Takasaki REFUGE on the 6th floor, you can go from practice to performance in one building.
Shimamura Music Keyaki Walk Maebashi Store
Features 2 rehearsal studios. Rates are 1,210–1,760 yen/hour with the convenience of being in a commercial complex. The small convenience of buying strings or picks while renting a studio accumulates as real benefit. Mentioning to shop staff "I'm looking for band members" can sometimes lead to word-of-mouth connections.
Gunma vs. Tokyo Studio Fee Comparison
| Item | Gunma (Takasaki/Maebashi) | Tokyo (Shinjuku/Shibuya) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio 1 hour (member) | 1,500–1,760 yen | 2,200–3,300 yen |
| Studio 1 hour (general) | 1,900–2,100 yen | 2,500–3,500 yen |
| 4 times/month × 3 hours cost | 18,000–21,120 yen | 26,400–39,600 yen |
| Monthly savings (estimate) | — | Up to 21,600 yen more expensive |
Looking at studio fees alone, Gunma is 30–50% cheaper than Tokyo. Many bandsmen have moved from Tokyo to Gunma, and that decision is quite rational from a cost perspective. For detailed cost breakdowns, read The Real Cost of Band Activities.
Jam Session Information in Gunma
| Venue | Content | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Club JAMMERS | Blues session (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards welcome) | First Friday of every month |
| Kiryu VAROCK | VAROCK Night (genre-free open mic) | Second Friday of every month |
| K-NOTE (Kami-Toyooka-cho, Takasaki) | Jazz session (every Sunday) | Every Sunday |
Jam sessions are one of the fastest routes to finding members. Bring your instrument and drop in—you might hear "let's do this again" by the end of the night. For detailed participation methods, see Getting Started with Jam Sessions.
Artists from Gunma — "Gunma's 3B" and Japanese Rock History
The main reason Gunma is called the "holy land of rock" lies in the following 3 bands. Local media affectionately refers to them as "Gunma's 3B."
| Artist | Origin | Representative Songs/Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| BOØWY | Takasaki City (Kyosuke Himuro, Tomoyasu Hotei, Tsunematsu Matsui) | "MARIONETTE," "B·BLUE." Formed in Takasaki in 1981. A legend of Japanese rock |
| BUCK-TICK | Fujioka City/Takasaki City (all members from Gunma) | "Speed," "ROMANCE." Formed by Fujioka High School friends in 1984 |
| back number | Ota City/Isesaki City | "Christmas Song," "Bouquet." Multiple million-sellers |
BOØWY featured three members from Takasaki: Kyosuke Himuro, Tomoyasu Hotei, and Tsunematsu Matsui (drummer Makoto Takahashi was from Fukushima). Formed in Takasaki in 1981, they revolutionized the Japanese rock scene after moving to Tokyo. Over 38 years since their breakup, they maintain cult status—so much so that Takasaki City officially created a "Dear BOØWY" page out of local pride.
BUCK-TICK is a purely Gunma band with all members from the prefecture. Atsushi Sakurai, Hisashi Imai, and Hidehiko Hoshino are from Fujioka City; Toyoshi Higuchi and Yagami Toll are from Takasaki City. They formed in 1984 as Fujioka High School friends. Until Atsushi Sakurai's unexpected death in 2023, they continued as active performers for nearly 40 years.
back number features Yori Shimizu from Ota City and Kazuya Kojima and Hisashi Kurihara from Isesaki City. "Christmas Song" still appeared on Spotify's 2024 year-end charts, maintaining enduring popularity.
Beyond these, many other artists hail from Gunma.
| Artist | Origin | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Tomoyasu Hotei (Solo) | Takasaki City | Active solo after BOØWY disbanded. Performed at 2020 Tokyo Paralympics opening ceremony |
| G-FREAK FACTORY | Gunma-based members central | Pioneer of reggae × rock "DREAD ROCK." Formed in 1997 |
| FOMARE | Isesaki City/Maebashi City | Hosts independent festival "FOMARE Continent" at Gメッセ Gunma |
Gunma's music scene carries pride in "rock stars being born from our hometown." Starting a band in Takasaki means touching that legacy.
GFEST — Gunma Prefecture-Endorsed Music Festival
GFEST (Gunma Festival), held annually since 2023, is a full-scale music festival with official Gunma Prefecture support and produced by Space Shower Entertainment. The venue is Gメッセ Gunma in Takasaki City.
GFEST.2026 is scheduled for October 10–11, 2026 as a 2-day event. Local bands have performance slots available. During the festival, musicians from across the region gather—stories of bands forming after meeting at the festival are a real occurrence here.
Member Recruitment Service Comparison
| Service | Features | Strengths in Gunma |
|---|---|---|
| Membo | 8-language support, map search, many foreign users | Can reach Gunma's foreign musician community |
| OURSOUNDS | Band-specialized site. Detailed profile settings | Fine-grained filtering by genre and part |
| with9 | Monthly subscription model. For serious recruitment | Easier communication |
| BBS (Bulletin Board) | Free posting. Strong local character | Takasaki/Maebashi regional threads available |
| Jimoty | Community service. Free | Strong local connections within Gunma Prefecture |
If you're open to foreign members, also read How Foreigners Find Band Members in Japan. With Membo, you can connect with members who have profiles in 8 languages including English, Chinese, and Korean.
How to Write a Member Recruitment Post for Gunma
The biggest point to remember when recruiting in Gunma is "transportation." Without developed public transit, vehicle ownership significantly affects your activity range.
| Item | Good Example | Poor Example |
|---|---|---|
| Activity area | "Centered around Takasaki Station. Car OK, train members negotiable" | "Around Takasaki" (too vague) |
| Transportation | "Car travel expected, but we'll consider train-dependent members" | No mention of transportation |
| Studio specification | "Plan to practice at Dustbowl Takasaki or near JAMMERS" | No studio mentioned |
| Target area | "All of Gunma, Tochigi, and Northern Saitama welcome" | "Gunma Prefecture only" (too narrow) |
| Frequency | "2 times/month, weekend daytime practice mainly" | "Once a week or more" (harsh for working musicians) |
Writing with Gunma's "car culture" in mind and lowering transportation barriers makes recruitment more effective. Simply noting "train commuters welcome" opens doors to potential members from the Tokyo area. The Reality of Drummer Shortage and How to Find One helps explain instrument-specific search methods.
Overall Band Activity Costs in Gunma
| Item | Minimal | Standard | Serious Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio fees (4 times/month × 3 hours) | 18,000 yen | 21,120 yen | 25,000 yen |
| Live performances (quota/1–2 times/month) | 0 yen | 5,000 yen | 15,000 yen |
| Transportation (gas included) | 2,000 yen | 4,000 yen | 8,000 yen |
| Social (after-parties, etc.) | 2,000 yen | 5,000 yen | 10,000 yen |
| Total | Approximately 22,000 yen | Approximately 35,000 yen | Approximately 58,000 yen |
With studio fees 30–50% cheaper than Tokyo, Gunma significantly reduces band activity running costs. However, factor in increased gas and parking expenses due to frequent car use. Detailed monthly cost breakdowns are thoroughly compiled in The Real Cost of Band Activities.
For live house performance fees, see How to Perform at Live Houses — From Booking to Quotas. Small to mid-size Gunma venues typically set relatively low quotas.
Regional Collaboration Options with Neighboring Prefectures
Leveraging Gunma's geography adjacent to North Kanto and the Tokyo metropolitan area opens possibilities.
| Neighbor | Major Cities | Access (from Takasaki) | Collaboration Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saitama | Omiya, Kawagoe, Tokorozawa | 1 hour by bullet train/highway | Larger population means more candidates. Expanded battle opportunities |
| Tochigi | Utsunomiya | 1–1.5 hours by highway | North Kanto music network |
| Nagano | Ueda, Nagano | 20–40 minutes by bullet train | Bullet train access makes it surprisingly accessible |
| Tokyo | Ueno, Shinjuku | 50+ minutes by bullet train | Use Takasaki as merger point for Tokyo-based members |
How to Find Band Members in Saitama offers useful reference for Saitama band scene connections. Since Takasaki to Omiya is about 30 minutes by bullet train, "Gunma-based with Tokyo gigs" is entirely realistic.
Once Members Are Found — Your First Studio Practice
Once members are gathered, playing together in a studio is the first step. Here are key points to keep in mind during initial practice.
How to select songs for first collaboration is explained in detail in Getting Started with Cover Bands and Complete Guide to Starting a Beginner Band. If you're unsure where to begin, these guides clarify instrument-specific approaches. Tips for Efficient Studio Practice is helpful for practice progression.
If musical differences or direction conflicts emerge, read How to Prevent Band Conflicts Over Musical Differences. It explains 5 items to confirm beforehand.
Conclusion — My Mother's Hometown Had the Holy Land of Rock
I never expected my mother's hometown to have a music scene. It was hard to connect the rural family home in the mountains with Gunma's music.
Now I'm proud that Takasaki was the holy land of rock.
BOØWY, BUCK-TICK, back number — that three bands were born in Gunma completely refutes the excuse "location doesn't matter." People and passion create music, not place. Takasaki carries the evidence of that accumulated reality.
Your music can also begin in Gunma. You can add your name to the 40-year history of Takasaki TRUST55.
Start by searching Membo's member recruitment page for musicians active in Gunma. With 8-language support, you can reach both Japanese residents and foreign musicians in Gunma.
We have guides for other regions too:
- How to Find Band Members in Saitama (neighboring prefecture guide)
- Regional Band Member Search Methods (national overview)
- 5 Common Traits of People Who Can't Find Band Members and How to Fix It
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What's the best way to find band members in Gunma?
Start with member recruitment sites like Membo, while regularly attending jam session events at Club JAMMERS and live houses in Takasaki and Maebashi. Gunma's community is tight-knit—showing up consistently naturally leads to opportunities.
Q2. Is a car essential for band activities in Gunma?
In Takasaki and Maebashi, you can manage to some degree with trains, but a car helps tremendously if juggling multiple studios and venues. Noting "train commuters negotiable" in your recruitment post opens doors to carless candidates.
Q3. How do beginners start a band in Gunma?
Events like the Groove TAKASAKI's Open Mic Party and VAROCK Night have beginner-friendly atmospheres. Start with low-barrier small events and gain experience playing together. Complete Guide to Starting a Beginner Band is also helpful.
Q4. Can Gunma-based bands participate in Tokyo's band scene?
Tokyo (Ueno/Shinjuku) is 50–60 minutes by bullet train from Takasaki. Bands following a "practice in Gunma/gigs in Tokyo" model genuinely exist. Using Takasaki as a merger point for Tokyo-based members is viable.
Q5. Can you visit BOØWY and BUCK-TICK heritage sites?
Takasaki City officially promotes BOØWY heritage, with fans visiting related locations regularly. Historic live houses like TRUST55 still carry that era's spirit. Starting a band in a city tied to legendary acts carries inherent special significance.
