IKIMONO GAKARI - VIDEOS

IKIMONO-GAKARI

Ikimono-gakari (いきものがかり) is a Japanese rock band. They record on Sony Music Japan's Epic Records label.

The band was formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in February 1999 by Hotaka Yamashita and Yoshiki Mizuno, and was later joined by lead vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka in December the same year.

Members

* Hotaka Yamashita (山下 穂尊, Yamashita Hotaka, born August 27, 1982) is from Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Atsugi High School and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hosei University. He plays the guitar and harmonica, and has written lyrics and melodies to some of the band's songs. His nicknames are Hotchi and Yama-chan.
* Yoshiki Mizuno (水野 良樹, Mizuno Yoshiki?, born December 17, 1982) is from Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Atsugi High School and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University. He is the leader of the band, and plays the guitar and vocals. He has also written lyrics and melodies to some of the band's songs. His nickname is Yotchan.
* Kiyoe Yoshioka (吉岡 聖恵, Yoshioka Kiyoe?, born February 29, 1984) is from Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture. Her parents are farmers. She is a graduate of Ebina High School and the Showa Academia Musicae Junior College. She is the band's lead vocalist, and has written lyrics to some of the band's songs. Her older brother was a classmate of both Hotaka and Yoshiki at high school. Her nicknames are Yosshie, Kiyoe-chan and Kiyorasu (by Shouko Nakagawa). She joined the band in high school when she suddenly saw Yamashita and Mizuno singing in front of the train station. She used to belong to a children theatrical company.