SixTONES: The Life Story Behind Japan's Rock Idols

SixTONES are the loud ones. In a world of bright, cheerful pop groups, they are the group that plays rock, that wears black leather, that sings with a rough edge, and that brings a harder, darker sound to Japanese pop music. They are not trying to be cute. They are trying to be real, and their realness is what makes them loved. Their debut song, “Imitation Rain”, was written by Yoshiki, the legendary musician from X Japan, and it was a rock ballad about pain, rain, and starting again. It was not a typical idol debut. It was a statement: we are different, we are rock, and we are here to stay.

The group has six members: Jesse, Taiga Kyomoto, Hokuto Matsumura, Yugo Kochi, Shintaro Morimoto, and Juri Tanaka. They are six very different young men, and their differences are a part of their appeal. Jesse is the bilingual leader, half American and half Japanese, with a big voice and a bigger personality. Kyomoto is the quiet, artistic one, a singer with a beautiful voice and a love of theatre. Matsumura is the cool actor, known for his roles in films and dramas. Kochi is the gentle, thoughtful one, who brings warmth to the group. Morimoto is the youngest, energetic and funny, with a dancer’s skill. Tanaka is the rapper, sharp and quick, with a love of hip-hop. Together, they are SixTONES, a name that is pronounced “stones”, and that suggests something hard, strong, and lasting.

Their story begins in the Johnny’s Jr. system, where they spent years learning, performing, and waiting. It continues with a debut that was shared with Snow Man, in a moment that Japanese pop music had never seen before. And it goes on today, with albums, concerts, and a fan base that loves them for their rock sound and for their honesty. Their story is the story of a group that chose a harder road, the road of rock, and that walked it with courage, with humour, and with a sound that no other idol group has.

Six Stones in the Jr. System

SixTONES began in the Johnny’s Jr. system, the training programme where young boys learn to sing, to dance, and to perform. They were formed in 2015, and they spent the next five years as a Jr. group, performing on stage, appearing in concerts, and building a following. It was a long wait, and it was a wait that tested them, because the Jr. system is full of talented boys, and only a few of them ever debut. SixTONES were among the few who did, and they earned their debut the hard way, by working, by performing, and by proving, night after night, that they were ready.

The six members were chosen because they were different, and because their differences worked together. Jesse, whose full name is Lewis Jesse, was born to an American father and a Japanese mother, and he grew up speaking both English and Japanese. He is a natural performer, with a big voice, a warm personality, and a talent for making people laugh. Taiga Kyomoto is the son of a famous actor, and he grew up in the world of theatre and music, with a voice that is both beautiful and powerful. Hokuto Matsumura is a quiet, thoughtful young man who became one of the most popular actors of his generation. Yugo Kochi is the gentle one, known for his kindness and for his love of music. Shintaro Morimoto is the youngest, full of energy and humour, and a talented dancer. Juri Tanaka is the rapper, with a sharp, quick style and a love of hip-hop that gives the group its edge.

In the Jr. years, they performed in stage shows, they danced behind senior groups, and they built a reputation as a group with a rock sound and a strong stage presence. Their fans began to follow them, even though they had no singles, and even though they had not debuted. That following was a sign that SixTONES were special, and it was a sign that the music world was ready for a rock idol group. They were not a typical Jr. group. They were louder, darker, and more grown-up than the others, and their fans loved them for it.

The years in the Jr. system were also a time of friendship. The six members grew up together, in rehearsal rooms and on stages, and they became close friends as well as colleagues. They learned each other’s strengths, each other’s weaknesses, and each other’s dreams, and they learned how to work together as a team. That friendship is the foundation of everything they have done since, and it is visible in every performance, in every interview, and in every moment they spend together on stage. A group that is also a group of friends is a group that can last, and SixTONES have lasted, because they are friends first and performers second.

Imitation Rain, Yoshiki, and a Rock Debut

SixTONES’ debut was one of the most talked-about in Japanese music history. On 22 January 2020, they debuted at the same time as Snow Man, with a single that was released on the same day. Snow Man’s debut song was “D.D.”, and SixTONES’ debut song was “Imitation Rain”. The song was written by Yoshiki, the legendary musician from X Japan, one of the most famous rock bands in Japanese history. It was a rock ballad about rain, about pain, and about the wish to start again, and it was a perfect debut for a group that wanted to be known as rock idols.

“Imitation Rain” was not a typical idol debut song. It was slower, darker, and more emotional than the bright pop songs that most groups debut with, and it showed a different side of what an idol group could be. The song became a huge hit, and it made SixTONES famous overnight. It was a remarkable moment, because it came after five years of waiting, and it proved that the waiting had been worth it. The six young men who had spent years in the Jr. system were now stars, and they were stars with a rock sound that no other idol group had.

The double debut with Snow Man also created a special relationship between the two groups. They are often mentioned together, and their fans often follow both groups, but they are very different. Snow Man are a dance group, with a bright, energetic sound. SixTONES are a rock group, with a darker, harder sound. That difference is a part of their appeal, and it is a part of why the double debut worked. The two groups offered two different kinds of music, and the fans of Japanese pop music were happy to have both. The debut was not a contest. It was a celebration of two groups that had waited a long time to be heard, and that were both ready to be heard.

The months after the debut were a whirlwind. SixTONES performed on television, they appeared in magazines, and they built a fan base that grew every day. Their first album, 1ST, released in 2021, was another huge success, and it showed that they were not a one-song group. They had a whole set of songs, each one beautifully performed, each one full of rock energy, and each one showing a different side of the group. The rock idols had arrived, and they were here to stay.

Navigator, New Era, and the Sound That Grew

The years after their debut were filled with hits, and SixTONES became one of the most successful groups in Japan. Their songs topped the charts, one after another, and their concerts sold out in minutes. “Navigator”, released in 2020, was the theme for the anime The Millionaire Detective, and it became a favourite with anime fans around the world. “New Era”, released in 2020, was a bright, hopeful song that showed a different side of the group. “WHIP THAT”, “Mascara”, “Good Luck!”, and “Kokkara” were all hits that followed, each one adding to their reputation as a group with a rock sound and a pop heart.

Their albums during this period showed their growth as artists. City, released in 2022, and Koe, released in 2023, were both huge successes, and they included songs that became favourites at their concerts. Their music was a mix of rock, pop, and ballads, and it was performed with a skill and an energy that few other groups could match. Their concerts became famous for their power, their volume, and their ability to make a huge arena feel like a rock club. Fans who went to their shows said that they had never seen an idol group perform like a rock band, and that SixTONES were not only singers. They were rock stars, and they performed like rock stars, night after night.

Their television work was also important. They hosted variety shows, they appeared on music programmes, and each member began to build a career outside the group. Hokuto Matsumura became a popular actor, starring in films and dramas that won awards and praise. Jesse became a popular actor and television host, known for his bilingual skills and for his warm, funny personality. Taiga Kyomoto became known for his work in theatre and in music. The other members worked in television, in theatre, and in music, and each one brought his own gifts to the group. SixTONES were not only a group. They were six talented young men, each with his own career, who came together to make something greater than any one of them could make alone.

By the mid-2020s, SixTONES were one of the biggest groups in Japan, and their success seemed certain. They had the songs, they had the fans, and they had the rock sound that no one else could match. They were the group that had chosen the harder road, the road of rock, and they were walking it with courage, with humour, and with a sound that was entirely their own. Their story is a reminder that a group does not have to follow the usual path to succeed. It can choose its own path, and if the music is good, and if the group believes in it, the world will follow.

Jesse, Matsumura, and the Stars Within the Group

One of the most interesting things about SixTONES is how strong the individual members are, and how their individual careers make the group stronger. Jesse, the leader, is a bilingual performer, half American and half Japanese, who speaks English and Japanese fluently and who brings a warmth and a humour to the group that no one else can. He is an actor, a host, and a singer, and he is known for his big personality and for his ability to make people laugh. His background, growing up between two cultures, gives him a view of the world that is different from the other members, and that difference makes the group richer.

Hokuto Matsumura is the actor of the group, and he has become one of the most respected young actors in Japan. He has starred in films and dramas, including the film Liar x Liar, and his performances have been praised for their depth and their honesty. He is a quiet, thoughtful young man, and his acting shows a side of him that is different from his work in the group. When he is on stage with SixTONES, he is a rock singer. When he is on screen, he is an actor, and he is an actor of great talent. That range is rare, and it is one of the reasons his fans love him.

Taiga Kyomoto is the singer and theatre star of the group, known for his beautiful voice and for his work on stage. He has performed in musicals, and his voice is one of the most loved in the group. Yugo Kochi is the gentle, thoughtful one, known for his kindness and for his love of music. Shintaro Morimoto is the youngest, energetic and funny, with a dancer’s skill and a comedian’s timing. Juri Tanaka is the rapper, sharp and quick, with a love of hip-hop that gives the group its edge and its modern sound.

These six different men make a team that is stronger than any one of them alone. On stage, their differences disappear, and they perform as one, singing in harmony, playing rock music with power, and moving with a precision that takes years of practice. Off stage, their differences are a source of laughter, of friendship, and of support. They tease each other, they help each other, and they look after each other, and that care is visible to their fans. A group of six is a big group, and it is not easy to keep six people together, but SixTONES have done it, because they respect each other and because they share the same dream.

Rock Idols: A Harder Road, A Louder Sound

SixTONES are known as rock idols, and that name is important, because it says something about who they are and about the road they chose. An idol group in Japan is usually bright, cheerful, and polished, with pop songs and cute dances. A rock group is usually darker, louder, and rougher, with guitars and drums and songs about pain and anger. SixTONES are both, and they are neither, and that is what makes them interesting. They are idols who play rock, and rock stars who are idols, and they have created a sound that is entirely their own.

Their rock sound is not a trick. It is a real part of who they are, and it comes from their love of rock music, from Yoshiki’s influence, and from their own desire to be different. They play loud, they sing with feeling, and they perform with an energy that is more like a rock concert than a pop show. Their fans love that energy, because it is honest, and because it is different from the polished pop that dominates the charts. In a world of bright, cheerful idol groups, SixTONES are the group that wears black, that sings about rain, and that is not afraid to be dark. That darkness is a part of their appeal, and it is a part of why their fans are so loyal.

Their concerts are famous for their power. They play in large venues, and their shows are loud, bright, and full of energy. The audience sings along, jumps, and cheers, and the six members give everything they have, night after night. It is a rock show, and it is an idol show, and it is both at once, and that combination is something that no other group in Japan can offer. Fans who go to a SixTONES concert do not only go to hear music. They go to feel the power of rock, and to be a part of a group that is not afraid to be loud, to be dark, and to be real.

The harder road is also a part of their story. Rock is not the easy path for an idol group. It is harder to sing, harder to perform, and harder to sell, because it is not the sound that most pop fans expect. SixTONES chose that road anyway, and they have walked it with courage. Their success proves that a group can choose its own sound, and that the world will follow if the music is good and if the group believes in it. That is a powerful lesson, not only for musicians but for anyone who has ever been told to follow the usual path. The usual path is not the only path, and the harder road can lead to a better place.

The Vibes, the Future, and a Group Still Growing

Today, SixTONES continue to make music, to perform, and to grow, and their fans believe that the best is yet to come. Their album The Vibes, released in 2024, showed a group that is still evolving, still trying new sounds, and still finding new ways to be themselves. The album was a success, and it showed that SixTONES are not a group that repeats itself. They are a group that grows, that changes, and that surprises their fans with every new release. That growth is one of the reasons their fans stay with them, year after year. They know that the next song will be different from the last one, and that it will be worth hearing.

Their future is still being written, and it is a future that looks bright. They have the songs, they have the fans, and they have the rock sound that no one else can match. They are still young, still talented, and still hungry, and they are still working hard, both as a group and as individuals. Jesse continues his work as an actor and host, Matsumura continues his work as an actor, Kyomoto continues his work in theatre, and the other members continue their work in television, in music, and in theatre. Each one is growing, and the group is growing with them.

Their place in Japanese music is secure, and it rests on a simple fact: they are the rock idols, the group that brought a harder, louder sound to Japanese pop, and that did it with honesty, with humour, and with a skill that few other groups can match. They are not the biggest group in Japan, and they are not trying to be. They are trying to be themselves, and that is enough. Their fans love them for it, and their music will be remembered for it, long after the charts have changed and the trends have passed.

When people look back on the music of Japan in the 2020s, they will remember SixTONES as the six young men who debuted with “Imitation Rain”, who brought rock to the idol world, and who are still growing, still loud, and still true to themselves. Their story is still being written, and their fans will be waiting for the next chapter, with the same excitement that they felt on the day of the debut. That is their mark, and it will not fade.

The Concerts: Loud, Bright, and Full of Fire

SixTONES’ concerts are among the loudest and most exciting in Japanese music, and they deserve a chapter of their own, because they are where the group’s rock sound comes alive in a way that no recording can capture. Their live shows fill large venues, and they are known for their volume, their energy, and their ability to make a huge arena feel like a rock club. The six members play with power, they sing with feeling, and they move with a freedom that is rare in idol groups. A SixTONES concert is not a polished, perfect performance. It is a loud, joyful, slightly wild celebration, and that wildness is a part of its appeal.

The concerts are built around the group’s rock music, and the rock music is the heart of the show. The guitars are loud, the drums are strong, and the voices are powerful, and the audience sings along, jumps, and cheers, creating a wall of sound that fills the venue. It is a rock concert, and it is an idol concert, and it is both at once, and that combination is something that no other group in Japan can offer. Fans who go to a SixTONES concert do not only go to hear music. They go to feel the power of rock, to be a part of a crowd that is singing together, and to share in a night that they will remember for a long time.

Their concerts also show the members’ personalities, because between the songs, they talk to the audience, they joke with each other, and they share stories from their lives. Those moments of talking are as loved as the songs themselves, because they make the group feel close, like friends rather than distant stars. A rock band that talks to its fans like friends is a rare thing, and SixTONES do it with a warmth and a humour that makes their concerts feel personal, even in a huge arena. That closeness is the reason their fans come back again and again, and it is the reason their concerts sell out in minutes.

My Take:

When I think about SixTONES, I think about rain. I think about “Imitation Rain”, their debut song, and about the image of rain falling on a window, of a person looking out at a grey sky and wishing for a new beginning. I think that image is the heart of their whole story, because it is an image of sadness and hope at the same time. Rain is sad, because it is cold and wet and it keeps you inside. But rain is also hopeful, because it washes things clean, and because after the rain, the sky is clearer. SixTONES’ music is like that. It is sad and hopeful at the same time, and it is that mix that makes it so powerful. I think that is why their fans love them. They do not only sing about happiness. They sing about the hard parts of life, and about the hope that comes after the hard parts, and that is a message that everyone needs to hear.

What I admire most about them is that they chose a harder road. In Japanese pop music, the easy road is bright pop, cheerful songs, and cute dances. SixTONES chose rock, which is louder, darker, and harder to sell. That choice takes courage, because it means that you might not be as popular as the bright pop groups, and that you might have to work harder to be heard. But they made that choice, and they have made it work, because their rock sound is honest, and because their fans love them for it. I think that is a lesson for anyone who has ever been told to take the easy road. The easy road is not always the best road. The harder road, the one that feels true to who you are, can lead to a better place, even if it takes longer to get there. SixTONES took the harder road, and they are still walking it, and I respect them for it.

I also think about Jesse, and about what it means to grow up between two cultures. He is half American and half Japanese, he speaks two languages, and he lives in two worlds at once. That is not always easy, because it can make a person feel as if they do not fully belong anywhere. But Jesse has turned that feeling into a strength. He is a bridge between Japan and the wider world, and he brings a warmth and a humour to the group that no one else can. I think his story is a powerful one, especially for young people who grow up between cultures, and who wonder where they belong. Jesse’s life says that you can belong in two places at once, and that belonging in two places is not a weakness. It is a gift, and it is a gift that makes you more interesting, more open, and more able to understand other people. I admire him for that, and I think his fans do, too.

The double debut with Snow Man is another part of their story that I think about, because it was such a strange and brave idea. Two groups, debuting on the same day, with songs released at the same time, knowing that they would always be compared. That takes confidence, and it takes a generosity of spirit, because it means sharing the spotlight on the most important day of your career. SixTONES shared it, and they shone anyway, and they have never looked back. I think that is a lesson about competition, and about how competition does not have to be bitter. It can be friendly, it can be respectful, and it can make both sides better. SixTONES and Snow Man made each other better, and their fans are lucky to have both groups, because each one offers something different, and each one is excellent in its own way.

I also think about Hokuto Matsumura, and about his work as an actor, because it shows a side of SixTONES that goes beyond music. Matsumura is a quiet, thoughtful young man who has become one of Japan’s most respected actors, and his performances are full of depth and honesty. I think his acting is a reminder that the members of SixTONES are not only singers. They are artists, each with his own gifts, and each one is building a career that goes beyond the group. That is important, because a group is stronger when its members are strong on their own. Matsumura’s acting makes SixTONES stronger, just as Jesse’s hosting makes them stronger, and just as Tanaka’s rapping makes them stronger. They are six stars, and they are also one group, and that is a rare and wonderful combination.

There is another thing I want to say, and it is about Yoshiki, and about what it meant for him to write their debut song. Yoshiki is a legend in Japanese rock music, the founder of X Japan, one of the most famous rock bands in Japanese history. When he wrote “Imitation Rain” for SixTONES, he was giving them a gift, and he was also giving them a responsibility. He was saying: you are the next generation of Japanese rock, and I trust you to carry it forward. That is a great honour, and it is a great burden, because it means that SixTONES have to live up to the legacy of X Japan, and to the expectations of rock fans all over Japan. I think they have lived up to it, not by copying X Japan, but by being themselves, and by making rock music that is their own. That is the best way to honour a legend: not by imitating him, but by being inspired by him, and then by finding your own sound.

I also think about the fans, and about what it means to love a rock idol group. The fans of SixTONES are not like the fans of a bright pop group. They are fans who love rock, who love the darker, louder sound, and who love a group that is not afraid to be different. I think those fans are special, because they chose a group that chose a harder road, and they chose it because the music spoke to them. When a fan chooses a group that is different, it says something about the fan, too. It says that they are not afraid to be different, and that they value honesty over popularity. I think that is a beautiful thing, and it is a thing that makes the relationship between SixTONES and their fans very strong. They are not only a group and its fans. They are a community of people who love rock, who love honesty, and who are not afraid to be themselves.

I want to say something, too, about the name SixTONES, and about what it means. A stone is hard, and it is strong, and it lasts. Six stones, together, are stronger than one stone alone. I think that is a perfect name for this group, because it says that they are strong, that they are lasting, and that they are stronger together than they are alone. A stone does not change with the fashion. It stays, year after year, and it is still there when the trends have passed. SixTONES are like that. They are not a trend. They are a group built on rock, on friendship, and on a sound that is their own, and they will still be there when the trends have changed. That is a powerful image, and it is one that I think about whenever I hear their music.

If I could speak to a young person who loves rock music, and who feels as if the world of pop is too bright, too cheerful, and too polished for them, I would tell them about SixTONES. I would say: you do not have to fit into the bright pop world. You can be dark, you can be loud, and you can be rock, and there is a group that did exactly that, and that became one of the biggest groups in Japan by doing it. Find your sound, trust it, and do not be afraid to be different. The world needs rock, and it needs people who are brave enough to play it, even when the easy road is pop. SixTONES played rock, and they are still playing it, and their story is proof that the harder road can lead to a place that is worth reaching. That is what I take from their story, and it is a lesson I will not forget. The rain may fall, but after the rain, the sky is clearer, and the stones are still there, strong and lasting, waiting for the next song. I also think about the concerts, and about what it feels like to be in a room full of people who all love the same loud, dark, honest music. A SixTONES concert is a place where people can be themselves, can sing loudly, can jump, and can feel the power of rock in a way that daily life does not allow. That feeling of freedom is one of the greatest gifts that music can give, and it is a gift that SixTONES give to their fans, night after night. The fans who go to those concerts carry that feeling with them when they leave, and it stays with them, in the quiet days that follow, as a reminder that they are not alone, and that there are other people who love the same loud, honest music that they do.

There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about the future. SixTONES are still young, they are still growing, and they are still finding new sounds, new songs, and new ways to be themselves. I think their future is bright, because they have something that many groups do not have: a sound that is their own, a friendship that is real, and a courage that lets them choose the harder road. Whatever they do next, whether it is more albums, more concerts, more acting, or more theatre, they will do it with the same rock spirit that brought them from the Jr. system to the top of Japanese music. I will be listening, and I think millions of other people will be listening, too, because SixTONES are not only a group. They are a reminder that rock is alive, that honesty matters, and that six stones, together, are stronger than any one stone alone.

I also think about Juri Tanaka, and about the rap that gives SixTONES their edge. His fast, sharp words cut through the rock sound like a blade, and they give the group a voice that no other Johnny’s group has. Rap in a Japanese idol group is not easy to do well, because it has to be honest, it has to be fast, and it has to fit the song. Tanaka does it well, and he does it with a confidence that makes the whole group sound bolder. I think his rap is a reminder that a group needs different voices, not only one sound. A group that has a singer, a rapper, an actor, and a host is a group that can do many things, and SixTONES can do many things, because each member brings something that the others do not have.

There is another member I want to mention, and it is Shintaro Morimoto, the youngest of the six. He grew up in the group, from a boy to a young man, and he has become an actor in his own right, taking on roles that show a serious and thoughtful side. I think his growth tells the same story as the whole group: a slow growth, a patient growth, a growth that comes from years of work in the background before the spotlight arrives. Young fans who watch him can see that growing up in a group is possible, that you can start young and still find your own voice, and that being the youngest does not mean being the smallest. Shintaro is proof that a group can hold a young person, protect him, and let him grow into himself.

I also think about the people who never liked idol music, and how SixTONES changed their minds. There are rock fans in Japan who would never listen to a pop group, because pop groups are too bright, too cheerful, and too polished for them. SixTONES gave those people a reason to listen. Their guitars are loud, their songs are dark, and their stage is full of fire, and a rock fan can respect that, even if the group came from the idol system. I think that is a great achievement. It is not easy to win over people who have already decided they do not like you, but SixTONES did it by being honest about their sound and by playing it with everything they had. That honesty is what rock music has always been about, and SixTONES carry it forward, in their own way, for a new generation. I also think about the young people who will discover SixTONES in the years to come, people who were not born when “Imitation Rain” was released, who will hear it for the first time and feel the rain, the sadness, and the hope in it. They will find a group that chose rock when rock was not the easy choice, and they will find songs that are honest, loud, and true. I think those young listeners are lucky, because they get to discover a group that is already complete, a story that is already told, and songs that have already proved they can last. They do not have to wait for the next single, or worry about the next trend. They can simply enjoy the music, the power, and the honesty, and they can carry it forward into their own lives. That is how a great group lives on, not in concerts, but in new listeners who find it, love it, and pass it on to others who need it.

There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about the word “tones” in their name. A tone is a sound, a note, a feeling, and six tones together make a chord, a harmony, a song. SixTONES are six tones, six voices, six people, making a sound together that none of them could make alone. I think that is a beautiful image, and it is one that fits them perfectly. They are not six separate singers. They are six tones in a chord, and the chord is stronger, richer, and more beautiful than any one tone alone. That is the magic of a group, and it is the magic that SixTONES have had since they were in the Jr. system, through their debut, and into today. Six tones, one chord, one group, and a sound that will keep ringing for a long time to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the six members of SixTONES?

The six members are Jesse, Taiga Kyomoto, Hokuto Matsumura, Yugo Kochi, Shintaro Morimoto, and Juri Tanaka. Jesse is the leader.

When did SixTONES debut?

SixTONES debuted on 22 January 2020 with the single “Imitation Rain”, on the same day as Snow Man debuted with “D.D.”. It was a simultaneous double debut.

Who wrote SixTONES’ debut song Imitation Rain?

“Imitation Rain” was written by Yoshiki, the legendary musician from X Japan, one of Japan’s most famous rock bands. It was a rock ballad about rain and starting again.

What are SixTONES’ most famous songs?

Their most famous songs include “Imitation Rain”, “Navigator”, “New Era”, “WHIP THAT”, “Mascara”, “Good Luck!”, and “Kokkara”.

Why are SixTONES called rock idols?

They are called rock idols because they play a harder, darker rock sound, unlike the bright pop of most idol groups. They wear black leather and perform with the energy of a rock band.

Which SixTONES member is also a famous actor?

Hokuto Matsumura is a popular actor, known for films and dramas including Liar x Liar. Jesse is also known as an actor and television host.

What are SixTONES’ best-known albums?

Their best-known albums include 1ST, City, Koe, and The Vibes. Each one shows their rock sound and their growth as a group.