Snow Man: The Life Story Behind Japan's Popular Group
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Snow Man are the dancers who became stars. Before they were famous, they were the young men in the background, dancing behind other groups, performing in the wings, and waiting for their turn. They waited for years, longer than most groups ever have to wait, and they spent those years getting better, stronger, and more skilled than anyone else. When their turn finally came, in January 2020, they were ready, and they exploded onto the Japanese music scene with a debut single that sold in enormous numbers and made them one of the biggest groups in the country overnight. Their story is the story of patience, of hard work in the shadows, and of a group that earned its fame the slow way, one dance step at a time.
The group has nine members: Hikaru Iwamoto, Tatsuya Fukazawa, Raul, Shota Watanabe, Koji Mukai, Ryohei Abe, Ren Meguro, Ryota Miyadate, and Daisuke Sakuma. They are a big group, and their size is a part of their appeal. Nine young men on stage, dancing in perfect time, moving as one, is a sight that few other groups can match. Their dancing is their signature. They are known for acrobatics, for flips, for jumps, and for routines that are so difficult and so precise that they look impossible. But they are not only dancers. They are singers, actors, models, and television hosts, and each member has his own gifts to bring to the group.
Their story begins long before their debut, in the world of Johnny’s Jr., the training system where young boys learn to perform. It is a story of years spent in the background, of a group that grew from six members to nine, and of a debut that was shared with another group, SixTONES, in a moment that Japanese pop music had never seen before. It is also a story that is still being written, because Snow Man are still at the top, still making music, and still dancing, and their fans believe that the best is yet to come.
Years in the Wings: The Johnny’s Jr. Story
Snow Man began not as a debut group, but as a group of young dancers in the Johnny’s Jr. system. Johnny’s Jr. is the training programme of Johnny & Associates, where boys as young as ten learn to sing, to dance, and to perform, often as backup dancers for the agency’s famous groups. It is a hard life, and it is a life that many boys leave before they ever debut. The boys who stay are the ones who love to perform, who are willing to work for years without fame, and who believe that their turn will come. The original members of Snow Man were those boys, and they stayed.
The group was formed in 2012, with six members: Hikaru Iwamoto, Tatsuya Fukazawa, Shota Watanabe, Ryota Miyadate, Daisuke Sakuma, and Ryohei Abe. They were known as a dance group, and they were known for their acrobatics. They performed as backup dancers for senior groups, they appeared in stage shows, and they built a reputation as the most skilled dancers in the Jr. system. Their performances were so impressive that fans began to follow them, even though they had not debuted, and even though they had no singles of their own. That following was unusual, and it was a sign that Snow Man were special, even before they were famous.
The years in the wings were long ones. While other groups debuted and became famous, Snow Man kept dancing in the background, kept rehearsing, and kept waiting. It was a test of patience, and it was a test that many groups would have failed. But Snow Man did not fail. They used the waiting time to become better dancers, to learn new skills, and to build a bond that would carry them through the years to come. They were not only colleagues. They were friends who had grown up together, in the rehearsal rooms and on the stages of Japan, and that friendship is the foundation of everything they have done since.
In 2019, the group changed. Three new members joined: Ren Meguro, Koji Mukai, and Raul. Meguro was a young actor and singer with a quiet, handsome presence. Mukai was a cheerful, funny performer from Osaka, known for his warmth and his humour. Raul was the youngest, a tall, striking young man who had grown up partly in Spain and who brought a different kind of energy to the group. The addition of three new members was a big change, and it was a change that some fans worried about. But the nine members worked hard to become a team, and they did it quickly, because they shared the same dream: to debut, to sing their own songs, and to show Japan what they could do.
A Double Debut: D.D. and SixTONES
Snow Man’s debut was one of the most unusual in Japanese music history. On 22 January 2020, they debuted at the same time as another group, SixTONES, 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 two groups had been rivals and friends in the Jr. system, and their simultaneous debut was a moment that the whole country watched. It was a clever idea, and it was a brave one, because it meant that the two groups would always be compared, and that each one would have to prove itself against the other. Snow Man proved itself, and “D.D.” became a huge hit.
“D.D.” is a powerful, energetic song, full of dance beats and strong vocals, and it showed the world what Snow Man could do. It was a song about dancing, about moving, and about being alive, and it was performed with the acrobatics and the precision that had made Snow Man famous in the Jr. system. The single sold in enormous numbers, and it made Snow Man one of the biggest new groups in Japan overnight. It was a remarkable moment, because it came after eight years of waiting, and it proved that the waiting had been worth it. The dancers in the background had become the stars in the centre, and they were ready for the spotlight.
The double debut also created a special relationship between Snow Man and SixTONES. The two groups are often mentioned together, and their fans often follow both groups, but they are very different. SixTONES are a rock group, with a darker, harder sound. Snow Man are a dance group, with a brighter, more energetic sound. That difference is a part of their appeal, and it is a part of why the double debut worked. The two groups did not compete for the same fans. They 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, and it was a celebration of two groups that had waited a long time to be heard.
The months after the debut were a whirlwind. Snow Man performed on television, they appeared in magazines, and they built a fan base that grew every day. Their first album, Snow Mania S1, 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 energy, and each one showing a different side of the group. The dancers had become singers, and the singers had become stars, and the story was only beginning.
Grandeur, HELLO HELLO, and the Hits That Followed
The years after their debut were filled with hits, and Snow Man became one of the most successful groups in Japan. Their songs topped the charts, one after another, and their concerts sold out in minutes. “Grandeur”, released in 2021, was a powerful song that became a favourite at their live shows. “HELLO HELLO”, also from 2021, was a bright, joyful song that showed a softer, more romantic side of the group. “Secret Touch”, “Orange Kiss”, “Tapestry”, “Dangerholic”, and “LOVE TRIGGER” were all hits that followed, each one adding to their reputation as a group that could sing, dance, and entertain like no one else.
Their albums during this period showed their growth as artists. Snow Labo. S2, released in 2022, and i DO ME, released in 2023, were both huge successes, and they included songs that became favourites at their concerts. Their music was a mix of pop, dance, and ballads, and it was performed with a skill and an energy that few other groups could match. Their concerts became famous for their dancing, their acrobatics, and their ability to make a huge arena feel like a small, intimate room. Fans who went to their shows said that they had never seen dancing like it, and that Snow Man were not only singers. They were athletes, artists, and performers of the highest order.
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. Ren Meguro became a popular actor, starring in films and dramas, including the film My Happy Marriage in 2023, which became a hit. Raul became a model, walking in fashion shows and appearing in magazines. Shota Watanabe became known for his beautiful voice and for his work in musicals. The other members worked in television, in theatre, and in music, and each one brought his own gifts to the group. Snow Man were not only a group. They were nine 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, Snow Man 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 dancing that no one else could match. They were the group that had waited the longest, and they were now enjoying the rewards of that waiting. Their story is a reminder that patience can pay off, and that a group that is willing to work in the shadows for years can, when its turn finally comes, shine brighter than any other.
Nine Different Men, One Team
One of the most interesting things about Snow Man is how different the nine members are, and how well those differences work together. Hikaru Iwamoto is the leader, known for his strength, his dancing, and his quiet, serious manner. Tatsuya Fukazawa is the eldest, known for his humour, his warmth, and his ability to bring people together. Raul is the youngest, tall and striking, with a model-like presence and a dancer’s grace. Shota Watanabe is known for his beautiful, clear voice, one of the best in the group. Koji Mukai is the cheerful one from Osaka, known for his jokes and his kindness. Ryohei Abe is the smart one, a graduate of a top university, known for his intelligence and his calm manner. Ren Meguro is the actor, cool and handsome, with a quiet strength. Ryota Miyadate is known for his elegance, his dancing, and his love of fashion. Daisuke Sakuma is the energetic one, known for his love of anime and for his bright, lively personality.
These nine different men make a team that is stronger than any one of them alone. On stage, their differences disappear, and they move as one, dancing in perfect time, singing in harmony, and performing 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 nine is a big group, and it is not easy to keep nine people together, but Snow Man have done it, because they respect each other and because they share the same dream.
Their size is also a part of their appeal. Nine members on stage is a spectacle, and their concerts are famous for the way they fill the stage with movement, colour, and energy. Their dances are complex, with formations that change constantly, and with acrobatics that require trust and timing. A flip, a jump, or a lift is not only a skill. It is a sign of trust, because the person who jumps has to trust the people who will catch him. Snow Man’s dancing is a visible sign of that trust, and it is one of the reasons their fans love them. They do not only dance well. They dance together, and that togetherness is the heart of their group.
Today, the nine members continue to work together, and they continue to grow, both as a group and as individuals. They are still at the top, still making music, and still dancing, and their fans believe that the best is yet to come. Their story is a story of nine different men who became one team, and of a team that waited a long time to be heard, and that is now being heard by millions of people in Japan and around the world.
Concerts, Stadiums, and the Snow Man Stage
Snow Man’s concerts are among the most spectacular in Japanese music, and they deserve a chapter of their own, because they are where the group’s dancing, singing, and teamwork come together in a way that no recording can capture. Their live shows fill the biggest venues in Japan, including the Tokyo Dome, and they are known for their energy, their precision, and their ability to make a huge stadium feel like a small room. A Snow Man concert is not only a performance. It is a celebration, and it is a celebration that the fans share in, singing along, waving lights, and cheering for every dance move.
The concerts are built around the group’s dancing, and the dancing is the heart of the show. The nine members move in perfect time, changing formations, jumping, flipping, and lifting each other, in routines that take months to rehearse and years to perfect. The audience watches in amazement, because the dancing looks effortless, even though it is the result of years of hard work. That effortlessness is the mark of true skill. A dancer who makes a difficult move look easy has spent thousands of hours making it look easy, and Snow Man’s dancers have spent those hours, in rehearsal rooms, in the wings, and on stages all over Japan.
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. Fans who go to a Snow Man concert do not only go to hear music. They go to spend time with nine young men they love, and to feel, for a few hours, as if they are a part of the group. That feeling is the reason their concerts sell out in minutes, and it is the reason their fans come back again and again.
The scale of their success is also worth noting. Their albums have topped the charts, their singles have sold in huge numbers, and their concerts have been watched by millions of people, both in person and online. They are one of the most successful groups of their generation, and they achieved that success not by being the loudest or the flashiest, but by being the most skilled, the most hardworking, and the most patient. Their concerts are the proof of that, night after night, in stadiums full of fans who waited as long as the group did for their turn, and who are now enjoying the show together. Their albums have also shown a group that is growing in confidence with every release. Snow Mania S1 was a first statement, full of energy and joy. Snow Labo. S2 was a second statement, richer and more varied, with songs that showed new sides of the group. i DO ME was a third statement, with a title that says, in simple words, that the group is doing things its own way. RAYS, released in 2024, continued that growth, with songs that are brighter, bolder, and more ambitious than ever before. Each album is a step forward, and each one shows nine young men who are still learning, still growing, and still surprising their fans. Their solo work also deserves to be mentioned, because it shows how talented the nine members are on their own. Ren Meguro’s acting, Raul’s modelling, Watanabe’s beautiful voice in musicals, and the other members’ work in television and theatre all show that Snow Man are not only a group. They are nine stars, each with his own light, and together they make a constellation that is brighter than any one star alone. That is a beautiful image, and it is one that fits them perfectly. Nine stars, one group, and a sky full of light that will keep shining for a long time to come.
The Dancers Who Taught Japan to Watch
Snow Man’s place in Japanese music is not only about their songs. It is about the way they changed what a pop group could be. Before them, dancing was a part of a pop performance, but it was not the main part. Snow Man made dancing the main part, and they showed that a group could be famous for its dancing as well as for its singing. Their acrobatics, their flips, and their precise routines set a new standard for Japanese pop groups, and other groups have followed their example. They raised the bar, and the whole industry is better for it.
Their legacy is also a lesson about patience. They waited for eight years in the Jr. system, dancing in the background, while other groups debuted and became famous. That waiting could have broken them, but it did not. It made them stronger, better dancers, and better friends. When their turn finally came, they were ready, and they have not wasted a moment since. Their story is a powerful example for anyone who is waiting for their turn, whether in music or in life. Waiting is not wasted time, if you use it to get better. It is preparation, and preparation is what makes success last.
They also leave a lesson about teamwork. Nine people is a lot of people to keep together, and it takes respect, patience, and love to do it. Snow Man have kept nine people together, through a debut, through fame, and through the pressures of being one of the biggest groups in Japan. That is an achievement in itself, and it is one that their fans recognise and love. A group that stays together is a group that trusts each other, and Snow Man trust each other, on stage and off it, in every dance, in every song, and in every day of their lives together.
When people look back on the music of Japan in the 2020s, they will remember Snow Man as the group of nine dancers who waited the longest and shone the brightest, who debuted with “D.D.” and became one of the biggest groups in the country, and who are still dancing, still singing, and still growing. Their story is still being written, and their fans will be waiting for the next chapter, with the same patience that Snow Man showed for eight years in the wings. That is their mark, and it will not fade.
Their variety shows and their videos online have also shown a side of Snow Man that the stage alone cannot show. On television and on their video channel, fans see the members laughing, failing at games, teasing each other, and showing the rehearsal rooms where the perfect routines are built, step by step. That open, funny side matters, because it makes the nine dancers feel like real young men, not only performers. A fan who has laughed with them on a variety show will feel closer to them at a concert, and a fan who has seen how hard they work in rehearsal will respect the dance even more. The group understood this early, and they let people see the work behind the shine.
My Take:
When I think about Snow Man, I think about waiting. I think about eight years in the wings, dancing behind other groups, performing in the background, and waiting for a turn that might never come. I think that is one of the most powerful stories in Japanese music, because it is a story about patience, and patience is a quality that the world does not celebrate enough. We celebrate the people who become famous quickly, who are discovered overnight, and who seem to have success handed to them. We do not celebrate the people who wait, who work in the shadows, and who get better year after year without any guarantee that their turn will ever come. Snow Man waited, and they got better, and when their turn came, they were ready. I think that is a lesson for anyone who is waiting for their own turn, in any part of life. Waiting is not wasted time, if you use it well. It is preparation, and preparation is what makes success last.
What I admire most about them is their dancing, and I want to be honest about why. Dancing is often treated as if it were less important than singing, as if a singer who dances is only showing off. Snow Man prove that dancing is an art in itself, and that it takes as much skill, as much discipline, and as much heart as singing does. Their acrobatics, their flips, and their perfect timing are not tricks. They are the result of thousands of hours of practice, of falls and failures, of getting up and trying again. When I watch them dance, I do not only see a performance. I see years of work, years of trust, and years of friendship, all made visible in a single routine. That is a beautiful thing, and it is a thing that deserves respect, not only from fans, but from anyone who understands what it takes to be truly good at something.
I also think about the nine members, and about how hard it must be to keep nine people together. Nine is a big number for a group. It is nine different personalities, nine different dreams, and nine different lives, all trying to move in the same direction. Most groups of nine would fall apart, because it is so hard to keep everyone happy, everyone heard, and everyone moving together. Snow Man have kept nine people together, through a long wait, through a debut, and through years of fame, and they have done it with a warmth and a humour that is visible to anyone who watches them. I think that is an achievement in itself, and it is one that should be celebrated. A group that stays together is a group that trusts each other, and Snow Man trust each other, in every dance, in every song, and in every day of their lives together.
The double debut with SixTONES is another part of their story that I think about, because it was such a brave and unusual 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. Snow Man 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. Snow Man and SixTONES 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 Ren Meguro, and about his work as an actor, because it shows a side of Snow Man that goes beyond dancing. Meguro is a quiet, handsome young man who has become one of Japan’s most popular actors, starring in films and dramas that are watched by millions. His success is a reminder that Snow Man are not only dancers. They are nine talented young men, 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. Meguro’s acting makes Snow Man stronger, just as Raul’s modelling makes them stronger, and just as Watanabe’s beautiful voice makes them stronger. They are nine stars, and they are also one group, and that is a rare and wonderful combination.
There is another lesson in their story, and it is about the background. Most of us spend much of our lives in the background, doing work that no one sees, supporting other people, and waiting for our turn. It is easy to feel as if that work does not matter, as if only the people in the spotlight matter. Snow Man’s story says the opposite. The work in the background matters, because it is where you learn, where you grow, and where you become good enough for the spotlight when it finally comes. The dancers in the wings were not wasting their time. They were becoming Snow Man, one rehearsal at a time, one performance at a time, and when the spotlight finally found them, they were ready for it. I find that deeply hopeful, because it means that the quiet work we do, the work that no one sees, is not wasted. It is the foundation of everything that comes later.
I also think about their fans, and about what it means to follow a group that waited so long. The fans who followed Snow Man in the Jr. days, who watched them dance in the background, and who waited with them for eight years, are among the most loyal fans in Japanese music. They did not join the group when it was famous. They joined it when it was still waiting, and they waited with it, and that shared waiting created a bond that is very strong. When the debut finally came, it was not only the group’s triumph. It was the fans’ triumph, too, because they had believed in Snow Man when no one else did, and their belief had been rewarded. That is a beautiful story, and it is a story that gives me hope about the relationship between artists and their audiences. Belief matters, and patience matters, and a fan base that is built on belief and patience is a fan base that will last.
I want to say something, too, about the joy in their performances, because it is one of the things I love most about them. When Snow Man dance, they look joyful. They smile, they laugh, and they seem to be having the time of their lives, even when the routine is difficult and the timing is demanding. That joy is contagious, and it is the reason their concerts feel like celebrations rather than performances. I think that joy comes from the waiting, from the years in the wings, and from the knowledge that they have earned their place on stage. A person who has waited eight years for a moment does not take that moment for granted. They enjoy it, fully, and they share that enjoyment with everyone in the room. That is a gift, and it is one that Snow Man give to their fans, night after night.
If I could speak to a young person who is waiting for their turn, who is working in the background, and who wonders if their turn will ever come, I would tell them about Snow Man. I would say: keep dancing, keep singing, keep practising, and keep getting better, even when no one is watching. Your turn may take eight years, and it may come in a way you never expected, on the same day as another group’s debut, in a moment that the whole country is watching. When it comes, be ready, because the waiting will have made you ready. And when you are on stage, enjoy it, share it, and remember the years in the wings, because those years are the reason you are there. That is what I take from Snow Man’s story, and it is a lesson I will carry with me. The dancers in the background became the stars in the centre, and they did it by waiting, by working, and by never giving up on the dream that their turn would come. I also think about the future of Snow Man, and about what they will become in the years to come. They are still young, they are still at the top, and they are still growing, both as dancers and as singers. I think their future is bright, because they have something that many groups do not have: a foundation built on years of hard work, a bond built on years of friendship, and a skill that cannot be faked. Dancing at their level cannot be faked. It has to be earned, and they have earned it, night after night, year after year. Whatever they do next, whether it is more albums, more concerts, more acting, or more modelling, they will do it with the same patience, the same skill, and the same joy that brought them from the wings to the centre of the stage. I will be watching, and I think millions of other people will be watching, too, because Snow Man are not only a group. They are a reminder that waiting, working, and believing can lead to a moment that is worth every year of the wait. I also think about the youngest member, Raul, and about what his story tells us. He was the youngest, he was tall and striking, and he brought a different kind of energy to the group, an energy that came from growing up in two cultures, Japan and Spain. I think his presence in the group is a reminder that Japan is changing, and that its pop groups are changing with it. A group can have a member who grew up in another country, who speaks another language, and who brings a different view of the world, and that difference makes the group stronger, not weaker. Raul’s dancing, his modelling, and his quiet confidence are a part of Snow Man’s appeal, and they show that the group is not only about the past. It is about the future, and about a Japan that is more open, more varied, and more interesting than ever before. I hope he keeps growing, and I hope the group keeps growing with him.
There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about the snow in their name. Snow is quiet, it is soft, and it falls without making a sound, but it can cover a whole landscape, and it can change everything it touches. Snow Man are like that. They arrived quietly, after years in the wings, without a loud debut or a big scandal, and they covered the landscape of Japanese pop music, gently and completely. They did not shout. They danced, they sang, and they worked, and the world noticed. I think that is a beautiful image, and it is one that fits them perfectly. They are snow, and they are men, and they are a group that fell softly and changed everything. That is what I take from their story, and it is a lesson I will not forget.
I also think about the risk in their dancing, because it is easy to forget that acrobatics are dangerous. When one member throws another into the air, or when nine men flip and spin in perfect time, a single mistake could hurt someone badly. They trust each other with their bodies, and that trust is built over years of practice, of falls, of getting up again, and of learning exactly where each person will be. I think that trust is the deepest part of Snow Man. It is not only about music. It is about nine people who have decided, again and again, that they will catch each other, no matter what. In a world where people often let each other fall, that kind of trust is rare, and it is worth admiring.
There is another side of Snow Man that I love, and it is their humour on television and in their videos. On a variety show, they are not serious dancers. They are funny, clumsy, loud, and warm, and they tease each other like brothers. I think fans love that gap between the stage and the variety show, between the perfect dance and the silly game. It shows that they are real young men, not only performers, and it makes the dancing even more impressive, because the same people who joke around on television can become completely serious the moment the music starts. That change, from laughter to focus, is a kind of magic, and it is one of the reasons their fans feel so close to them. They are not distant stars. They are nine friends who work hard, laugh a lot, and dance better than almost anyone else in Japan. I also think about the way Snow Man’s story will be told to children in the future, as a story about nine dancers who waited eight years in the wings and then became stars. It will be told as a fairy tale, in a way, because it is a story about patience, about hard work, and about a dream that came true after a very long wait. Children who hear that story will learn that waiting is not wasted time, and that working in the background is not wasted work. They will learn that the dancers in the wings are just as important as the stars in the centre, and that one day, the dancers may become the stars, if they keep dancing, keep practising, and never give up. That is a story worth telling, and it is a story that Snow Man live every day, in every concert, in every dance, and in every song they sing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the nine members of Snow Man?
The nine members are Hikaru Iwamoto, Tatsuya Fukazawa, Raul, Shota Watanabe, Koji Mukai, Ryohei Abe, Ren Meguro, Ryota Miyadate, and Daisuke Sakuma. Iwamoto is the leader.
When did Snow Man debut?
Snow Man debuted on 22 January 2020 with the single “D.D.”, on the same day as SixTONES debuted with “Imitation Rain”. It was a simultaneous double debut.
What were Snow Man before their debut?
Before debuting, they were a Johnny’s Jr. dance group, formed in 2012, known for their acrobatics and precise dancing as backup performers for senior groups.
What are Snow Man’s most famous songs?
Their most famous songs include “D.D.”, “Grandeur”, “HELLO HELLO”, “Secret Touch”, “Orange Kiss”, “Tapestry”, “Dangerholic”, and “LOVE TRIGGER”.
Which Snow Man member is also a famous actor?
Ren Meguro is a popular actor, known for films and dramas including My Happy Marriage in 2023. Raul is also known as a fashion model.
What are Snow Man’s best-known albums?
Their best-known albums include Snow Mania S1, Snow Labo. S2, i DO ME, and RAYS. Each one topped the charts in Japan.
Why is Snow Man known for dancing?
They are known for acrobatics, flips, and perfectly timed routines, built over years as a Johnny’s Jr. dance group. Their concerts are famous for spectacular, athletic dancing.
