Ikimonogakari in Niigata

Ikimonogakari are a Japanese pop-rock group formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1999 by Yoshiki Mizuno and Hotaka Yamashita, with vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka joining later that year. Their catalogue includes “Sakura,” “Arigatō” and “Blue Bird,” which was used as an opening theme for the anime series Naruto: Shippuden. In 2011, Ikimonogakari staged two concerts at Yokohama Stadium, their first shows at the venue. The group marked the tenth anniversary of its major-label debut in 2016 through large outdoor hometown concerts in Ebina and Atsugi, two Kanagawa cities closely tied to its formation.