Qyoto
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Kyoto , Japan |
| Products | Pop music |
| Parent | Ariola Japan |
Qyoto was a pop music group originating from Kyoto, Japan, signed under the Ariola Japan record label. Established in 2016, their debut single Taiyo wa Hitori Bocchi was released in 2017 and served as the theme song for the television series Dive!!. The band's name is inspired by an alternative spelling of Kyoto. Their primary producer was Daiko Nagato from B Zone.
History
The formation of Qyoto began in 2016 with vocalist Yuuki and Hiroki. By May 2017, the lineup was completed with the addition of Tsuchiya, Kensuke, and Ryota, bringing the band to six members.
Their initial major single, Taiyou mo Hitori Bocchi, launched in August 2017, was used as the opening theme for the anime series Dive!!. It achieved a peak position of No. 75 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and remained on the charts for two weeks.
In April 2018, Yuuki took part in the television drama Hannari Girori no Yoriko-san. That June, Qyoto participated in the complimentary live event Kansai Neo Rock, performing alongside other indie artists affiliated with Being Inc. Their second single, It's all in the game, released in July 2018, was selected as the opening theme for the anime Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and also reached No. 75 on Oricon.
December 2018 featured their third single, Mafuyu no Diary. Its B-side track, I'm Looser, was used as a theme for a TV program. This single attained a higher chart position at No. 52 on Oricon and stayed on the charts for three weeks.
In January 2019, their track Kimi ni Koi wo, Kokoro ni Natsu wo was incorporated into the television show Kyoto Koi Kentei. They marked Pan Koujou Hills live house's 16th anniversary with a live performance in March. On June 12, they announced that their song Kimi ni Tsutaeta Story would serve as the ending theme for the anime Mix. This single was released on July 31 and included B-sides such as a cover of Yoshimi Iwasaki's Touch. In August, Qyoto appeared at the free live event DFT presents Onto: Neorock from Kansai. Their fifth single released in September, Hana Shigure/Natsu no Yuki, functioned as ending themes for the dramas Jikū Tantei oyū ōedo Kagaku Sōsa and Namonaki Fukushū-sha Zegen, respectively.
The February 2020 single "Lily Girl" was chosen as the theme song for the drama "Soshite Yuriko ha Hitori ni natta". That same month saw their radio program rebranded to "Kyou wa Qyoto ni Oideyasu", which began airing in April.
In January 2021, "Last Scene" was adopted as a theme for a CS Broadcast baseball game. By August of that year, members Hiroki and Ryota were quietly removed from the band’s roster; official profiles were updated to reflect a four-member lineup.
January 2022 brought a digital release of an English rendition of their debut single entitled Taiyou wa Hitoribocchi: Sun Solitary. In May, Qyoto held their inaugural solo concert in Kyoto. By July, remaining members Kensuke, Takuya, and Tsuchiya announced their departure to pursue new musical ventures; consequently, Qyoto evolved into a solo endeavor led by vocalist Nakazono.
On March 31, 2023, KBS Kyoto declared that Qyoto’s radio program would conclude. By May 31, Yuki Nakazono’s contract along with his solo project officially ended. As of August, Qyoto’s official website was taken down and is no longer available online.
Past members
- Yuuki Nakazono (中園勇樹) – lead vocals, lyricist
- Hiroki – violinist, lyricist, composer
- Tsuchiya – guitarist
- Takuya – bassist
- Kensuke – drummer
- Ryota – keyboardist, saxophonist
Singles
| No. | Release date | Title | Chart position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2017/08/23 | Taiyou mo Hitori Bocchi (太陽もひとりぼっち) | 75 |
| 2nd | 2018/07/11 | It's all in the game | 75 |
| 3rd | 2018/12/19 | Mafuyu no Diary (真冬のダイアリー) | 53 |
| 4th | 2019/07/31 | Kimi ni Tsutaeta Story (君に伝えたストーリー) | 48 |
| 5th | 2019/10/25 | Hanashigure/Natsu no Yuki (花時雨／夏の雪) | 55 |
Digital singles
| No. | Release date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2022/01/16 | Taiyou mo Hitori Bocchi: Sun Solitary (太陽もひとりぼっち) |
Unreleased tracks
- Yume no Party wa Korekara (夢のパーティーはこれから) (2019)
- Yuganda Target (歪んだターゲット) (2019)
- Haruka Saki no X-Day (遥か先のX-DAY) (2019)
- Awasugiru Kitai to Nigasugiru Chikai (淡すぎる期待と苦すぎる誓い) (2019)
- Lily Girl (2020)
- Last Scene (2020)
Interview
A selection of interviews providing insights into creative strategy and artistic vision:
- It's all in the game featured on Popscene.jp
- Mafuyu no Diary featured on Popscene.jp
- Taiyou mo Hitori Bocchi, It's all in the game, and Mafuyu no Diary featured on Natalie.mu
External links
- Official Qyoto website (archived, Japanese)
- Qyoto’s official YouTube channel (Japanese)
- Artist page for Qyoto on Sony Music Japan (Japanese)