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Toru Yamashita

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Toru Yamashita
山下 亨
Toru at Dürer Kert in Budapest, 2019
Born
Tōru Yamashita

(1988-12-07) December 7, 1988 (age 35)
Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan
Occupations
  • Musician
  • composer
  • actor
Spouse
​
(m. 2021)​
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
Years active2000–present
Labels
Member ofOne Ok Rock
Formerly ofHeads
Websiteoneokrock.com

Toru Yamashita (Japanese: 山下 亨, Hepburn: Yamashita Tōru, born December 7, 1988, in Osaka[1]), better known by his stage name Toru, is the guitarist and leader of the Japanese rock band One Ok Rock.

He was in the hip-hop dance group Heads along with Ryota Kohama from One Ok Rock before they disbanded in 2002.[2]

Early life

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Toru was born on December 7, 1988, in Osaka, Japan before moving to Tokyo. Ryota Kohama, bassist from One Ok Rock, is his childhood friend. With two other men, Kohei and Takuya, Toru and Ryota formed a hip-hop dance group called Heads when they were fifth and sixth-graders. They participated in dance competitions in the late 1990s, between the years 1995 to 1999.[3]

Career

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Yamashita performing in 2017

Heads debuted with a single entitled "screeeem!" in July 2000 and followed with "Gooood or Bad!" in November, produced for Amuse, Inc. The group performed every weekend in Osaka's Kyoubashi and Tokyo's Akihabara, shopping and amusement districts.[4]

Heads disbanded in 2002 and in 2003 they took a break to improve their abilities. They merged into a new group with seven other members and were called GROUND 0.[citation needed]

In 2005, Toru took a main role in TV series Shibuya Fifteen.[5] He contributed a cameo as a high school student in Kamen Rider Hibiki.[6] That year, he invited Ryota, their upperclassman Alex and his friend Koyanagi Yuu to form a rock band. Later, Toru become the leader of this band, later named ONE OK ROCK. He met Takahiro Moriuchi when he performed with his previous band and then stalked him until he joined One Ok Rock, after repeated rejections.[7][8] After Alex quit the band, Yamashita switched from rhythm guitar to lead guitar.[9]

He is heavily influenced by American bands Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins, Enter Shikari, Linkin Park, Good Charlotte, Sleeping With Sirens, Nirvana, The Used, Avril Lavigne, and Biffy Clyro.[citation needed]

Equipment

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Toru Yamashita uses many guitars from time to time. Toru used Gibson Les Paul guitars in early One Ok Rock live concerts. He started with a Gibson Les Paul Standard Black and then purchased a Les Paul Custom Alpine White in 2009. Four years later, this guitar was signed by the members of Fall Out Boy on the front side and Avril Lavigne on the rear side. Toru has first seen using PRS Guitars during the band's final tour at Nippon Budokan. During the JinseixBoku era, he changed most of his guitar to PRS Guitars and hasn't been seen playing his Gibson Les Paul guitars as often. Recently, he has been using Fender Stratocaster since Eye of the Storm tour.[citation needed]

Personal life

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On July 28, 2020, it was announced that Yamashita had been tested positive for COVID-19.[10]

On December 28, 2021 Toru announced on his Instagram that he has married actress and model Aya Omasa.[11]

Filmography

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TV series

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2005 Shibuya Fifteen Ryuugo Leading role [12]
2005 Kamen Rider Hibiki High school student Eps. 44–45

Collaborations

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Year Title Album Album artist Notes
2020 "Inside You" Eyes Milet Toru wrote and produced the songs.[13]
"The Love We've Made"
"Somebody"
2022 "Who I am" visions
"On The Edge"
"One Reason"
"Final Call" TBA Toru wrote and produced the song.[14]
"lullaby" lullaby YU-KA Toru wrote and produced the songs.[15][16][17]
"No Stars"
2023 "Hoshidzukiyo" (星月夜)

Other songs

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"Sunshade", Laughing Matryoshka (2024) theme song (music composition).[18][19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "大政絢、ワンオクＴｏｒｕ結婚　昨年春頃から交際、大安に婚姻届提出" (in Japanese). Sanspo. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  2. ^ "Toru Profile on JpopAsia". Archived from the original on 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  3. ^ "HEADS | Profile" (in Japanese). Victor Entertainment. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  4. ^ "Hip-Hop Kids Aim High, with "HEADS" Up". 2001-02-20. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  5. ^ "Sh15uya" (in Japanese). Toei Video. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  6. ^ "京介の前の学校の知り合いA" (in Japanese). Kamen Rider Official. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  7. ^ "Interview with ONE OK ROCK in Tokyo". JaME. 2008-06-21. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  8. ^ "As Global Domination Beckons, Taka Suggest The Rest of The World Is Catching Up with His Band Being "The Best"…". Kerrang!. 2017-01-11. Archived from the original on 2017-11-11. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  9. ^ "＜COVER STORY＞ 新世代のカリスマバンド、ONE OK ROCK". Musica (in Japanese). 65. 2012. translation 1, translation 2, translation3
  10. ^ "ONE OK ROCK Band Leader/Guitarist Toru Yamashita Tests Positive for COVID-19".
  11. ^ "大政絢、ONE OK ROCKのToruと結婚「穏やかな気持ちでいられる」". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha. December 28, 2021. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021.
  12. ^ "Shibuya Fifteen | Special Feature". Toei (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  13. ^ "J-Pop Singer Milet's Highly Anticipated Debut Album, 'Eyes,' Due in May". Billboard. 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  14. ^ "Twitter Statement". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  15. ^ "由薫メジャー1stシングル「lullaby」特集｜ワンオクToruプロデュース曲が映し出す、変化し続ける次世代SSWの現在地 - 音楽ナタリー 特集・インタビュー". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  16. ^ "由薫、『バスカヴィル家の犬 シャーロック劇場版』主題歌「lullaby」先行配信 MVの公開も". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  17. ^ "YU-KA - No Stars Lyrics". Lyrical Nonsense. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  18. ^ "来週スタート！金曜ドラマ『笑うマトリョーシカ』メインビジュアルが解禁＆主題歌は由薫「Sunshade」に決定！". Talent Data Bank (in Japanese). 22 June 2024. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  19. ^ "『笑うマトリョーシカ』メインビジュアル解禁 主題歌は由薫が歌う「Sunshade」". Oricon (in Japanese). 22 June 2024. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
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