For nearly 50 years, Masayoshi Takanaka was virtually unknown outside Japan. Now, thanks to a wave of young fans discovering his music online, the 1970s guitar hero is selling out major venues around the world — and he’s as surprised as anyone.
“I was actually planning to fade out [my career],” Takanaka told The Guardian in April 2026. “But now I feel like this might be my second coming. My life has changed so much in the last few years.”
Masayoshi Takanaka: From Tokyo Stages to Global Stardom
Born in Tokyo in 1953, Takanaka picked up the guitar in middle school, drawn to Western acts includin...
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