Japanese Mori Musicians: A Newbie's Guide

Today I want to talk about my favorite thing: music!

Like every subculture, people who enjoy mori fashion have always looked for music and musicians that fit the unique feel that mori fashion gives. There are many individual artists, songs, and albums from around the world that fit (and many amazing playlists to listen to!), but a few mori musicians are particularly notable. Here are a few of my personal favorites!

Actual Mori/Natural Kei Musicians

Popoyans

Popoyans is perhaps the most popular mori music group. The duo, cheru and non, wore mori style and even appeared in mori magazines. Their music is a soft folk style, using guitar, harmonizing natural vocals, and glockenspiel to create a unique sound. The duo created two albums together, Zoo and 祝日 (Shukujitsu), and performed until the early 2010s, Their last concert on their archived website appears to be from around 2014 and their website went down in around 2020. I've not been able to find much info on what they went on to do after this, sadly.

You can't find their music on streaming services, but a lot of it is still up on youtube to browse.

• Archived Website
• My Recommended Songs: おとしもの (Otoshimono), 湖 (Mizuumi), 星になりたい (Hoshi ni naritai), Little Little Little Pixie

Ichiko Aoba

Ichiko Aoba is a solo musician. She has worn mori adjacent styles, and still does even to this day, focusing a lot of her music and visuals on a forest-y feel. Her soft and folksy music focuses mainly around her fantastic guitar skills. She is still active and continues to release amazing music, and is growing in popularity even now.

• Official English Website
• My Recommended Songs: レースのむこう (Re-su no mukou), bouquet, いきのくり・ぼくら (Ikinokuri bokura), ひかりのふるさと (Hikari no furusato)

YeYe

YeYe is an amazing musician who originally self produced her own album! She has often worn mori adjacent fashion throughout her musical career. Her upbeat folk style never fails to bring a smile to my face!

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Take us to Lithuania (live version), ゆらゆら (Yura yura), 暮らし (Kurashi), morning

Sachie Hiraga

Sachie Hiraga is a musician who wore natural-esque fashion. She wasn't a mori girl per-say, but her overall vibe fits very well into mori kei. She not as active these days, but is still around making music. Her style is very charming and has a homegrown, stripped down vibe.

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: 江の島 (Enoshima), 青い車 (Aoi Kuruma), 雨の日 (Ame no hi)

Kokia

Kokia (sometimes styled as all caps KOKIA) is an absolute gem. Her music is not only beautiful, but her performing style is so amazing. She was pretty well known for a while even outside of mori circles. Her style is also very mori-like. Her musical style is less folk than most mori musicians, with a more orchestral, natural, and fantasy vibe. She is still actively making music, and unlike other artists her music and style have retained the same feel throughout the years.

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: The entire album "Fairy Dance ~KOKIA meets Ireland~", Chouwa Oto ~with reflection~, ありがとう (Arigatou), For Little Tail

Bonus!

A few extras I like! These singers didn't necessarily wear mori, but their music gives major mori vibes!

Mori Sound

Kotoringo

Kotoringo is, in my opinion, the quintessential mori sound! Soft, folksy, cute, they have it all! I can never recommend their music enough.

• Official Website (Not Https so you will get a warning), Archived Link
• My Recommended Songs: 悲しくてやりきれない (Kanashikute yarikirenai), おいでよ (Oide yo), 漂う感情 (Tadayou Kanjou)

Gutevolk

Gutevolk is another folk singer that got a little recognition for her fun vibes, but not enough in my opinion. She does a great job of pairing a folk vibe with more experimental ideas and sounds that really keep things interesting.

• Official English Website
• My Recommended Songs: Picnic, Horizonto, sora

Tenniscoats

An absolute hidden gem of a duo. The fact that they never got more popular makes me so sad. I love their unique sound and the way they play off of each other when performing live. It makes me feel like I just stepped into a forest and the sunlight is shining through the leaves! Such a peaceful vibe. They are still active to this day so I highly recommend checking them out!

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Baibaba Bimba (live), Iso Phase (live), 光光ランド (Kou-kou land)
• Bonus! Ichiko Aoba actually covered one of their songs once!

Tricolor

Tricolor has long been one of my all time favorite groups. They are a mostly instrumental trio, playing original songs and Irish folk tunes. They play so many instruments, and do so fabulously. I was so lucky to have the chance to see them live before I left Japan, and it is one of my most treasured memories.

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Anniversary, Sing Bird, Darjeeling, Letter from Barcelona, 気分（ひとりで）Kibun (Hitori de)

Mori Girls

MEG

Do you know MEG? She was a popular model who appeared in a lot of mori photoshoots and magazines! But did you know she had a music career? Her music isn't very mori, more traditional Japanese pop, but it's still fun to listen to!

• My Recommended Songs: Precious, Heart

Mori Ocarina Girl

This isn't really an established musician, but I feel like every mori person should see this mori girl in Shinjuku rocking out on the ocarina at least once their life. She's mori goals, honestly.

• Find the video on youtube here

Popular with Mori Folk

Cecile Corbel

Cecile Corbel is not Japanese, she's French. But she was incredibly popular for a time in Japan. Her music was even featured in Ghibli movies! Her musical style is a mix of traditional folk songs and fantasy vibes. Definitely a must listen for mori folk!

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Arietty's Song, Sweet Song, Brian Boru, Three Ravens

Who is your favorite mori musician? Have you heard of any of these musicians before? I'd love to hear your mori music recommendations in the comments. Until next time, my deers!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (8)

Hello my deers! Today I have another collection of mori music finds for you! I don't have individual messages for each song or artist this time, but I hope you enjoy anyways and find something new to listen to!

1) You are a Gift from The Undateables Soundtrack

2) 郭采洁 Amber Kuo - 一页台北 (Au Revoir Taipei)

3) ぼくたちの失敗 (Bokutachi no Shippai) by 森田童子 (Doji Morita)

4) おいでよ (Oide yo) by コトリンゴ (Kotoringo)

5) Painovoimaa, valoa by Lau Nau

Mori Music Find: YeYe

Hello my deers! As you read this post, I am currently on my way to Japan from the United States! I've scheduled this post ahead of time for you all.

Today, I wanted to share the lovely mori artist YeYe with you! She has such a charming sound and her music is so calming and relaxing. It always puts me in a better mood!

Have you ever heard of YeYe before? If so, how did you like her music? If not, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (7)

Hello my deers! I have yet another collection of various mori music finds for you all today. As always, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening.

1) 그 밤 /The Night by Lovewave: This lovely song is both melancholic and softly relaxing. It's an easy-listening sort of song, and hauntingly beautiful.

2) Iris (Shiawase no Hako) by SALYU: Although this song was written for Professor Layton, it has long been one of my all-time favorite songs. It is such a beautiful song, with gorgeous vocals from Salyu and some unique chords that really make the song super catchy.

3) Jikan Ryoukou (Time Travel) by Ann Sally: This is another song from Professor Layton. If you've played the games, it might make you cry a bit. Regardless, the piano in this song is absolutely beautiful, and it always makes me want to sing along!

4) Spring Clean by Maisie Peters: Maisie Peters is a very talented songwriter, and although this song of hers is rather obscure, I've loved it since she released it. The lyrics are so clever and nostalgic, and the music is very catchy.

5)老いぼれ犬の口笛 by EGO-WRAPPIN': A fellow mori friend shared this song with me a while back, and I quite love it! It's soft and relaxing, another easy listener.

6) The rain is singing (and so I listen) by KB Melody: I've shared some of KB Melody's music before, and as always, I love their work. This song is soft and relaxing, and the rain sounds in the background make it even better.

Have you ever heard of these songs before? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoyed.

Mori Music Finds: Gutevolk

Hello my deers! Today I have another mori music find for you today: Gutevolk!

Gutevolk is the name given to the unique works of Hirono Nishiyama. Her work is very interesting and features lots of whimsical sounds, and a lot of layering of different tones, vocals, and other unique effects. You can find her work at Gutevolk's official website, or check out her youtube page.

I've known of Gutevolk for some time. In fact, their song "Picnic" was one of the first mori songs ever recommended to me, and it remains one of my favorites to this day. It has such a unique and charming feel!

Have you ever heard Gutevolk before? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoyed them! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (6)

Hello my deers! I have another music related post for you all today! Another various collection of songs. I hope you enjoy!

1) Ljósið by Ólafur Arnalds: This instrumental piece was shared with me by a fellow mori girl, and I've come to love it. It is so relaxing, with a bit of melancholy. A lovely listen.



2) Edelweiss (cover) by The Honey Trees: I love the Sound of Music, and I love the song Edelweiss. It holds a lot of nostalgia for me. This cover is one of the best I've ever heard. It's so raw, beautiful, and gives it a bit of an interesting indie spin.



3) 眠る猫 (Nemuri Neko/Sleeping Cat) by イノトモ (Inotomo): I can't remember how I found this song, but I love it. It's super cute and relaxing, and I can't help but hum along!



4) See You In My Dream by Linus' Blanket: I've always loved the Korean band Linus' Blanket. Their music has that charming, coffee shop feel. It's another relaxing listen.



5) Lavender Tea by KB Melody: KB Melody is a small youtube channel that I discovered by accident a while back. They make lovely instrumentals of all different genres. This song remains one of my favorites of theirs. It's charming.



Have you ever heard any of these songs before? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoyed them! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (5)

Hello my deers! I have yet another mori music post for you all today! I have another collection of individual songs for you this time. Hope you enjoy!

1) Love Your Life by Aki Toyosaki: This song is one of my all-time favorite pick-me-up songs! It is so happy and charming, and it never fails to make me tap my feet and bob along to the music. Aki Toyosaki has such a cute personality as well, and the lyrics of this song are just as cute as she is.

2) Sprout and the Bean by Joanna Newsom: Joana Newsom is not one of my favorite artists, as her voice is quite unique and isn't really for everyone. However, this song is absolutely catchy and a joy to listen to. And Newsom is a master harpist! So the musical accompaniment is amazing. If you find, like me, that you like the song but are not as fond of Newsom's voice (although it does grow on you!) I recommend trying these covers by molliemusicable and Jomanna Newsom. They both take this lovely song and give it their own unique twist, which I love!

3) Sally Gally by John John Festival: John John Festival are an Irish folk style group, similar to tricolor. I actually found this song through my youtube recommendations on a tricolor video! It has a similar folksy, charming feel, and it makes me want to dance along!

4) Hello (Remix) by Table for Two (originally by Adele): Okay, you might be tempted to skip this song because Hello by Adele is such a non-mori mainstream song. But hear me out. Table for Two is a highly talented duo that took this familiar song and completely remade it: tune, instruments, everything. The result is an amazingly underrated masterpiece with beautiful acoustics and a light-indie type tune. It's lovely, fun to listen to, and so much better than the original. Take a listen! I promise you won't regret it!

5) falalafala by kotoringo (コトリンゴ): What can I say about this song except it is fun, beautiful, and absolutely adorable? A good easy listener!

6) Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið (The Light): This song is so soft and lovely, with a beautiful melancholy feel. I don't know much about the artist, but I've known about this song for such a long time, and it never fails to be a calming piece for me.

Have you ever heard any of these songs before? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoyed them! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (4)

Hello my deers! I'm taking another break from my almost mori series to give you another mori music posts! I have another collection of individual songs for you this time. Hope you enjoy!

1) Suddenly by Predawn: This song is both charming and soft in tone, and also in appearance. The music video has such a mori vibe, and I think it is very lovely!

2) Rainy Day by Lucite Tokki: The only word to describe this song is calming. Between the rainy sounds in the background and the cute music, it never fails to cheer me up and relax me!

3)トイレの神様 (Toire no Kamisama) by Kana Uemura 植村 花菜: This soft, acoustic song by Uemura is both lovely and heartbreaking. It follows the real-life story of difficulties between Uemura and her grandmother as she grows up. Although it is rather long, I always find myself listening to it occasionally and humming along, unable to stop listening. It's a lovely, emotional piece, and soothing to listen to.

4) はるのはるか (Faraway Spring) by saskure.uk (cover by Sotte Bosse): This song is soft and melancholy, but quite lovely. I quite prefer it to the original, and I love how they managed to give an older sounding song a new, unique sound.

5) Bloom by The Paper Kites: This song is well known by a lot of mori folk. It's fun and folksy, and the music video is just as mori as the music! It was one of the first "mori" songs recommended to me, and it remains one of my favorites.

Have you ever heard any of these songs before? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoyed them! Happy listening!

Mori Music Find: Chocopurin

Today's Mori Music Find is a small indie group from Semarang, Indonesia: Chocopurin.

Chocopurin is made up of two actual mori girls, Rona who sings and plays guitar, and Stefany who sings and plays bass, acoustic, and glockenspiel. Their musical style is soft and light-hearted. It reminds me of popular mori musicians from Japan, such as Ichiko Aoba and Popoyans. They have produced one EP to date, which can be found on soundcloud. The duo are currently on a break, but their music remains one of my favorites. I hope to see them back to making music soon!

You can find them on Twitter, where they still post occasionally, and their Facebook.

 
 
 
There are a few videos of these lovely ladies performing as well on youtube! It's lovely to see two mori girls making lovely music.

Have you ever heard of Chocopurin? If so, what did you think? If not, I hope you enjoy their music!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (3)

For today's Mori Music Find, I have yet another compilation of various songs from various artists. All are lovely in their own right, but none are long enough for their own dedicated post. So, I am sharing them here for you all instead!

1) 11.11 by sugar analog:
This instrumental piece is charming and relaxing, with the lovely sounds of birds and airy voices, it makes you feel almost as if you were walking through a field of wildflowers on a sunny day! 

2) Grizzly Man by Rockettothesky:
This song is quite unique. It has very ubiquitous lyrics and a fantastical, mystical sound. The singer almost mumbles the words at times, helping immerse you in the music, feeling almost as if you were in a mystical world.

3) Love by Yozoh:
This song is charming and simple. With a primarily acoustic sound and a soft singer, it's both relaxing and fun to listen to!

4) Oh Whistle and I'll Come To You My Lad (Traditional) by Patricia Hammond: 
This song is a rather average sounding folk tune, but in this case, it's the musician that makes it worth the listen! Ms. Hammond is both an amazing singer, and she plays the unique instrument, the autoharp, in such a perfect accompaniment to her vocals. The acoustics of the room she's in also give the song such a wistful and lovely feel. 

5) A Sunny Spring Day by Three Berry Icecream:

This song is a charming instrumental piece that makes me feel like I am happily enjoying a delicious treat in a local cafe. No other way to describe than happy and cute!

Have you ever heard any of these songs before? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoyed them!

Mori Music Finds: IU

Today's Mori Music Find is a more well-known artist, but one that I think deserves a listen: IU.

IU is a fairly popular K-Pop Idol from South Korea, and she has been known to produce a variety of types of music. However, her own music that she writes tends to have a very folksy, relaxed sound, mainly concentrated on the music from her guitar and voice. She is an extremely talented musician, and to this day, her song "Peach" remains one of my favorite mori tunes!

Have you ever heard of IU's music before? If so, what did you think? If not, I hope you enjoyed!

Mori Music Finds: Laurena Segura

Today, I have another small creator for you all, and someone whose music I've loved for quite a while now, Laurena Segura. Laurena is a Canadian musician from Montreal. She plays a number of different instruments, mainly guitar and banjo. Her style is charming and relaxing! My all-time favorite song of her's is definitely "Permafrost," which you can find on Spotify, by the way. She is still producing music today, however, her updates are a bit sporadic. Regardless, her music is certainly worth a listen!

If you are interested in Laurena and her work, you can check out her youtube channel, or her facebook page.

Have you heard of Laurena Segura? If so, what did you think of her music? If not, I hope you enjoy!

Mori Music Finds: la harpe de melodie

Today's Mori Music Find is yet another small channel, la harpe de melodie! I love finding small channels of talented musicians to share with you all, and this channel is a true gem. The lovely harpist who runs this channel posts covers of many traditional folk songs and classical pieces, often with very talented guests. I love the soothing nature of her videos, and she is a truly talented singer and musician!

Have you ever heard of la harpe de melodie? If so, how did you like her music? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Find: Gungor

Today's Mori Music Find is Gungor. This music duo of husband and wife are often pinned as Christian artists, but they personally prefer not to be known as such. They have written both secular and faith-related works, and their music style is varied. They have created all kinds of experimental works, but their most common type is softer folk songs. Overall, I find their music very chill, and easy to listen to. They are one of my favorite go-to artists when I want to relax!

Have you ever heard of Gungor? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Jo Ann Smith

Today's Mori Music Find is another small YouTuber, Jo Ann Smith. This amazingly talented musician plays mainly traditional folk tunes on a more obscure instrument, the autoharp. This instrument is very interesting, and hard to play well, but she really makes it look easy and plays any song flawlessly. I discovered her purely by accident while looking up information on a totally different instrument, but she was such a wonderful find that I subscribed to her channel and keep coming back for more! You can also check out her website to learn more about her, and her accomplishments.

Have you ever heard of Jo Ann Smith? If so, how did you like her music? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Jessica Comeau

Today's Mori Music Finds is Jessica Comeau. Jessica is an amazing musician who plays the mountain dulcimer. She often records folk tunes in her own charming way. You can find more of her music on her YouTube channel, or you can check out her website.

Have you ever heard of Jessica Comeau? If so, how did you like her music? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Celtic Women

Today's Mori Music Find is Celtic Women. This performance group from Ireland is made up of various talented women, who sing, dance, and play various instruments. Together they play beautifully made versions of various Celtic sounding songs. The group cycles through members and as such have had many different members over the years. Although I'm less of a fan of their newest works, they've still remained one of my favorite groups of all time. I was lucky to be able to see them in concert a few years ago and the pure beauty and excitement they brought to the stage was amazing. I smiled so hard my cheeks ached!

Have you ever heard of Celtic Women? If so, how did you like them? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Agnes Obel

Today's mori music find is Agnes Obel. She tends to be a rather popular artist amongst mori and dark mori folk. Her work has a very soft and dreamy feel. Usually, she bases her music around piano, cello, and sometimes violin, using her voice and harmonies to create a haunting effect.

Have you ever heard of Agnes Obel? If so, how did you like her music? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: lemonflower

Hello my deers! Today's Mori Music Find is lemonflower. She is a smaller YouTuber who covers a multitude of folk songs, although mainly American folk songs. I discovered her by accident while searching for another singer, but I'm so glad I found her. She has a beautiful and unique voice which makes any song sound professional. It's astonishing, as she only uses a microphone and a webcam! She hasn't posted anything new in a while, but I'd highly recommend checking out her older videos. Her voice is truly lovely.

Have you ever heard of lemonflower? If so, how did you like her music? If not, I hope you enjoy! Happy listening!

Mori Music Finds: Misc (2)

Hello my deers! I have another miscellaneous collection of mori music for you all today! Some of these are more popularly known mori songs, and others are things I have discovered that I think have a very mori feel to them. Regardless, I hope you enjoy listening to all of them, and that you find something new!

"Morning" by YeYe

"Yurayura" by Yeye

"Picnic" by Gutevolk

"Signal Waltz" by Linus' Blanket

"Baibaba Bimba" (Live Version) by Tenniscoats

"After the Rain Last Night" by the indie/mori girl band, Chocopurin (check out their ep here)

"Hello" by Adele (Remixed Cover by Table for Two)

"Pins" by Notjustblonde

"Journey On" by Ragtime Reinvented

"Bury Me Beneath the Willow" (Traditional American Folk Song) performed by Leah Dolgoy

"King of the Fairies" by Wendy Songe