Minoru Mukaiya | |
|---|---|
 Mukaiya in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 20 October 1956 |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Jazz fusion, funk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, businessman |
| Instrument | Keyboards |
| Years active | 1977—Present |
Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru, born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist of the jazz fusion band Casiopea and producer of the Train Simulator series of Japanese video games.
Mukaiya joined Casiopea during its formation in 1977 (with guitarist Issei Noro, drummer Takashi Sasaki (ja) and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai) and remained in the group until their hiatus in 2006. Since leaving the band he has created his own musical production team, "Mukaiya Club." He also serves as the President and CEO of the company Ongakukan (ja), which produces professional train simulators for Japanese transit systems and has distributed video games to the general public.
Mukaiya has also appeared in the event of Nico Nico Douga.
Mukaiya has composed around 200 distinct melodies for over 110 subway stations in Japan.[1][2] In 2019, British television presenter James May interviewed Mukaiya for episode 3 of James May: Our Man in Japan, discussing Mukaiya's involvement in composing melodies for train stations.
- ^ Great Big Story (2018-08-03). In Tokyo, These Trains Jingle All the Way. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2018-08-07 – via YouTube.
- ^ Thomas, Russell (15 June 2019). "Departure melodies: Celebrating the jingles' contribution to the rail experience in Japan". The Japan Times Online. Retrieved 12 January 2020.