Minoru Mukaiya
Minoru Mukaiya 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 佐々木隆 (ミュージシャン) 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, which produces professional train simulators for Japanese transit systems and has distributed video games to the general public.
Minoru Mukaiya
Rico Shen · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Minoru Mukaiya
- Born
- 20 October 1956
- Occupation
- Musician, businessman
- Nationality
- Japan
- Fields
- jazz fusion
- Education
- Tokyo Metropolitan University High School
- Languages
- Japanese
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Minoru Mukaiya 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 佐々木隆 (ミュージシャン) 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, which produces professional train simulators for Japanese transit systems and has distributed video games to the general public.
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Note VALÉORINE
Minoru Mukaiya (born 1956) is a Japanese businessperson, composer and keyboardist, among other activities. The businessperson was born in Tokyo.
Minoru Mukaiya studied at Tokyo Metropolitan University High School. The businessperson worked for Nagoya University of Arts and is a member of Casiopea.
Genres include jazz fusion. Languages used include Japanese.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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In this article
Biography
Biography
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. 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. In episode 11 of Great Japanese Railway Journeys, broadcast in April 2026, Mukaiya was interviewed by Michael Portillo and a figure of about 300 melodies was given by Mukaiya.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Minoru Mukaiya • Born — 20 October 1956 • Years Active — 1977—Present • Origin — Tokyo, Japan • Genre — Jazz fusion, funk • Occupation — Musician, businessman • Instrument — Keyboards • Associated Acts — Casiopea
Solo works
Solo works
• Welcome to The Minoru's Land (1985) • Tickle The Ivory (1993) • Sega Rally 2: Rearrange Album (1999)
Other
Other
• Announcement chime in the trains of the Kyushu Shinkansen (2004) • Departure music at the major stations operated by Keihan Electric Railway in the Kansai region (June 2007) • Approaching music and departure music at the major stations operated by Hanshin Electric Railway in the Kansai region (January 2009) • Announcement chime and horn melody of the new Keisei AE trains being built for Keisei Electric Railway's Skyliner (2009) • Announcement chime for the Tokyu Toyoko Line Shibuya Terminal's last two weeks of operation from 1 March 2013 until 15 March 2013, "Final Approach". • Departure melody for the Tokyu Toyoko Line shared terminal with the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line starting from 16 March 2013, "Departing from New Shibuya Terminal". • On-board announcement chime for the Seibu Railway Fifty-two Seats of Happiness train operating since April 2016
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Great Big Story. In Tokyo, These Trains Jingle All the Way. 2018-08-03.
- 2.Thomas, Russell. Departure melodies: Celebrating the jingles' contribution to the rail experience in Japan. The Japan Times Online. 15 June 2019.
- 3.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/m002vd9c
- 4.Kōyūsha. 京成電鉄AE形. Japan Railfan Magazine. 49. 580. 10–17. August 2009.
- 5.Tokyu Corporation.
- 6.Ueshin, Daisuke. Mynavi News. Mynavi Corporation. 18 March 2016.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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