Biography

  Hikari Honda is a Japanese contemporary folk singer-songwriter whose music blends nostalgic Japanese folk melodies with universal storytelling.

  Raised in Kyushu, Japan—a region shaped by deep history and the enduring legacy of the atomic bomb—he writes songs that reflect on life, memory, and the quiet strength of ordinary people.

  Before becoming a musician, he spent eight years as a journalist at NHK, Japan’s national broadcaster. When the pandemic shook the world, he stepped away from journalism to follow a deeper calling—to express through music what cannot always be put into words.

  Since then, Hikari has performed across the world, touring in Canada, Georgia, Germany, Austria and beyond.

  Hikari’s music is rooted in honesty, simplicity, and connection.

  With every performance, he furthers his mission: to share the beauty and spirit of Japanese music with the world, proving that music can transcend borders, languages, and cultures.

 

Notable Performances:

• Toronto Winter Folk Festival 2026 (Canada)

• Canadian Tour 2026 Winter (Toronto) 

• Nippon Connection 2026 (Germany) : WORLD biggest Japanese film festival

• Germany Tour 2026 Spring (Frankfurt, Berlin)

• International Music Festival in Beirut 2026 (Lebanon)

• Japan Festival 2024 (Canada/Main stage) : The biggest Japanese festival in North America
“Hikari’s solo concert was surely one of those moments that the captivated and gathered audience will remember for a long time. We continued to receive wonderful feedback from visitors who told us how deeply Hikari's performance had moved them. Through a wonderful blend of his own original songs, thoughtfully chosen covers, and intimate stories from his life, Hikari invited us into his world and created an atmosphere of closeness that felt both personal and universal. ”

— Vic Atanasov / Head of Nippon Culture Program of 26th Nippon Connection Film Festival in Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

“Hikari Honda will sing to you in a way that brings you closer to yourself while providing a vast expansive feeling of peace.”

— James Gray - Canadian Traveling Folk Singer

“Hikari has an honest energy in his sound and stage presence that draws audience into his beautiful and captivating music.”

— Andrew Scott - Japan Festival Canada Organizer