Toshiki Soejima was first introduced to Eric Clapton's music through his dad, who once handed over a CD of the Robert Johnson cover album, Me and Mr. Johnson. Fast forward to 2025, and Clapton has just named him the contemporary Japanese guitarist the music world should keep an eye on.
"At first, I honestly thought it was a joke," Soejima tells Guitar World of Slowhand's endorsement. "Even now, it hasn’t quite sunk in. In fact, the more time passes, the more surreal it feels – like, did that really happen?"
One thing led to another, and Soejima finally got to meet his guitar hero while he was on tour in Japan. “I’ve known the Japanese manager for Nathan East, who plays bass in Clapton’s band,” he explains.
“When the news came out, he reached out to me right away and helped coordinate everything between me, Clapton’s team, and UDO Artists. Thanks to them, I was given the opportunity to meet Clapton in person right before his show at the Budokan.”
“When we met, I told him that one of my dreams is to perform at the Crossroads Guitar Festival, which he organizes. If that dream comes true, maybe I’ll get the chance to play with him someday. Who knows?”
Clapton endorsement aside, Soejima has built a presence as a neo-soul guitarist, with evocative instrumental compositions and a soothing guitar tone that have entranced millions of people on YouTube and social media.
“Listening to that traditional blues style so early in my guitar journey had a profound impact on me,” Soejima says of his foundation as a guitar player. “My favorite Clapton track to play is Layla. It was also the first performance video I ever uploaded to YouTube, so it holds many memories. I remember hearing it in a car commercial and getting chills – it was that powerful.”
Fresh off his Clapton encounter, Soejima is busy working on upcoming projects – including two separate original albums with his wife, the multi-instrumentalist Nahokimama, both in collaboration with the Berlin-based label Stereofox, which they aim to release later this year.
“The theme is ‘worldwide’ – we’re actively collaborating with musicians from across the globe,” he elaborates.
And, considering how much a recommendation matters and can open doors for artists, I was keen to ask Soejima: are there any other Japanese guitarists and bassists that music aficionados should check out?
“First, I’d love to highlight my own band members – they’re incredible session musicians: Nahokimama, my wife, who plays trumpet, keyboards, guitar, and sings, Yoshitaka Utano on keyboards, Joshua Yoshida on bass, and Ryo Kanda and Wataru Tanaka on drums.
He continues, “They each bring something special to the table. I'd also recommend guitarist Kyohei Aruga and bassist Mana Iwanaga, both of whom I’ve collaborated with on YouTube. They’re amazing talents in the jazz and neo-soul scenes.”
Japan's thriving guitar scene has made the country a stronghold for guitar companies like Fender, which in 2023 opened the Fender Flagship Tokyo – the legacy brand's only dedicated store in the world, and one which Guitar World recently had the opportunity to experience firsthand.
Head over to Toshiki Soejima's Instagram page to follow his journey.
