vol.3 Founder of Sex Pistols
Danko Iida
The unrivaled Japanese Punk phenomenon. Dressed in traditional Japanese garb, the Sepukku Pistols play traditional Japanese instruments under head turning slogans including: “Anti- Modernism”, “Return to Edo”, and “Remnants of the Japanese Wolves”. With unmatched enthusiasm, the sounds of gongs, drums, flutes, and shamisens clear the way for the groups chants and dances, as the bewildered crowd looks on- eventually being drawn into its exhilarating performance. With the crowd ranging from old to young alike, there is a overall sense of reverting back to simpler times, souls being found again.
For further information on the Seppuku Pistols, an Interview with Danko IIda, Seppuku Pistols founder and chief, can be found in “Bu - Edo Kabuku Gendai”, a culture magazine produced by KAPUKI in 2018.
Danko Iida’s skills in graphic design are a little known fact that even the most avid Seppuku Pistol fans may have not have been made aware of. He has made artwork for a number of rock bands, including Blanky Jet City. After performances, you can find his freehand designs on traditional Japanese merchandise such as tenugi (hand towels) and kawaraban (handkerchief).
For KAPUKI ARTS Vol III, Danko Iida collaborated with KAPUKI, providing original graphic designs to be paired with some of our exclusive products. We hope that through this collaboration you can enjoy the essence of Edo street art that continues to thrive today.
Mitsuaki Koshizuka
KAPUKI Creative Director, Photographer
- Danko IidaFounder of Sex Pistols
Founder of Sex Pistols, Danko Iida, has been active in the design and music scene since his youth. Introduced to punk in his early 30s while in London, what started as a solo performance has now morphed into a 20 plus member traditional Japanese performance band. Casting Western influence aside, Iida now goes about his day wearing hanten (kimono jackets) and noragi (clothes for fieldworkers). In recent years, Iida also works as a graphic designer, receiving a large number of requests for his artwork- ranging from clothing to movie posters. Iida provided both music as well as design work for Toshiyaki Toyoda’s latest film “Go Seppuku Yourselfs”.
Photos & Interview Bu - Edo Kabuku Gendai a culture magazine produced by KAPUKI
- Seppuku Pistols
Founded in 1999 by Danko Iida, the Seppuku Pistols originated as a solo performance, soon transforming into a four piece electric punk group. They consider their official formation date to be March 11, 2011, coinciding with the Tohoku Earthquake and Fukushima Disaster. After that day, the band decided to forgo electronic instruments and revert back to traditional Japanese instruments. There are now over 20 members scattered across Japan, congregating for performances at shrines, local festivals (matsuri), protests, music festivals and art events. Wearing traditional Japanese garb- worker kimonos paired with geta (wooden sandals), they play a variety of Japanese instruments including: shamisen, taiko, shakuhachi and bamboo flutes. Outside of musical performances, members also study the edo way of life, learning about: agriculture, carpentry, traditional craftsmanship, religion, rakugo (comedic storytelling) and so forth. The Seppuku Pistols symbol is the Japanese Wolf, who went extinct at the end of Meiji era. They claim to be the last survivors of the wolves, and use it as a metaphor for the loss of Japanese culture and tradition due to modernization.