Masayoshi Yamazaki (山崎将義) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and guitarist from Kusatsu, Japan, born on December 23, 1971. Since emerging in the 1990s, he has been associated with J-pop and pop rock, while his songwriting also draws on folk and blues influences. He released music through Polydor Records and became known for melodic, guitar-driven arrangements, acoustic textures, and a warm, expressive voice that gives his songs an intimate but accessible character.
Yamazaki's catalog is especially familiar to anime listeners through "One More Time, One More Chance," a signature song that reached a wider audience after appearing in Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters per Second and remains a frequent reference point in anime-related searches. In February 2026, BOYNEXTDOOR's SUNGHO also performed a remake of the song for the live-action 5 Centimeters per Second OST, showing its lasting connection to anime media. In June 2026, Yamazaki's 30th-debut-anniversary project drew renewed attention when Takuya Kimura covered "Serori" ("Celery"), with Yamazaki taking part in the release. Across his career, he has remained a distinctive figure in Japanese popular music, valued for thoughtful writing and emotionally direct songs that sit between pop, rock, and singer-songwriter traditions.
