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Sound Alchemist / Gaia Sound Artist / Percussionist / Instrument Creator

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Born and currently based in Kyoto, Japan, akira∞ikeda has dedicated his life to exploring the deep resonance between sound, nature, the cosmos, and the human spirit. After experiencing that music is a Universal Language, he began performing in ways that allow people and spaces to naturally harmonize and reconnect—beyond words or boundaries.

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Since 2008, he has performed and offered workshops in over 30 countries, creating immersive sound experiences using analog and digital expression. His live performances, sound bathing retreats, and “Sound Remedy Journey” sessions blend Solfeggio-toning, improvised “sound journeys,” and deeply therapeutic frequencies.

He is also the creator of the Hadouram, a water-based percussion instrument inspired by African water drums and Caribbean steelpans. These instruments—constructed from steel, plastic, and glass—are fully original, expressing the vibration of water through sound. Each Hadouram is hand-built and exclusively played by akira himself, serving as both instrument and conduit for vibrational healing.

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Artistic Philosophy & Practice

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Akira∞ikeda explores tuning (調律) as a lifelong principle—harmonizing inner and outer worlds through frequency. He regularly uses instruments tuned to 432Hz, Solfeggio scales, and even terahertz frequencies. His musical vocabulary includes

• Water instruments (Hadouram)

• Medicine drums made from deer skin

• Bamboo flutes, ceramic pot drums

• Crystal bowls, didgeridoos, kalimbas

• Plant pulse music (bioelectric signal conversion)

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He continues to explore how sound vibrations resonate with land, people, and consciousness, creating sonic rituals that evoke remembrance and reconnection.

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Workshops & Offerings

• Sound Remedy Journey (Toning work × Sound journey)

• Nature Session Workshops – Improvised sessions with nature-inspired tuning

• Self Tuning Retreat – Holistic retreats integrating bodywork, food, and sound

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Selected Achievements & Collaborations

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• Artist residencies in France, Cameroon, Iceland, Korea, and more

• Performer at international festivals in Europe, Asia, Central America, and Oceania

• Music featured in film, contemporary dance, and projection mapping events (e.g. RIMPA 400th anniversary)

• Longtime collaborator with the Helio Compass / Earth Calendar project on solar system time-space music

• 2025 releases include:

  • Plant Cosmo – Music with plant bioelectric signals

  • Hakobune – Ambient work for a seaside hotel

  • Sonic Orbits – Co-created with keigotanaka, hirokiokano, yukamatsuyama and the Helio Compass team​​

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<< BIOGRAPHY – akira∞ikeda /Aki-Ra Sunrise >>

​Gaia Sound Artist / Sonic Alchemist / Sound Therapist

Born and based in Kyoto, Japan, akira∞ikeda (formerly known as Aki-Ra Sunrise) is a sound artist who creates immersive, vibrational experiences inspired by nature, cosmos, and the resonance of life.

Blending analog and digital expression, he performs worldwide with handcrafted instruments tuned to 432Hz, Solfeggio frequencies, and terahertz vibrations.

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Chronological Highlights

1990s

• Began studying traditional Japanese taiko and drum set.

• Discovered West African djembe during travels in Spain and Morocco, began performing on the streets under the name “Tai”.

• Held a multimedia exhibition integrating abstract painting and percussion.

2004–2006

• Co-founded the percussion duo SOUTH with Australian balafonist “BE”; released two albums and toured Japan, India, and Taiwan.

• Started creating water-based instruments inspired by buoys found by the sea.

2008–2010

• Launched solo project Aki-Ra Sunrise and released 1st and 2nd albums.

• Selected for artist residencies in Cameroon (French Cultural Center) and France (Georges Pompidou Art Center).

• Participated in the Japan Foundation’s cultural exchange programs in Central and Southeast Asia.

2011–2014

• Collaborated with Butoh dancers, films, and contemporary artists.

• Performed across Korea, UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Japan.

• Released 4th album “nature session” and contributed to international exhibitions and festivals.

2015–2016

• Music producer for RIMPA 400th Anniversary projection mapping by Naoko Tosa.

• Toured Bali, Mexico, Guatemala, and joined global festivals such as Natural High, Cosmic Convergence, and Infinity.

• Created participatory sound installations and held ceremonial performances in temples and sacred nature sites.

2017–2019

• Performed at international festivals in Greece, China, and Iceland (Fresh Winds Biennale).

• Collaborated with Ben Vedren (Technopol) at Pompidou Museum Grand Hall, Paris.

• Released albums “OTOWA” (2018) and “Reconnection” (2019).

• Collaborated with Thai artists at Chulalongkorn University on Ocean Whisper project.

2020–

• Began performing under the new name akira∞ikeda.

• Released debut ambient album “ZEROPOINT”, in collaboration with Helio Compass / Earth Calendar Project (Heliostera).

• Co-created “Emergence from AWAI” with Hiroki Okano (2021).

• Released “TO O KA MI E MI TA ME” in 2022.

2023–2025

• Released “Sound Remedy” — a self-care music album for energetic realignment.

• Opened Sound Healer Training Course (2024–).

• In 2025, released three major works:

  • Plant Cosmo – music generated from plant bioelectricity & water instruments

  • Hakobune – ambient environmental music for hotel space

  • Sonic Orbits – solar system soundscape co-created with keigotanaka, hirokiokano, yukamatsuyama, and the Helio Compass team