🎸 City Pop Guitar 101

So city pop has been making waves again in recent years — and if you’re a guitarist, you’re in the perfect spot to join the party.

In this post, I’ll give you a quick intro to the City Pop sound, show you the essential funk-inspired guitar techniques behind it, and link you to a few videos that’ll help you get started.

Let’s dive in.

🕶️ What Is City Pop?

City Pop is a genre of Japanese music that came to life in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Think: upbeat rhythms, jazzy chords, slick production, and just the right amount of groove. It blended Japanese pop with Western influences like funk, soul, AOR, jazz fusion, and disco — and it soundtracked the country’s post-economic-boom optimism.

Some of the most iconic artists include:

• Tatsuro Yamashita

• Mariya Takeuchi

• Taeko Ohnuki

• Tomoko Aran

• Toshiki Kadomatsu

  
  

Though the genre faded in Japan during the ’90s, it made a huge comeback online through YouTube algorithm magic and TikTok edits — and now it’s a global vibe.

🎸 What Makes City Pop Guitar Special?

If you want to nail that City Pop sound, the guitar has to be tight, tasteful, and rhythmic. Here’s what you’ll want to pay attention to:

✨ 1. Smooth, jazzy chords

You’ll run into a lot of:

• maj7

• min7

• 9ths

• 13ths

• sus chords

These aren’t your cowboy chords — but they’re way easier than they look once you learn the shapes.

If these chords are unfamiliar to you, check out these 8 essential chords that work great for City Pop, R&B, and jazz guitar.

You can also check out the full breakdown in my blog post on beginner R&B chords.

🕺 2. Funk-style rhythm playing

City Pop guitar playing is deeply influenced by funk comping. That means:

• 16th-note strumming

• Ghost notes and muting

• Sharp rhythmic control

  
  

If you’re new to this style of rhythm, I’ve got a video that walks you through the basics of funk strumming. It’s beginner-friendly, and it’ll give you the right feel to approach City Pop confidently.

Funk Strumming Basics lesson video

🎯 3. Diads and chord fragments

One of the best ways to sound great without overcomplicating things? Use diads — small two-note shapes that give you the flavor of bigger chords without the bulk.

These are super common in City Pop and help your guitar parts feel slick and modern. I break it all down in this video:

Using diads in city pop

🚀 Try It Out

Here's a nice flow to get you through the basics of city pop guitar:

• Start by learning some basic maj7 and min7 chord shapes

• Practice your 16th-note rhythm with a metronome or backing track

• Work on your funk feel using the strumming video above

• Layer in diads to sound more melodic and expressive

🎶 A Great City Pop Song to Start With: “Stay With Me”

If you're looking for a great first City Pop tune to try on guitar, “Stay With Me” by Miki Matsubara is a classic choice. It’s got everything:

• Smooth maj7 and min7 chords

• A laid-back but groovy comping feel

• And a chord progression that loops really nicely for practice

It’s one of those songs that sounds sophisticated, but is actually super friendly to play — especially if you’re new to jazz-influenced styles. I’ve done a quick playthrough of it here if you want to follow along:

👉

Miki Matsubara - Stay With Me (tab playthrough)

I’ll be posting more City Pop content soon, including a breakdown of some classic songs and more rhythm guitar tips.

✨ Want to Play City Pop on guitar?

Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your rhythm chops, I can help.

I teach private and group guitar lessons in Tokyo (Takadanobaba) — and I teach in both English and Japanese.

If you want to develop tight funk rhythm, clean up your chord voicings, or just jam on some City Pop classics, let’s work together.

👉 Click here to check my availability and book a free trial lesson

We’ll focus on the kind of music you want to play — and I’ll help you get it sounding smooth and confident.

Let’s get you grooving. 🎶