BRAHMAN vocalist TOSHI-LOW has been diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer and will have surgery shortly. The band shared the news on September 30th and have withdrawn from two Tokyo shows in October while he recovers.
TOSHI-LOW, 51, was diagnosed after tests at a medical institution, according to a statement from BRAHMAN, TOY’S FACTORY, and TACTICS RECORDS. It said he will undergo surgery to remove the cancer in the near future “with the aim of a cure”, after which he will need a period of rest on his doctor’s instructions.
As a result, BRAHMAN have pulled out of G-FREAK FACTORY’s Path to 30th TOUR “TOMOSHIBI” show at Zepp DiverCity (TOKYO) on October 10th and day two of dustbox’s KOSHIROCK GALAXY 2026 at Toyosu PIT on October 11th. The statement also apologised to the organisers of shows the band had been due to play that were yet to be announced, though no details were given.
Born in Mito, Ibaraki, in 1974, TOSHI-LOW formed BRAHMAN in Tokyo in 1995 while studying at Toyo University. The band’s mix of hardcore and folk music from around the world made them one of the leading names of Japan’s late-’90s punk scene, and they signed to TOY’S FACTORY in 1999. In 2005 he also formed the acoustic group OAU, which features all four BRAHMAN members alongside MARTIN and KAKUEI.
After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, TOSHI-LOW, who had rarely spoken on stage, began addressing audiences between songs. He also threw himself into relief work, taking supplies gathered in Mito to an evacuation centre in Iwaki. Today he heads the disaster relief NPO Hatagaya Saisei Daigaku Fukkou Saisei-bu, which has since supported communities hit by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake.
BRAHMAN’s 30th anniversary campaign began in November 2024 with Rokubon Zensho, a four-hour show at Yokohama BUNTAI where they played all 72 songs from six of their full albums, plus three from their indie years. Seventh studio album ‘viraha’ followed in February 2025.
That November, the three-day Jinmiraisai 2025 at Makuhari Messe brought in guests including LUNA SEA, BUCK-TICK, DIR EN GREY, ELLEGARDEN, and Dragon Ash. After tour viraha and tour viraha 2026 covered all 47 prefectures, BRAHMAN closed the anniversary with tour viraha final at Tokyo Garden Theater on May 15th.
In their most recent shows, BRAHMAN played the disaster-recovery event ZASSO. at Osaka-Jo Hall on September 22nd with ELLEGARDEN, Dragon Ash, and MAN WITH A MISSION, then SHADOWS’ Cho PMAM at Makuhari Messe the next day.
G-FREAK FACTORY, who shared a double bill with BRAHMAN in Hofu, Yamaguchi, on September 13th, have confirmed their Zepp DiverCity show will still go ahead with refunds to be offered, and wished TOSHI-LOW a swift recovery. Promoter VINTAGE ROCK has said no refunds will be given for BRAHMAN’s cancellation at KOSHIROCK GALAXY 2026.
At the time of publication, BRAHMAN’s official live schedule still lists three more appearances in November and December, with no update yet given on any of them.
No timeline has been given for TOSHI-LOW’s return, and no further details of his condition have been shared.
About BRAHMAN
BRAHMAN are a four-piece punk and rock band formed in Tokyo in 1995, with TOSHI-LOW on vocals, KOHKI on guitar, MAKOTO on bass, and RONZI on drums. KOHKI joined after the band recorded and released their second mini-album, 'WAIT AND WAIT', as a three-piece. Their sound fuses hardcore punk with melodies and rhythms from folk and traditional music around the world, and their ferocious live shows have long been central to their reputation. Their debut CD, the mini-album 'grope our way', arrived in 1996, followed by their first full album, ‘A MAN OF THE WORLD’, in 1998. It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies, making BRAHMAN one of the leading bands of Japan’s late-1990s punk boom. They made their major-label debut with TOY’S FACTORY on the 1999 single ‘deep/arrival time’, and have since performed across Asia and Europe. Studio albums ‘A FORLORN HOPE’ (2001), ‘THE MIDDLE WAY’ (2004), ‘ANTINOMY’ (2008), ‘Choukoku’ (2013), and ‘bonbai’ (2018) followed. Collaborations with ILL-BOSSTINO of THA BLUE HERB, KO of SLANG, and Taiwan’s Fire EX. connected the band with hip-hop, hardcore, and the wider Asian punk scene. All four members also play in the acoustic group OAU, formed in 2005 with MARTIN and KAKUEI, which gives their folk and roots influences another outlet. After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, TOSHI-LOW, who had rarely spoken on stage, began addressing audiences between songs. BRAHMAN also became closely involved in relief and reconstruction work in affected communities, a commitment that has remained central to their activity ever since. BRAHMAN celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2015 with the two-disc best-of ‘Jinmiraisai’ and the documentary film ‘BRAHMAN’, directed by Michihiko Yanai. That November they also staged the first Jinmiraisai, a two-day event at Makuhari Messe. In February 2018 they played their first headline show at Nippon Budokan, two days after releasing ‘bonbai’. Their 30th anniversary began in November 2024 with Rokubon Zensho Six full albums of all songs, a four-hour show at Yokohama BUNTAI. BRAHMAN played all 72 songs from six of their full albums, plus three from their indie years, then closed the night by premiering the music video for new song ‘Junpuu Manpan’. Seventh studio album ‘viraha’ followed in February 2025. The second Jinmiraisai, now expanded to three days, returned to Makuhari Messe in November 2025 with guests from several generations of Japanese rock. After tour viraha and tour viraha 2026 covered all 47 prefectures, BRAHMAN closed the anniversary with tour viraha final at Tokyo Garden Theater in May 2026.
