{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians --> | name = Ju-ken | image = VAMPS at Roseland - 12082013 - 022.jpg | image_size = | caption = Ju-ken in New York City, 2013 | birth_name = | alias = Date | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|06|27}} | origin = Funabashi, Chiba, Japan | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | instrument = Bass, contrabass | genre = Alternative rock, hard rock, pop punk, pop rock, pop | occupation = Session musician, bassist | years_active = 1998–present | label = | website = {{URL|http://ju-ken.velvet.jp/}} }}
'''Ju-ken''' (born June 27, 1971 in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan) is a Japanese session bassist. He was a support member of Gackt, Vamps and Anna Tsuchiya. He is one of the most in-demand bassists in Japan.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}
== Career == Ju-ken started his professional career when he was 26 as a member of the band Nitro alongside By-Sexual drummer Nao and Ilmari of Rip Slyme. In 1998, he played bass on the first disc of Heath first full-length studio album, ''Gang Age Cubist''.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Talk About Heath: I.N.A. |title=All About Heath |publisher=Rittor Music |isbn=978-4-8456-4131-4 |year=2024 |pages=108–109}}</ref>
Ju-ken supported the supergroup S.K.I.N. at their only concert in 2007, and participated in Gackt's 2008-2009 «Requiem et Reminiscence II 〜再生と邂逅〜» tour. In 2017, he formed the band {{Nihongo|Sengoku Jidai: The Age of Civil Wars|戦国時代－The age of civil wars－}}, where he uses the name "Date", with Kazuma and Jun-ji of Siam Shade and Jurassic vocalist Yu+ki.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://barks.jp/news/800476/ |title=謎のバンド「戦国時代」の正体は…YU+KI(ex.JURASSIC)、KAZUMA（ex.SIAM SHADE）ら集結 |work=Barks |language=ja |date=2017-09-15 |accessdate=2026-02-07}}</ref> Ju-ken began working with a third Siam Shade member in 2025, when he formed a duo with Natchin, where they both play bass and sing.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Rockin' News File |title=We Rock Vol. 112 |publisher=Sound Designer |date=2026-04-15 |page=81 |id=4912118270564}}</ref>
== Discography == === Anna Tsuchiya === :*Anna Tsuchiya Inspi' Nana (Black Stones) (CD+DVD) (2007) :*Bubble Trip/Sweet Sweet Song (CD+DVD) (2007) :*Anna Tsuchiya feat. AI - Crazy World (CD+DVD) (2008) :*Nudy Show! (2008)
:*1st Live Tour Blood Of Roses (DVD) (2007)
=== Ends === :*Live 2005 Total Tone DVD (2005)
=== Gackt === ==== Studio albums ==== :*Crescent (2003) :*7th night ~unplugged~ (2004) :*Love Letter (2005) :*Diabolos (2005)
==== Singles ==== :*Todokanai ai to shitteita no ni osaekirezu ni aishitsuzuketa (2005) :*Metamorphoze (2005) :*BLACK STONE (2005) :*Love Letter (2006) :*Redemption (2006)
==== DVD ==== :*Live Tour 2004 The Sixth Day & Seventh Night~Final~ (2004) :*DIABOLOS ~Aien no Uta~ in Korea (2006) :*Live Tour 2005 DIABOLOS ~Aien no Uta to Seiya no Namida~ (2006) :*Greatest Filmography 1999-2006 ~Red~ (2007) :*Greatest Filmography 1999-2006 ~Blue~ (2007) :*Training Days 2006 Drug Party ~ Zepp Tokyo Live (2007) :*Training Days in Taiwan Drug Party Asia Tour (2007) :*Training Days in Korea Drug Party Asia Tour (2007) :*Nine*Nine (2008)
:*Platinum Box V (2004) :*Platinum Box VI (2005) :*Platinum Box VII (2006) :*Platinum Box VIII (2008) :*Platinum Box IX (2009)
=== Tomoyasu Hotei === ==== DVD ==== :*MONSTER DRIVE PARTY!!! (2005) :*All Time Super Best Tour (2006) :*Super Soul Sessions (2007) :*Hotei and The Wanderers — Funky Punky Tour 2007-2008 (2008)
=== Inoran === :*ニライカナイ (Niraikanai) (CD+DVD) (2007)
=== Shue (酒井愁) === :*夜露死苦哀愁 (CD) (2007) Music author for «M-2.die in peace» (track 2 on the album)
=== Vamps === ==== Studio albums ==== :*Beast (2010)
==== Singles ==== :*Love Addict (CD+DVD) (2008)
==== DVD ==== :*Vamps Live 2008 (2009) :*Vamps Live 2009 U.S.A. (2010) :*Vamps Live 2009 (2010)
== Equipment == Ju-ken primarily uses handmade Sugi and vintage and custom shop Fender basses
=== Sugi basses (names given by Ju-ken) === * Sugi Burst * Sugi Tiki * Sugi Nero * Sugi Daruma * Sugi Spiderman * Sugi Bel Verde
=== Fender Basses === * Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass (at least 2 of them) * Fender '65 vintage Jazz Bass * Fender '73 vintage Jazz Bass * Fender '73 vintage Precision Bass * Fender '78 vintage Precision Bass * Fender Precision Bass (current model) * Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass
=== Other basses === * Spector NS-2 * Musicman Stingray * Michael Kelly Dragon Fly acoustic Bass
=== Other instruments === * Paul Reed Smith Singlecut/20th Artist Package Guitar * Unidentified Contrabass
=== Amplification === * Fender 400h head * Fender 810 Pro Enclosures cabinet * MarkBass Mini Cmd 151p combo
=== Other equipment === * Fostex FR-2LE Field Memory Recorder * Fostex MC11S Stereo Microphone * Fostex T50RP Headphones
==References== {{No footnotes|date=July 2011}} {{Reflist}} * https://web.archive.org/web/20080928121134/http://www.ju-kenthebass.net/ {{invalid}} * https://web.archive.org/web/20070515053034/http://snakepit.jp/mobileinfo.html {{invalid}} * https://web.archive.org/web/20081022183430/http://www2.fostex.jp/user_file/fostex-sh/etc/JU-KEN.html {{invalid}}
==External links== * https://web.archive.org/web/20100206010818/https://web.archive.org/web/20100206010818/http://ju-ken.velvet.jp/ * https://web.archive.org/web/20100202014231/http://blog.ju-ken.velvet.jp/ * http://www.quintillionquiz.com * http://blog.quintillionquiz.com * https://web.archive.org/web/20081121083303/http://www.hotei.com/pc/jp/tour2007-2008/ * http://hellmetz.blog111.fc2.com * https://web.archive.org/web/20081022183430/http://www2.fostex.jp/user_file/fostex-sh/etc/JU-KEN.html
{{Vamps}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ju-ken}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese male bass guitarists Category:21st-century Japanese bass guitarists Category:Japanese session musicians