Kohjiya Continues Huge 2026 Run With “So Far” and STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL
Kohjiya is continuing one of the biggest years of his career with the release of his new single “So Far” and a headline appearance at the inaugural STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL ’26 by WILKINSON.
The Nagasaki-born, Tokyo-based rapper released “So Far” on September 4 through STARBASE RECORDS, with the track created specifically to commemorate the launch of the new festival.
Two weeks later, Kohjiya stepped onto the festival stage at SUNSET BEACH PARK INAGE in Chiba on September 19, leading a lineup that brought together several different sides of Japan’s current hip-hop and alternative music scene.
“So Far” Marks Kohjiya’s Next Chapter
“So Far” arrives during a significant period in Kohjiya’s career.
The rapper has steadily moved from one of Japanese hip-hop’s most promising young artists toward increasingly larger stages.
Born in Nagasaki in 2002, Kohjiya began rapping with local friends before starting his career in earnest in 2020.
His profile grew through releases and collaborations, including work with ¥ellow Bucks and an appearance on music from IO of KANDYTOWN.
A major breakthrough followed when Kohjiya won RAPSTAR 2024.
Since then, projects including KJ SEASON, KJ SEASON2 and PAGE ONE have helped expand his audience.
That rise reached another level in 2026.
From Nippon Budokan to a New Festival
Earlier this year, Kohjiya reached one of Japanese music’s landmark venues with his first two-day Nippon Budokan run in June.
Both performances sold out.
Rather than treating Budokan as the end point of his rise, Kohjiya described the period afterward as an opportunity to look for new challenges.
STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL became one of them.
Kohjiya was selected as the first headliner for the newly created festival, putting him at the center of an event designed around artists presenting themselves without filters or pretence.
“So Far” was created to accompany that moment.
The result is more than a standalone September single. It connects directly with a year in which Kohjiya has been moving onto increasingly ambitious stages while continuing to develop his music.
C.O.S.A., Ryohu, 鈴木真海子 and KOMOREBI Join the Festival
Kohjiya wasn’t alone at SUNSET BEACH PARK INAGE.
C.O.S.A., Ryohu and 鈴木真海子 joined the lineup, while KOMOREBI appeared as the opening act.
That selection gave STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL a lineup stretching beyond one narrow definition of contemporary Japanese rap.
C.O.S.A. brought a veteran hip-hop presence, while Ryohu’s career connects contemporary rap with the legacy of KANDYTOWN.
鈴木真海子 brought another distinct approach to Japanese rap and alternative music, while KOMOREBI represented a younger generation.
At the center was Kohjiya.
STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL Makes Its Debut
The September 19 event was the first STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL ’26 by WILKINSON.
The festival grew out of a branding project launched in 2022 between WILKINSON and creative agency STARBASE.
Unlike a conventional ticketed festival, the inaugural edition was organized as an invitation-only event, with fans applying for admission in advance.
Its concept centered around the phrase “STRAIGHT UP” — presenting artists and audiences in a direct, unfiltered way.
That philosophy makes Kohjiya a natural fit for the first edition.
His career has developed from Nagasaki’s local scene into one of Japanese hip-hop’s most visible young success stories without abandoning the identity that initially separated him from the pack.
Kohjiya Keeps Moving Forward
“So Far” and STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL add another chapter to what has already been an important year for Kohjiya.
The Nippon Budokan performances demonstrated how far his audience has expanded.
His September single shows that new music remains central to that momentum.
And becoming the inaugural headliner of STRAIGHT UP FESTIVAL places him at the beginning of another platform for contemporary Japanese music.
For a rapper who only began his professional career in earnest several years ago, the progression has been rapid.
From Nagasaki to RAPSTAR, from increasingly successful releases to two sold-out Budokan shows, and now to “So Far” and a new festival stage, Kohjiya’s 2026 run continues to show just how quickly his position within Japanese hip-hop has changed.
