Travis Japan: Seven Performers, Three Songs, One Way In

With a dance group, the space between the performers can be as interesting as the person in the centre.

That is one way to begin watching Travis Japan. Let your attention move across the whole group before trying to learn every name. Notice a formation, a shared gesture, the moment somebody steps forward and the others make room.

For overseas listeners, there is also a clear musical starting point: a worldwide debut, followed by songs that connect international collaborators with Japanese television. This guide follows three releases—“JUST DANCE!”, “Moving Pieces” and “Sweetest Tune”—then suggests where to go next.

Seven names to keep nearby

Travis Japan’s members are Kaito Miyachika, Kaito Nakamura, Ryuya Shimekake, Noel Kawashima, Shizuya Yoshizawa, Genta Matsuda and Kaito Matsukura. The official STARTO artist page is a useful reference as you connect names and faces.

There are three Kaitos, so keeping the family names in view helps: Miyachika, Nakamura and Matsukura. You do not need to memorise a biography before enjoying a performance. Learning one face at a time can make the next video more rewarding.

The group’s name has a direct connection to dance. Universal Music Group’s 2022 signing announcement explains that it was named after choreographer Travis Payne, who helped form the group. The announcement also records that this seven-member lineup had been working together since 2017.

A Los Angeles chapter before the debut

In 2022, the members spent time in Los Angeles studying and developing their performance and language skills. Their activities included World of Dance and America’s Got Talent, before their worldwide debut through Capitol Records that October. The label’s official tour biography places that experience within the group’s broader history.

It gives a first-time viewer a helpful question to carry into the videos: how does a group introduce itself to an audience that may know none of its members? Movement, timing and the shape of an ensemble can offer something to follow before a listener has learned the words.

“JUST DANCE!”: start at the debut

“JUST DANCE!” was released on October 28, 2022, through Capitol Records. The official release page is the simplest place to begin, with links to music services.

For your first watch, take in the whole frame. On a second viewing, choose one performer and follow their movement through the group. The exercise changes what you notice: an entrance, a turn, a transition that passed almost invisibly the first time.

A music video is also a piece of filmmaking. Camera angles and cuts guide your eye, so it can be interesting to compare it with performance-focused footage on the group’s official YouTube channel. You can enjoy the song first and explore the details later.

“Moving Pieces”: follow the collaborators

The second single, “Moving Pieces,” arrived on May 15, 2023. Universal’s release announcement credits Poo Bear with writing the song and Travis Payne with its choreography.

That pairing offers another route into the group: follow the people behind the music and movement. A songwriter’s name can connect an unfamiliar act to music you already know; a choreographer’s credit invites you to look at how a song has been translated into physical choices.

Play “Moving Pieces” after the debut and decide which moment you would like to revisit. A first listening session need not become a ranking of every release. Finding one detail that holds your attention is enough.

“Sweetest Tune”: a connection to television

“Sweetest Tune,” released on June 10, 2024, provides a third entry point. It was written for the TV Asahi drama Tokyo Tower, in which Genta Matsuda played Koji Ohara. Universal’s drama announcement describes a melody with a floating quality and lyrics about being drawn to someone, beyond romance alone.

The song was used within the drama, making it a useful example of how an acting role and a group’s music can intersect. A viewer might come to the series for the story and leave curious about the performer; a music fan might follow the connection in the other direction.

Three songs, three different starting points

These are starting points, not a complete survey or a claim about the group’s “best” songs. If one catches your ear, stay with it. Returning to a familiar track often reveals more than rushing to the next release.

Look behind the performances

For the background to the debut, Travis Japan -The untold story of LA- documents the group’s Los Angeles period. Universal’s Blu-ray listing identifies the documentary and the bonus material included in that edition. Check language options, format and availability before choosing a version.

For an example of their international concert history, the archived 2025 VIIsual world-tour page lists New York, Anaheim, Taipei, Hong Kong and Bangkok. Those are past dates; use current official announcements for any future concert plans.

You can keep following through the official label website and the group’s YouTube channel. Start with the music that interests you, and let a performance, a collaborator or a drama lead to the next discovery.