Yukiyasu Yanagi (born 9 November 1960), better known by his stage name YANAGIMAN is a Japanese musician, composer, songwriter, arranger and record producer from Kagoshima.

He composed, wrote, arranged and produced music for various famous artists including Ketsumeishi, Funky Monkey Babys, Miriya Katou, Elephant Kashimashi and Usher, who is an American popular singer-songwriter.

He acted with Date of Birth, a Japanese music band, and took part in their concert tour and played and recorded their songs.

In 1995, at the age of 35, he moved his base for musical activities to Tokyo after winning the contest "the Sound & Recording Magazine" sponsored.

[2] A chance given by the artist expanded his range of work, he participated in the production of a Southern All Stars's album by Kazuyuki Sekiguchi.

[3] He produced music for various artists, for instance, Ketsumeishi, Funky Monkey Babys, Chemistry, Crystal Kay, Kumi Koda, Mika Nakashima, Miliyah Kato, Elephant Kashimashi, BoA, Def Tech and Ayaka Hirahara, in Japan.

He also remixed for Usher, who is active in the Billboard scene and produced music to overseas artists such as Hong Kong singers Ivan Wang [zh](王友良), HotCha, and Ella Koon(官恩娜).

[4] In 2005, Ketsumeishi's "Ketsunopolis 4" was sold 2 million copies[5] and won the Japan Record Award for the Best Album of the year.

It comprised even Japanese musicians including Sekiguchi, Boo Takagi, Yoshio Nomura, Kimiko Wakiyama, You Hatakeyama and Yoko Oginome.

[8] After that, eager to donate to an orphanage in Cambodia, Yanagiman wrote a new song for Hitomi Shimatani, who agreed with his purpose.

[9] Taking the situation of COVID-19 pandemics in May 2020, Yanagiman appeared on television, the NHK BS1 special program "On the night of refraining from going outside - A relay concert with ukulele".

He played the ukulele and contrabass on broadcast from his home, because the introducing baton was passed to him by Kazuyuki Sekiguchi of the Southern All Stars.

[10] In July 2021, he wrote a music tune in "Japanese reggae" and gave to the special unit group that Hitomi Shimatani and Minmi collaborated for the first time.

[16] When he entered junior high school, he started playing the acoustic guitar and bass, and to imitate Yōsui Inoue songs.

From the same time, the era has changed music, that two people carried a large and heavy instrument such as an organ into that light polyphonic synthesizers became mainstream, making it easier to play.

[4] When asked about the best 10 songs that inspired his production activities, he picked up "Earth, Wind & Fire," "The Greatest Showman," and "Pirates of the Caribbean.

The album "FREE-UKES" will be released in August 2022 with musicians who love ukulele, Boo Takagi, Yoko Oginome, Yoshio Nomura, You Hatakeyama, and Kimiko Wakiyama.