about us
Alternative Art Collective Blooming Bungei.
We pursue "art experienced through the five senses."
Operating under the philosophy of "Let's create heaven here and now," from their inception, they have not belonged to any agency or label, and as independent artists in Japan, we engage in diverse activities centered on music and film, extending to fields such as fashion and food.
Our activities are wide-ranging, including managing the perfume brand "PARFUM de bungei" and the tea specialty shop "bungei tea salon".
The duo consists of ko shinonome, who handles songwriting, composing, and performance, and Aika Sumi, who is responsible for film and visual aspects.
Blooming Bungei is comprised of four divisions:
Bungei Music Division, Bungei Film Division, Bungei Fashion Division, and Bungei Food Division. Click the image to go to each division's website.
Click the image to go to each division's website.
Bungei Music Division
bungei records
- Blooming Bunei
vocal Haru
- White Hacker Innovator
main act soan
live
label
promotion
Bungei Film Division
movie direction
jacket photo
products design
visual produce
art direction
Bungei Fashion Division
fragrance maison
PARFUM de bungei
Bungei Food Division
bungei tea salon
with pâtissier Aru Sakurai
- dessert course
- icecream is heaven
ko shinonome
Music Producer
Started composing in junior high school. Formed Blooming Bungei in 2018. Within Blooming Bungei, they handle songwriting, composing, arranging, recording, and performing. They also co-manage and operate each Blooming Bungei division with Sumi.
He deeply love tea and own over 100 varieties of tea leaves.
Instruments Used:
Fender Telecaster
Three Dots Guitars / T
Momose Custom Craft Guitars / JB
Aika Sumi
Visual Artist
Primarily responsible for visual expression. In video, they handle shooting/screenwriting/direction to editing. They also direct artwork for song jackets and artist photos, product design for PARFUM de bungei and bungei tea salon, stage direction, and costume styling.
Influenced by their grandfather, who enjoyed photography as a hobby, they joined the photography club in high school. Their first video work was Bungei Tengoku's "Ice Cream ga Tokeru Kara." which they filmed with a Nikon camera inherited from their grandfather. Since then, they have primarily engaged in video work, as well as writing, photography, painting, and DJing.
They served as cinematographer and director for the short film "Let's Blame Tea Olive". She deeply love tea. Their favorite black tea is "River Flow" by River Flow.
The Journey of Blooming Bungei "Handcrafting Heaven"
Winter 2018 – Started by ko shinonome, Aika Sumi, and Aya Hirose. Named "Bungei Tengoku" by ko shinonome, it was later named Blooming Bungei in English.
January 2019 – Welcomed Aya Hirose (Mizuya) and began production of their 1st mini-album and Music Video.
June 2019 – Simultaneously released 1st mini-album "poolside ni hanataba wo" in both CD and digital formats. From the same album, the Music Video "Ice Cream ha Tokeru Kara." was released on YouTube. Haku (嚩) served as the actor in the Music Film. The CD was a limited edition of only 50 copies, handcrafted by the members.
Blooming Bungei temporarily suspended activities as Aya Hirose and ko shinonome focused on their university entrance exams.
March 2020 – Blooming Bungei resumed activities. Performed a street live at Ikebukuro Station East Exit. In the same month, commenced production of their 2nd album "In the Morning with the Scent of Dreams" and Music Videos for "methane hydrate" and "inertia."
September 2020 – Former vocalist Aya Hirose withdrew.
December 2020 – Established the Blooming Bungei Fashion Division.
January 2021 – Announced the addition of vocalist Haru and released their 2nd album "In the Morning with the Scent of Dreams." From the same album, the Music Video "methane hydrate" was released on YouTube. EAIN served as the actor in the Music Film. New Blooming Bungei artist photos by pastry chef Aru Sakurai were released.
March 2021 – Released the Music Video for "inertia" on YouTube. EAIN served as the actor in the Music Film.
May 2021 – Released their 1st single "air blast." A teaser movie for the song was released on YouTube.
July 2021 – Simultaneously released their 2nd single "snorkel" and its Music Video. Yuuna served as the actor in the Music Film. In the same month, released their 3rd single "mariage." It became the promotional song for the "9th All Japan High School Dance Club Championship."
August 27, 2021 – Held Blooming Bungei's first-ever live performance, the 1st one-man live "瞬間的メタ無重力空間" at Kichijoji STAR PINE'S CAFE.
On the same day, launched the fragrance maison "PARFUM de bungei." The perfume "fragrance of a daydream" (30ml) was released in limited quantities.
October 17, 2021 – Served as the opening act for a joint live event with For Tracy Hyde and mekakushe at Omotesando WALL&WALL. In the same month, released their 4th single "hymn to the shadiness."
February 2022 – Released the Music Film "mariage" on YouTube. Bi-no-Shimobe and Eshi-niki served as actors in the Music Film. "la porte de mariage," consisting of 5 chapters, was released on YouTube Shorts. In the same month, released their 3rd album "glorious runaway."
March 2022 – Launched the official PARFUM de bungei website. bungei.shop. They revamped the perfume packaging design and announced a new perfume, Eau de Parfum Tr.13 "air blast." Eau de Parfum Tr.11 "fragrance of a daydream" was also re-released with a reformulated blend.
April 2022 – Blooming Bungei's song "air blast" was selected for JR's 150th Anniversary of Railway Opening Statement Movie. JR is Japan's largest railway company.
May 2022 – Blooming Bungei Food Division established. Held a joint baked goods sale and PARFUM de bungei fragrance trial event with the Blooming Bungei Fashion Division in Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
June 2022 – Released "Appare! Vol. 1 June Issue," a playlist curated monthly by Aika Sumi and ko shinonome, alternating turns. Subsequent issues updated monthly.
August 2022 – The Blooming Bungei Food Division hosted "bungei tea salon Sweets Course 2022 Summer: Secret Tea Room." Pastry chef Aru Sakurai served as head pastry chef, providing a sweets course limited to 120 guests at Yanaka Chashitsu in Nippori. From this event, they devised the "Butterfly Effect Ticket" system, a scheme to provide everyone with opportunities for cultural enjoyment, inviting three applicants selected through document screening to "Secret Tea Room" for free.
November 16, 2022 – Released their 5th single "innovation." Along with this, new artist photos were released. On the same day, Bungei Office, the activity base for Blooming Bungei, was completed.
January 2023 – Launched "uraniwa" channel, documenting the process of ko shinonome and Aika Sumi completing things they vaguely wanted to try. Uraniwa (裏庭) means 'backyard' in Japanese.
In the same month, released their 6th single "the eye drops from 7th floor make my eyes burn"
February 2023 – Announced a new line from PARFUM de bungei: "Tea Bag Bath Powder & Bath Milk" (tea bag-shaped bath additives). The release of Tea Bag Bath Powder Tr.21 "Golden Drop" was confirmed.
March 2023 – Simultaneously released their 7th single "Golden Drop," the Music Film "Golden Drop," and Tea Bag Bath Powder Tr.21 "Golden Drop." Mitei served as the actor in the Music Film.
March 2023 – Sold 1,000 bottles of perfume within 1.5 years since the launch of the PARFUM de bungei brand.
April 8-9, 2023 – Held PARFUM de bungei's first limited store in Omotesando. On the same day, announced a new perfume, Eau de Parfum Tr.22 "plan-ted forest."
May 2023 – Simultaneously released their 8th single "plan-ted forest," the Music Film "plan-ted forest," and Eau de Parfum Tr.22 "plan-ted forest." Blooming Bungei's first cassette tape "plan-ted forest" was also released. schneeteufel served as the actor in the Music Film.
August 11-13, 2023 – The Blooming Bungei Dood Division opened bungei tea salon "icecream is heaven." Aika Sumi and ko shinonome, along with pastry chef Aru Sakurai, developed prototypes and recipes for a craft ice cream shop, which opened for a three-day limited period in Shimokitazawa. They sold 800 limited "icecream is heaven" items and three types of drinks. On the same day, they sold "plan-ted forest Sparkling," sparkling water infused with the aroma of "plan-ted forest" by PARFUM de bungei, marketed as a "drinkable perfume."
September 1, 2023 – Announced the holding of their 2nd one-man live "Ascension." Also announced the release of their force album "innovation" and released the new Music Film "innovation" on YouTube.
September 20, 2023 – Released their force album "innovation." Released the Music Film "silver halide," a sequel to the old Music Film "mariage," on YouTube. Bi-no-Shimobe and Eshi-niki continued to serve as actors from "mariage."
September 2023 – Announced that their 2nd one-man live "Ascension" would be held at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, their first live performance in approximately 3.5 years. Ticket applications exceeded 2,000, roughly three times the venue's capacity.
December 31, 2023 – Announced that bungei tea salon "Hana mo Dango mo" by the Blooming Bungei Food Division and PARFUM de bungei limited store phase ascension by the Blooming Bungei Fashion Division would be held simultaneously with the 2nd one-man live "Ascension." This would be a simultaneous event across three locations.
February 17, 2024 – The 2nd one-man live "Ascension" at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall concluded. The stage performance featured a three-person formation: VDJ. Aika Sumi, Gt. ko shinonome, and Vo. Haru. Supported by a total of 100 staff members and the independently established Ascension Executive Committee, it became a historic live performance of an unprecedented scale for an independent artist.
On the same day, announced the launch of the music unit "White Hacker Innovator," produced by the two members of Blooming Bungei. Soan served as the lead vocalist, performing their 1st single "Last Flight."
At the concurrently held PARFUM de bungei limited store phase ascension, the new perfume "somei" was unveiled. Additionally, old perfumes were revamped with a refreshed design and a newly formulated "somei oil" inspired by cherry blossoms, developed in-house. At the pop-up shop bungei tea salon, new sweets such as "Hana mo Dango mo" and "Sakura Madeleine" were sold.
February 24, 2024 – Held a special lecture at Tokai High School and Junior High School's Saturday Program in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. The theme was "Don't Be Deceived by Dirty Adults."
April 24, 2024 – Blooming Bungei released their 9th single "first crush." Simultaneously, new artist photos by Bi-no-Shimobe were released.
June 29, 2024 – Aika Sumi, the visual artist of Blooming Bungei, authored an article for Kawade Shobo publishe's "Bungei" 2024 Autumn Issue, "This Book Design is Amazing!", which was released in bookstores nationwide.
August 1-28, 2024 – Held a collaboration project between bungei tea salon and tabisuru kissa. "Meiji Restoration Cream Soda" was sold for a limited one-month period.
August 12-13, 2024 – bungei tea salon "icecream is heaven 2024" opened at Shinjuku ICE MOUNTAIN Cafe.
August 21, 2024 – "festina lente," a song composed and written by ko shinonome, the music producer of Blooming Bungei, with Honoka as vocalist, was released by bungei records.
September 19, 2024 – The music unit White Hacker Innovator, produced by Blooming Bungei, performed live for the first time in a band setup at Shinjuku Marble. ko shinonome played guitar.
November 16, 2024 – The music unit White Hacker Innovator released their 1st album "forced landing" from bungei records. An official website (soan.space) was established.
And so it continues to the present day.
They have been active without belonging to any agency or label since their establishment.