いきものがかり

Ikimono-gakari (いきものがかり also "Ikimonogakari") is a Japanese pop rock band from Kanagawa. The group started in February 1999 with Hotaka Yamashita and Yoshiki Mizuno, and was joined by vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka in December. The group's name is a reference to ikimono-gakari (生き物係), a group of children who are responsible for looking after plants and animals in Japanese elementary schools.

In 2006, the group released its first single on Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Epic Records label. Several of its albums have reached number one on the Oricon Weekly, and its songs have been featured on various media from anime shows such as Naruto to the Olympic broadcast theme song for NHK and the set piece for a national junior high music competition.