Bless4

All but Akashi were born within the United States, as their father Haru brought his family to Utah to further his education at Brigham Young University shortly after Akashi was born. They moved to Arizona and there both Akashi and Kanasa were Arizona State Taekwondo Champions (at ages 14 and 12, respectively), while the whole family was part of a taekwondo exhibition troupe called the "Flying Dragons" with other taekwondo practitioners.

Haru brought his family back to Okinawa in 1997 after feeling a spiritual longing for his heritage as an Okinawan.{{cite web|url=http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=3744|title=Uchinanchu stories – JapanUpdate.com – Okinawa News, Classifieds, Events, Culture, Forums, and more!JapanUpdate.com Okinawa News Classifieds|date=February 4, 1998|access-date=April 15, 2010}}

They made their debut in May 2003 from BMG Japan with the song "Good Morning! Mr. Sunshine"{{cite web |url=http://www.watanabe-music.co.jp/artist/07.html |title=渡辺音楽出版株式会社 / アーティスト情報：国内アーティスト / bless4 |access-date=April 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105091145/http://www.watanabe-music.co.jp/artist/07.html |archive-date=January 5, 2011 }}

All four now reside in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, and remain followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.{{cite news|url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2010-03-19/musical-friends-team-up-to-share-testimony-35377|title=Musical friends team up to share testimony|accessdate=April 15, 2010|newspaper=Church News}}

They made their own independent company in December 2006 with AKASHI as the President of Kawamitsu Arttainment.

In 2009, the group contributed the songs {{nihongo|"Stitch Is Coming"|スティッチ・イズ・カミング|Sutitchi Izu Kamingu}} and {{nihongo|"Hitori Ja Nai"|ひとりじゃない||"You Are Not Alone"}} for the Disney Animation Studios anime Stitch!, the former serving as an ending theme for its first season.

In February 2010, the youngest, AIKI made his debut as an author of a non-fiction novel, based on his own experiences of losing a friend to drugs, titled "Heart Prints ~inochi no hana~". (From Bungeisha)

In March 2011, their company became a limited company and opened their own record label: KAWAMITSU RECORDS.

May 2010, they held their first Korean tour performing at 3 different places in Korea, including Seoul, which proved to be a success.

In September, the group released the single "Dandelion" in Europe on the German record label Marabu Records.{{cite web |url=http://www.marabu-records.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60%3Abless4-dandelion&catid=35%3Abless4&Itemid=71&lang=de |title=bless4 – Dandelion |access-date=December 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714032219/http://www.marabu-records.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60%3Abless4-dandelion&catid=35%3Abless4&Itemid=71&lang=de |archive-date=July 14, 2011 }} The song placed #1 on the Radio Berlin International Charts.

They released their newest album "Yumetsumugi" (Dream Weaving) on January 12, 2011, 6 years after their debut album. It is a self-produced album with each member working as staff to bring their music video and album to life.{{cite web|url=http://bless4.jp/CD.html|title=bless4 CD 「夢つむぎ」|access-date=March 12, 2011}}

On April 19, 2022, Aiki announced his departure from the band in order to concentrate his life on his family and his current endeavours.{{Cite web |author=AIKI |script-title=ja:いつも応援してくださる皆様へご報告 |url=https://twitter.com/aiki_dk/status/1516403139062108164 |access-date=July 7, 2022 |website=Twitter |language=ja }}

Current members

• {{nihongo| Akashi Kawamitsu|川満 証|Kawamitsu Akashi|AKASHI}} - Born {{birth date and age|1982|01|29}} in Okinawa Prefecture{{cite web|url=http://bless4.jp/AKASHI_from_bless4.html|title=AKASHI_from_bless4|accessdate=April 14, 2010|archive-date=January 16, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116045535/http://bless4.jp/AKASHI_from_bless4.html|url-status=dead}}
• {{nihongo| Kanasa Kawamitsu|川満 愛|Kawamitsu Kanasa|KANASA}} - Born {{birth date and age|1984|05|02}} in Utah{{cite web|url=http://bless4.jp/KANASA_from_bless4.html|title=KANASA_from_bless4|accessdate=April 14, 2010|archive-date=January 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113210233/http://bless4.jp/KANASA_from_bless4.html|url-status=dead}}
• {{nihongo| Akino Kawamitsu|川満 愛希信|Kawamitsu Akino|AKINO}} - Born {{birth date and age|1989|12|31}} in Utah{{cite web|url=http://bless4.jp/AKINO_from_bless4.html|title=AKINO_from_bless4|accessdate=April 14, 2010|archive-date=January 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128142048/http://bless4.jp/AKINO_from_bless4.html|url-status=dead}}

Former members

• {{nihongo| Aiki Kawamitsu-Douglas|川満 ダグラス 哀行|Kawamitsu Dagurasu Aiki|AIKI}} - Born {{birth date and age|1991|10|29}} in Utah{{cite web|url=http://bless4.jp/AIKI_from_bless4.html|title=AIKI_from_bless4|accessdate=April 14, 2010|archive-date=January 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114085947/http://bless4.jp/AIKI_from_bless4.html|url-status=dead}}

1. "Good Morning! Mr. Sunshine" - {{start date|2003|05|07}}
2. {{nihongo|"Hashire! Kiseki"|走れ！奇跡||"Run! Miracle"}} - {{start date|2003|08|06}}
3. {{nihongo|"Gajumaru no Shita de"|ガジュマルの下で||"Beneath the Okinawa Banyan"}} - {{start date|2004|02|25}} (Okinawa Prefecture), {{start date|2004|10|13}} (Japan)
4. {{nihongo|"123"|ワン・トゥー・スリー|Wan Tū Surī}} - {{start date|2005|01|19}}
5. {{nihongo|"Kizuna no Hana"|絆の花||"Floral Bonds"}} - {{start date|2007|07|21}}
6. {{nihongo|"Stitch Is Coming"|スティッチ・イズ・カミング|Sutitchi Izu Kamingu}}/{{nihongo|"Hitorijanai"|ひとりじゃない||"You Are Not Alone"}} - {{start date|2009|10|07}} (Digital Release)
7. "Dandelion" - {{start date|2010|09|22}}
8. "Sunshine Dancer" - {{start date|2012|05|21}}

{{Main|Akino Kawamitsu#Discography|l1=Akino Kawamitsu's solo discography}}

• {{nihongo|"Heart Prints (Flowers of Life)"|Heart Prints～命の花～|Heart Prints ~Inochi no Hana~}} - {{start date|2008|06|26}} (Okinawa Prefecture)
• {{nihongo|"Heart Prints (Flowers of Life)"|Heart Prints～命の花～|Heart Prints ~Inochi no Hana~}} - {{start date|2010|02|}} (From publishing company Bungeisha)

• {{nihongo|His Love/Aruji no Ai|His Love／主の愛||His Love/The Master's Love}} - As "Kawamitsu Family"
• ALL 4 ONE - {{start date|2005|02|02}}
• {{nihongo|Yume Tsumugi|夢つむぎ||Dreams Weaving}} - {{start date|2011|01|12}}
• WE ARE WARRIORS - {{start date|2019|06|05}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://bless4.jp/HOME.html bless4 website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428020016/http://bless4.jp/HOME.html |date=April 28, 2010 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110105091145/http://www.watanabe-music.co.jp/artist/07.html bless4] at Watanabe Music Publishing
• [http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Arch/ARI/bless4/index.html bless4] at Sony Music Entertainment
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714032219/http://www.marabu-records.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60%3Abless4-dandelion&catid=35%3Abless4&Itemid=71&lang=de bless4] at Marabu Records

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Category:Japanese pop music groups

Category:Musical groups from Okinawa Prefecture

Category:Musical groups from Phoenix, Arizona

Category:Musical groups from Utah

Category:Japanese Latter Day Saints

Category:Musical groups established in 2003

Category:2003 establishments in Arizona