DEPAPEPE, the two-person instrumental guitar unit that revolutionized Japan's music scene, announced they're entering a hiatus starting this October after 24 years together.

Formed in November 2002 by Yoshiya Tokuoka and Takuya Miura, DEPAPEPE achieved something historic with their 2005 major-label debut album Let's Go!!!—it became the first instrumental artist debut to crack Japan's Oricon top 10. The album won double awards at the Japan Gold Disc Awards for New Artist of the Year and Instrumental Album of the Year.

The duo expanded beyond Japan early on, releasing music in Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Singapore. They've maintained a steady touring presence across Asia throughout their career.

After marking their 20th anniversary as a major-label act, Tokuoka and Miura decided it was time to explore different paths. "After many discussions, we felt it was the right time to view things from different angles and see different scenery," Tokuoka said in his announcement. However, both emphasized this isn't a permanent goodbye. "Neither of us intends to stop walking as guitarists," Miura explained. "This isn't farewell—it's just a moment to take a deeper breath as we continue facing music."

Before the hiatus begins, DEPAPEPE has scheduled a final string of performances. In September, they'll launch a fan club-exclusive tour called "Acoustic Friends" spanning five cities, starting at Chicken George in Hyogo—the venue where the duo's journey began. The tour will hit Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, and Tokyo throughout the month.

The unit will close with two one-man lives: October 2 at Ebisu The Garden Hall in Tokyo and October 7 at Banana Hall in Osaka.

Both members expressed deep gratitude to fans, staff, and fellow musicians who supported them over nearly a quarter-century. "DEPAPEPE's music won't disappear even when our activities pause," Miura noted. "As long as DEPAPEPE plays in your hearts, we'll continue to exist there."