A Japanese guitarist was so well loved that 50,000 people turned out for his funeral!

Hideto Matsumoto was a Japanese musician, singer, songwriters, and national obsession. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan but was also the co-found of the US-based band Zilch.

He was seen as an icon for rebellion in Japan. His music compelled many people, young and old, to rebel against the country’s conformist society. He died in 1998 from suicide by hanging. 50,000 people came to his funeral, 3 people committed copy-cat suicides, and 1 museum was opened for 5 years in his honor. His death was deemed “the end of an era.”