About 25,000 fans, many with flowers for their fallen hero, gathered Thursday at Tokyo's Tsukiji Honganji Temple to mourn the passing of X Japan guitarist Hideto Matsumoto.
Matsumoto, known as Hide, was found hanging by a ripped towel around his neck in his apartment on Saturday. He died later the same day. He was 33. The reason for his suicide is not known.
The funeral began at 1 p.m. at the Chuo Ward temple and was attended by X Japan's four other members -- Yoshiki, Toshi, Pata and Heath -- as well as leading artists from the country's music industry. Twelve guitars used by the musician were displayed under a photograph of Matsumoto in the center of an altar, and Toshi sang X Japan's 1996 megahit, "Forever Love," dedicated to Matsumoto.