SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors on Monday welcomed Japanese guitar impresario Miyavi, one of the biggest rock stars in his home country, selling out stadiums worldwide, to perform at halftime of their game against the Washington Wizards.

The game doubled as the inaugural Japanese Heritage Night for the team, with a performance that included San Jose Japanese American dance group Uzumaru. Miyavi is not only one of the most iconic guitarists in Japan, recently unveiling a supergroup called the Last Rockstars with fellow Japanese stars Yoshiki, Hyde and Sugizo, but is a record producer and actor, having prominent roles in Angelina-Jolie-produced film “Unbroken” and other roles like “Kong: Skull Island.”

The “Samurai Guitarist” is also a model, the face of GUCCI in Japan, and a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for and performing for people who live in refugee camps worldwide.

Speaking before the game, he explained that after the Warriors reached out to him in 2022 about collaborating, what he most respected about the organization and what most resonated with him was coach Steve Kerr’s stances on human rights.

“Splash Brothers; Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green—such a great team. I’m really inspired by Steve Kerr, the director. His passionate interview that he gave when a mass shooting [in Uvalde, Texas] happened,” Miyavi said. He explained that even as there are many bad things happening out in the world, representatives in the arts and sports are speaking out against it.

“The way that Steve was spreading his words; it was spot on,” he said. “When he was supposed to talk about the team or basketball, he started talking about the sad incident. I felt human. … Steph was really sincere about my activity as an ambassador for [the U.N.’s refugee agency]. I feel really human to his team because of Steve’s leadership, and all the members, I really respect.”

The performance was the bookend to the NBA’s Japan Games last year, where the same two teams matched up in Tokyo. Miyavi also performed in Tokyo and also released a song, “Ring Em Up,” on Golden State Entertainment, the Warriors’ entertainment branch.

David Kelly, chief business officer for Golden State Entertainment and chief legal officer for the Warriors, said he was introduced to Miyavi’s music by a consultant and listened to the song he’d done with Samuel L. Jackson, “Worlds Collide.” That’s when Kelly knew he wanted GSE to work with him.

After connecting earlier in 2022, he recorded a new song, “Ring Em Up,” which he performed at one of the Tokyo games, and which GSE released in October.

The opportunity to have Miyavi perform on a special occasion was one the Warriors couldn’t pass up.

“I think it’s very cool,” Kelly said. “We’ve been doing a lot of heritage nights for different cultures to show the interaction between basketball—a global sport—music and culture.”

Miyavi, whose real name is Takamasa Ishihara, is known for his finger-slapping way of playing the guitar, rather than using a plectrum, which the 41-year-old picked up at an early age and made his own.

He got his start playing in glam-rock-style bands—known as visual kei—and has released 15 solo albums since 2002. He’s also started his own company, J-Glam.

But Miyavi said that before he became a successful musician, growing up in the countryside near Osaka, his passion was soccer.

“Chasing a soccer ball was everything to me. Every day, every morning and afternoon, during lunch break, and even after school,” he said.

An injury when he was 14 dashed those dreams, however.

“When you lose a dream or something you’re passionate about, the perspective, everything in your life changes,” he said. “But I found the guitar. Maybe the guitar found me. … I had the same feeling that I had when I was playing soccer.”

He lived for a time in L.A., where he began following basketball, and the Lakers became his favorite team. He’s now also a Lebron James fan.

On Monday, wearing black leather pants and a shiny black jacket over his tattooed torso, Miyavi summoned a screeching racket from his well-used off-white Fender Telecaster, his blonde hair bouncing against his face, before diving to his knees and soloing on the guitar as if he was playing slap bass. Then he ceded the floor to Uzumaru, a group of about 20 dressed in red and blue outfits, who performed an elaborate traditional dance. For the conclusion, he joined the group, riffing away as they encircled and danced around him.

Miyavi called performing on Japanese heritage night during the game an honor.

“It’s a really important opportunity between Japan and America,” he said. “There are so many Japanese people living here, and they’re rooted in this country and they’re making a culture, and they’re having a strong bond between Japan and America.”

The performance caps a busy couple of weeks for Miyavi, who performed the first U.S. shows with The Last Rockstars in New York and Los Angeles, and then flew back to New York to make an appearance at New York Fashion Week on Sunday, representing Japanese brand Adeam.

“I actually came out to the runway as a model and started shredding the guitar and rocked out,” he explained.

The L.A. show was livestreamed, and in Japan, thousands of people watched it live in movie theaters, he said. Soon, he wanted to bring The Last Rockstars on a more widespread tour, including San Francisco and his other favorite cities like Chicago and New Orleans. Miyavi said the time is right, with music becoming more of a global language with the success of Latin music and K-pop.

“This country is the place you’ve seen diversity, and I really, really appreciate that. … That is the fundamental identity of this country,” he said. He also said San Francisco is a “sophisticated” city.

Next, Miayvi and The Last Rockstars turn their attention to recording and releasing many more songs that he said they’ve written.