Bōkyō Jonkara ~ Fighting Homesickness in Japan with Enka!
A few months ago I introduced Enka by way of Yōko Nagayama hit Jonkara Onnabushi. Today let's look at another of the giants in the genre and one of his top hits.
I'm speaking of Takashi Hosokawa and his super hit Bōkyō Jonkara. Let's cover the song first then I'll give some info about Hosokawa after.
Bōkyō Jonkara
The title translates to Homesick Jonkara. Jonkara is the sound of strumming the shamisen.
This song has a bit of a pop feel at times, which may make it easier for people unfamiliar with Enka to get into it. The song was composed by Keisuke Hama with the lyrics written by Ryuichi Satomura and first sung by Hosokawa in 1985. It did very well and almost immediately became his signature song, which he very often sings when he is asked to perform in music shows (like Kohaku Uta Gassen).
There are a number of great performances of it on YouTube, but I happen to like this one the best.
He's singing about missing home in rural Tsugaru, Aomori. I talked about the significance of Tsugaru in enka in my previous article. He had to move to Tokyo to work and he misses his hometown. He is torn between returning to the place he loves or staying in his current life to make money. A topic many people can relate to, especially in Japan.
Takashi Hosokawa
He debated in 1975 and almost instantly became one of the most popular enka singers in Japan. His songs often have a bit of pop or rock in them, making them crossover hits that appeal to a wide range of people. He's appeared in the year end music competition Kohaku Uta Gassen 40 times, including a record 32 appearances in a row!
Covers
Many others have attempted the song, more notably one of his students, Konomi Mori. See what you think.
Not as good as Hosokawa, I think, but not bad!
Anyway, there we go. Hope you could enjoy it!
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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. |
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