ITSUKI HIROSHI: Celebrating 40 years in show business

 

by Jean Wilson

  

The year 2004 will go down in sports history as the year of the Athens Olympics. But 40 years earlier, in 1964, it was the turn of Tokyo to host the Olympics. It was a year that singer Itsuki Hiroshi says he will never forget because that is when he went from his native Fukui Prefecture to Tokyo to become a student of composer Uehara Gento. Shortly after that he won the Columbia Concours singing contest and as a result, preparations were made for his debut under the name of Matsuyama Masaru.

For Itsuki, whose real name is Matsuyama Kazuo, that was the start of a chequered career. When Uehara-sensei suddenly passed away, Itsuki had to start again from scratch. He changed his stage name to Ichijo Eiichi, but fame still eluded him. He tried again under the name Mitani Ken, and finally, in 1970, he won a 10-week TV singing contest. The prize was to be taken on by a promoter and release a record. The promoter was Noguchi Pro., a sports promoter. Itsuki was the only singer on their books; their remaining upcoming stars were all sportsmen, especially boxers and kickboxers. In his free time Itsuki used to spar with them, and that is the origin of his now famous clenched-fist pose that he naturally assumes when singing. After winning the contest, he debuted as Itsuki Hiroshi with “Yokohama Tasogare”.

Finally, his career took off and he climbed to the top of the business, winning numerous song awards, including the coveted Nihon Record Taisho with “Yozora” and “Nagaragawa Enka” In 1973 and 1984 respectively. It is 40 years since Itsuki began his singing career and he has now received an even more prestigious award, one given by the Japanese government for his contribution to the arts, especially in connection with his performances of songs written by the late renowned composer Koga Masao.

 

THE KOGA MASAO CONNECTION

 

The 100th anniversary of the birth of Koga Masao, who was responsible for composing many of Misora Hibari’s hits, and whose students included enka singers Okawa Eisaku and Kobayashi Sachiko, coincided with the 40th anniversary of Itsuki’s show business career.

Koga Masao, as Itsuki rightly says, can be called the father of modern Japanese music. Koga had a profound effect on the post-war music business, composing several thousand songs. He died in 1978 and was posthumously awarded the Kokumin Eiyosho (Citizen’s Award) by the Japanese government.

Itsuki recalls, “I was born just after the war. It was my dream from childhood to become a singer, and for me Koga-sensei was my hero. I really wanted to play [Koga’s composition] “ Kage o Shitaite,” and so I handmade a guitar from a wooden box and wires. I used to have my ears glued to every music program on the radio and I feverishly copied the songs down on paper. Before I knew it I had copied 3,000 songs. I absorbed them like a sponge. When I was 17 I made my singing debut and it was my dream to have a song written by Koga-sensei. That dream came true in 1974 when I was given “Hama Hiru Gao”, written by him.

Another vivid memory of Koga Masao was in 1973 when he congratulated Itsuki for winning the Japan Record Grand Prix with the song “Yozara”. Itsuki says, “Koga-sensei was the chief judge. He smiled broadly as he handed me the trophy and as we shook hands he whispered  Well done to me and I saw that he had tears in his eyes. I was so moved and encouraged. That scene is burned in my memory”.

Itsuki says that from now one of his goals is to ensure that Koga’s songs are preserved and shared with the new generation of Japanese.

 

CULTURE MINISTRY AWARD FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

 

From September 3-23, 2003 at Nissay Gekijo in Tokyo, Itsuki held one of the most remarkable, successful and enjoyable performances of his extensive career. The long-run concert was entitled “A Tribute to Koga Masao”, and featured Koga’s songs, which Itsuki sang accompanying himself on guitar, plus a selection of his own hits. It was this concert that brought him the prestigious Ministry of Culture Award for the Performing Arts in 2004. He is the first enka singer to receive such an award. “At last I feel that maybe I have been acknowledged [for my achievements]. I never dreamt I would be given such an award. It really came as a complete surprise to me. My home and office were inundated with presents of flowers for more than 10 days after the award was publically announced. Every time the door bell rang, there were flowers, and more flowers...” Itsuki says, with a happy expression.

The award presentation took place on March 16 at the Tokyo Prince Hotel. Several congratulatory events were held throughout the year, culminating in a large, private party on September 29 to honor him given by Aku Yu, Araki Tomohisa, Gen Tetsuya, Taka Takashi, Oka Chiaki, Funamura Toru, Hoshino Tetsuro and many other famous composers and lyricists. Sadly, the main host, Aku Yu was unable to attend due to ill health. In the fabulous, chandeliered room at the Tokyo Prince Hotel in which Itsuki holds his annual Christmas dinner show, 550 guests were treated to a sumptuous 7-course meal. It included a smoked salmon starter followed by autumn mushrooms and a main course of steak.

The guest list included the Minister of Culture and a couple of other politicians, but mostly looked like it had been compiled from the entries of a showbiz “Who’s Who” volume. The full list would fill this page, but here are a few of the most celebrated: Kobayashi Sachiko, Ishikawa Sayuri, Yamamoto Joji, Yamakawa Yutaka, Utsumi Midori, Ishihara Junko, Sakamoto Fuyumi, Kadokawa Hiroshi, Koroke, Tsunku, Hidari Tompei, Fuji Ayako, Nagayama Yoko, Yoshi Ikuzo, Kato Kazuya (Misora Hibari’s son), Matsukata Hiroki, Nishikawa Kiyoshi, popular young “talent” Matsuura Aya, and Kitajima Saburo, who gave the opening toast. There was also a video message from golfer and Itsuki’s long-time friend Aoki Isao.

Itsuki moved around the room greeting people from every stage of his career from its beginnings. His bandmaster was Bob Sakuma whom Itsuki met 38 years ago when they both played in a club in Shinjuku, Itsuki on guitar and Bob on piano.

After the dinner Itsuki entertained the guests with a mini-concert of six songs. He talked about how important the number five is to him and his intention to continue full steam ahead until his 50th anniversary, when his daughter will be 20. Itsuki looked proud and happy to be honored by this party and thanked everyone--composers and lyrists, his wife and family, and fans--for their support over the years.

At the end of the evening Itsuki and his wife greeted each guest personally as they left with a bag containing gifts of Itsuki’s latest CDs and book (see more details below), cake and an engraved Tissot pocket watch.

 

SPECIAL SINGLE & ALBUM RELEASES

 

On 1st June 2004 Itsuki released a special double anniversary single with the titles “Akashiya Banka” and “Yuki Moette”, both with lyrics by Araki Toyohisa and composed by Gen Tetsuya. Never content to rest on his laurels, Itsuki typically announced that the record represented his first step toward his 50th anniversary, ten years from now. The day following the single release he held a mini-concert at Mitsukoshi Department store in Ginza, Tokyo. Over 1,500 people turned up to listen to him sing and shake his hand.

This anniversary release is Itsuki’s 115th single. The number of copies sold for the previous 114 releases totals a staggering 29,400,000! Itsuki says he wants to top 30 million through sales of this latest single.

He also issued three special CDs in 2004. The first is “Itsuki Hiroshi Original 40” Shinjuku Eki “Kara 40 Nen”. In Showa 40 (1965) Itsuki made his debut as Matsuyama Masaru with the single “Shinjuku Eki Kara” and this is the first of 40 tracks on the album of Itsuki’s own famous songs, which also include the anniversary double single titles mentioned above.

The second CD is a wonderful compilation of Itsuki’s rendition of 40 songs covering the history of modern Japanese music entitled “Itsuki Hiroshi ga Utau! Nihon no Uta-Kayoshi 40”. This 40-track selection opens with Koga Masao’s “Kage o Shitaite” (1930), and includes such numbers as Kasuga Hachiro’s “Wakare no Ippon Sugi” (1955), Sen Masao’s “Hoshikage no Waltz” (1966), Mori Shinichi’s “Ofukuro-san” (1971), Yashiro Aki’s “Funa Uta” (1981), Yoshi Ikuzo’s “Sake Yo” (1988) and Chage & Asuka’s “Say Yes” (1991).

The third album, released in September, is entitled “Onna no Ehon”, and contains 16, easy-on-the-ear songs written by many different composers and lyricists describing women’ feelings. It also includes the anniversary singles. The single and albums are all released on Itsuki’ own record label, Five’ Entertainment.

 

ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

 

For this special year, Itsuki held several other events in addition to those mentioned above. His Anniversary Concert at the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Tokyo on February 23rd was divided into two parts, the first being Koga’s songs & the second his own hits. Then on his 56th birthday, March 14, Itsuki held a special request concert for his fans at Yomiuri Hall in Tokyo.

It is a common practice in Japan for commemorative stones featuring the lyrics of famous songs about locations in Japan to be placed at the sites. There is already such a memorial by the Chikuma River that commemorates the song “Chikumagawa” , written by Inomata Kosho and sung by Itsuki. However, on April 6 the stone monument was fitted with a live recording so that anyone visiting the site can now hear Itsuki singing the song while they read the lyrics on the stone.

On April 17 Itsuki held a double concert in his hometown. For the matinee show he did a one-man show, playing guitar and singing his own hits. For the evening show he invited various guests, such as Yamamoto Joji, Tsunku, and fellow Fukui-born Hanshin Tigers baseball player Kawato Kozo, to appear along with him in his 8th hometown charity concert. The following day the 16th Itsuki Marathon annual 20-kilometer race took place.

On May 24 the singer held a 40th Anniversary Golf Competition at a course in Saitama, close to where he won the Columbia Concours event 40 years earlier. The 172 show biz personalities who participated included Tokoro Joji, and enka singers Kadokawa Hiroshi, Kawanaka Miyuki and Ishikawa Sayuri, who was appearing in the competition for the first time.

In August Itsuki traveled to Hawaii and gave a concert at the Sheraton Hotel. He told his fans there that he was glad that he could share this special anniversary year with them, and also that he could celebrate Koga Masao’s life and work. His concert included not only his own hits, but also some of Koga’s songs and two songs in English.

The same month saw the release of a new book by Itsuki entitled “Itsuki Hiroshi--Fighting Pose no Omoi”, about the history of the popular music business in Japan, his own 40-year career, and reminisce of Koga Masao.

In Sept he performed for a month at the Meijiza Theater in Tokyo in the play “Ame Agaru”, and in November he held a one-month concert performance at Osaka’s Shin Kabukiza. As the year drew to a close, plans were afoot for his November Kokusai Forum concert, Christmas dinner shows and his appearance on the 55th NHK “Kohaku Uta Gassen” TV program.

 

HEART, HOME AND FUTURE

 

It would be wrong to think that the entire anniversary year was devoted solely to work. It is now 16 years since Itsuki married the former actress Kazo Yuko, and their three children are growing up fast. Their oldest son, Daisuke, is in third year of middle school, while Kazuya and Kanako are in the sixth and fourth years respectively of elementary school. Itsuki is ensuring that they all get a sound musical education and each spring Itsuki and his wife and children give a performance together playing piano, flute and other instruments.

Itsuki has always kept a pet dog and a couple of years ago a miniature poodle called Momotaro joined the family ranks. Originally he was for the children to play with, but now he and Itsuki are virtually inseparable! On a summer TV talk show with Akashiya Sanma, Itsuki was the guest and he took the dog with him, and most of the talk centered on Itsuki’s passion for his dog. Itsuki is not Momotaro’s only fan, though. Momotaro goods, including a clock shaped like the dog, are hot items with Itsuki’s fans, along with the handkerchiefs, bookmarks, photos, phone cards, fans, cell phone straps, Itsuki dango (Japanese sweets), DVDs and other items featuring Itsuki’s name or face that sell like hot cakes at his concerts and theater performances.

As far as his work is concerned, Itsuki has set his sights on having a big hit this year (2004) and achieving something no singer has ever achieved before--to win the Nihon Record Taisho for the third time! “I feel I’m the only person who can achieve it”, he says. Clearly we can look forward to Itsuki breaking new ground through hard work and effort all the way to his 50th anniversary--and probably well beyond.