EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH YAMAKAWA YUTAKA

by Jean Wilson

 

It is seven years since the last time Eye-Ai interviewed enka star Yamakawa Yutaka, although it seems much more recently, so we had a lot of catching up to do when we met Yamakawa-san in his dressing room at the Shinjuku Koma Gekijo between shows. We will be bringing you the interview in two parts, and in this month?s section you can read his comments on such topics as his stage name, his hit record “Amerikabashi”, and his preparations for appearing in the samurai drama play “Gozonji Nogitsune Sanji Meibugyo to Otoko Motoi”.

Appearing with Yamakawa in the above play were veteran singer Hashi Yukio and young enka singer Tagawa Toshimi. Yamakawa played the role of Sanji, an Edo-period fireman who is loved by Okimi, (Tagawa) the young daughter of a timber merchant. Business is booming because so much wood is needed for new houses to replace those lost in recent fires, but an upright Edo magistrate (Hashi) suspects foul play. Sanji’s helps him bring to light and defeat the group of arsonists responsible. The role of Sanji suited Yamakawa down to the ground because Sanji was both the good-looking hero and the action-man of the story.

 

Eye-Ai: It’s very nice to see you again. I can’t believe how time has flown. It was shortly after the Kobe earthquake the last time we met.

Yamakawa: That’s right. And my daughter was only a few months old, and now she’s seven!

 

Eye-Ai: I’d like to start by asking you about the play you’re in. Whose idea was it to team up with Hashi Yukio, Tagawa Toshimi and yourself for this one-month run?

Yamakawa: Well, as you know the era of one-man shows, that is one main star only featuring for a whole month is dying out, and instead because of the tough economy theaters are featuring combinations of several stars, so I was given the chance to be one of them, and I was all for it. Hashi-san has helped me a great deal and given me a lot of valuable advice and encouragement. I’m still a relative newcomer to acting, as is Toshimi, whereas Hashi-san has been doing this for 42 years, so he has a lot of knowledge and experience that I can absorb. You know, there aren’t many singers who will give others tips on improving their performances and that kind of information; most of them just keep it to themselves. But Hashi-san has taken on that kind of (advisory) role, so I think the three of us make a good combination.

 

Eye-Ai: Talking about Hashi Yukio, his late manager was called Yamakawa Yutaka and that is where you got your name, isn’t it? Please tell me about that.

Yamakawa: Hashi-san wasn’t keen on people knowing that my name is the name of his late manager. But I think it’s a stroke of luck that I should now end up appearing with Hashi-san at the Koma Theater (where Hashi-san used to appear when the late Yamakawa-san was his manager). I feel as if he (Yamakawa-san) is supporting me somehow during this run.

 

Eye-Ai: When you were given your stage name, did you meet Hashi-san at that time?

Yamakawa: Yes, I did, but there wasn’t such a good atmosphere. At that time, I myself couldn’t understand why I was being given the name of a person who had died. Hashi-san said he felt rather sorry for me having the name of a deceased person. I didn’t know much about the late Yamakawa-san at that point, but I?ve since learned that he was quite a remarkable man.

 

Eye-Ai: Who chose your stage name?

Yamakawa: The boss of my production company.

 

Eye-Ai: I think this is the fourth time for you to star in a month-long play, but the first time without your older brother, Toba Ichiro. How are you finding it?

Yamakawa: Yes I performed the first three times with my brother and I think the experience I had doing those has helped me be able to perform in this current play.

 

Eye-Ai: Are you going to continue appearing in plays?

Yamakawa: Yes, I think so, but at my own pace.

 

Eye-Ai: What kind of role would you like to have next? A judge?

Yamakawa: I’ll take any role I’m given. I don’t mind what role I play as long as it has some action in it.

Eye-Ai: I think the role of Nezumi Kozo (the Edo-period thief) would suit you. How about that? You could fly into the auditorium on wires over the heads of the audience using the (kabuki) chunori technique...

Yamakawa: I like the idea of Nezumi Kozo but not the flying--I don’t like heights!

 

Eye-Ai: But in this play you have to climb onto the roof of a building...

Yamakawa: Yeah, I’m OK with that, but that’s as far as I can go.

 

Eye-Ai: I was impressed with your chambara sword-fighting in this play. What did you do to prepare for it?

Yamakawa: Well, I don’t really classify what I did as real chambara, because in the context of the story it was Hashi-san who was playing the local magistrate and was therefore entitled to carry a sword, whereas I was only a fireman cum carpenter and so I didn’t have a weapon, only a wooden pole, and that’s what I used when I fought. Because my fighting style was rougher and faster, and I think the two of us balanced each other out well.

 

Eye-Ai: Considering it was only your fourth play, I thought your fighting was really good. Perhaps your boxing experience stood you in good stead for this.

Yamakawa: Right, I think so, especially the timing and the speed of the movements. I had meetings with the actors playing opposite me and I had to remember the fight patterns. If I hadn’t done that it would have been dangerous. I practiced a lot and very seriously.

 

Eye-Ai: Do you enjoy doing the fight sequences?

Yamakawa: I’d rather say I get completely absorbed in them, which is important because otherwise you can get injured.

 

Eye-Ai: I was pleased to see you using guitar in the concert. Do you plan to do that more in your own concerts?

Yamakawa: Yes, actually I have been including more and more guitar in my shows and at present I’m also doing some small concert venues playing guitar with four or five other members. I’m also singing various other kinds of music apart from enka, such as new music.

 

Eye-Ai: You wore a very striking and unusual red suit in the concert. What was it made of

Yamakawa: Yes, It’s right there behind you. It’s made of snakeskin. I wanted to wear good quality clothes but also something that was striking and that could be seen by everyone even at the back of the auditorium.

 

Eye-Ai: Four years ago you had a big hit with “Amerikabashi”. It was used as a theme song for the TBS drama series “Inochi no Genba Kara” starring Nakamura Tamao. Was it chosen because it was a hit or did it become a hit as a result of being used as the theme song?

Yamakawa: I think that the exposure on the TV series was what brought it to people’s attention. That happens a lot with enka songs, don’t you think? What I mean is that something triggers the song becoming popular, and then the song takes off naturally. But even if an enka song doesn’t sell well, still a lot of people know it. But in this case it was a long time coming.

 

Eye-Ai: A long time?

Yamakawa: Yes, it (Amerikabashi) took a long time to become a hit. It was three years from the time it was released to the time when it became very well known. That song attracted the widest range of fans, from the very young to the elderly. It’s a very special song for me that will be with me always.

 

Eye-Ai: By the way, is Amerikabashi a real place?

Yamakawa: Yes, it’s in Ebisu (Tokyo).

 

Eye-Ai: Have you been there?

Yamakawa: Yes, I have. It’s where MacArthur came. The American military were stationed around there. The bridge was built in Meiji 38 (1905) for the American Exposition and it was bought by Japan and brought over here afterwards. In the song I am singing about that bridge. It used to be paved with stone and it had a nostalgic atmosphere. It therefore made a good topic for the lyrics of a song. Of course, now it’s covered with asphalt, and when you look at the bridge there’s no way of knowing its history.

 

Well, we have run out of space for this month. We hope you have enjoyed this first part of the interview with Yamakawa Yutaka. Be sure to catch next month’s issue in which we will bring you his answers to questions about his ongoing music activities, and about more personal aspects of his life, such his 10th wedding anniversary, and the effect of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on his life.

 

Last month we brought you the first installment of our interview with enka singer Yamakawa Yutaka, which took place while he was performing in a monthﾕs show at the Koma Theater in Tokyo. Among other topics, he talked about his stage name, his preparations for the play, and about his hit record “Amerikabashi”. As we continue this month, read on to learn about his ongoing music activities, and about more personal aspects of his life.

Eye-Ai: Your latest release is “Wakare Yuki”. Please tell me about it.

Yamakawa: The latest record is a return to the “Hakodate Honsen” type of enka. (“Hakodate Honsen” was Yamakawaﾕs debut song.) After I had a big hit with “Amerikabashi”, the next four songs were kind of pop music and karaoke fans asked me to release a really traditional enka song next, so this is it. The response has been very good.

Eye-Ai: I know you are a big fan of Itsuki Hiroshi. Have you done any work together with him?

Yamakawa: We briefly cross paths on the occasional TV program, but thatﾕs all. I just donﾕt get to meet him. But I still go and see his shows whenever I can. I respect him a lot.

Eye-Ai: If you had a chance to appear with him, what would you like to do?

Yamakawa: Well. Iﾕd like to appear on stage with him, or a TV program, do a show together, or something like that.

Eye-Ai: What events have you done with your older brother, Toba Ichiro?

Yamakawa: Iﾕve appeared in plays with him, but weﾕve stopped doing concerts together for a while. However, next year we are planning a joint concert.

Eye-Ai: I went to see you and your brother in joint concert at Omiya Sonic City a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much, so I’ll look forward to this next one.

Yamakawa: Youﾕre always enthusiastic about enka and study up hard about it, donﾕt you! You know, a lot of interviewers come and they donﾕt have a clue about enka or my work, especially thatﾕs been the trend recently.

Eye-Ai: Your brother and Kitajima Saburo are on the same record label and they have just released a duet together. Do you have any plans to release a duet with anyone from your own recording label (Toshiba EMI)?

Yamakawa: No, not at present, but it’s something to think about. I also want to release a duet with my brother and weﾕre working on that now.

Eye-Ai: Actually, last time we met you talked about how you’d like to do a duet with a foreign singer, so how about doing one with Utada Hikaru, whoﾕs also on your Toshiba EMI label?

Yamakawa: Eh? That would be impossible!

Eye-Ai: Don’t you like the idea?

Yamakawa: No, it’s not that. If it were an American song made into a Japanese cover version and I did the Japanese and she did the English version it would be OK. Or if it were a song like “Sukiyaki” then itﾕs within the realm of possibility, for example if English lyrics were written for it. Actually, at one point the possibility of making an English version of “Amerikabashi” was discussed. I guess it could work because karaoke is popular over there, too, isn’t it?

Eye-Ai: In 2000 what did you do to celebrate your 20th anniversary?

Yamakawa: I had concerts and many different events, including one in which I shook 2,000 people’s hands! Basically my theme was of a kind of return to my roots after 20 years.

Eye-Ai: Have you been back to Hawaii since 1995, and do you have any plans to go from now?

Yamakawa: Yes, I’ve been back there many times both for shows and privately. I really want to go again, but the problem is flying.

Eye-Ai: Do you mean because of the September 11 terrorist attack?

Yamakawa: Well, that just made it worse, but even before then I hated flying.

Eye-Ai: Unfortunately there’s no other way to get to Hawaii, is there?

Yamakawa: No, that’s right. And then since the terrorist attack I just haven’t been able to fly at all.

Eye-Ai: How about domestic flights? Are you OK flying within Japan?

Yamakawa: No, I don’t take any planes. I take the train everywhere, from Hokkaido to Kyushu.

Eye-Ai: Do your fans from Hawaii still come to Japan to support your concerts here?

Yamakawa: Yes, they do, especially in the fall there’s always a group that comes. I am very lucky to have such fans. That’s why I feel I really must go to Hawaii, but...

Eye-Ai: In recent years, have you done any other overseas concerts aside from Hawaii?

Yamakawa: Yes, last year I was invited by the Korean government to perform for a Japan-Korea exchange event. The Korean government extended me the invitation and issued a visa to me. I had a concert in Seoul, and Japanese and Korean fans got together.

Eye-Ai: The Japanese economy has been worsening. Has this had an effect on you?

Yamakawa: Most definitely. It’s had a big impact and the amount of work keeps dropping, but as I see it, you can complain and moan about it or you can get on and do your best, and I choose to do the latter. The fact is everyone’s in the same boat. That’s why it’s important that we singers support each other, like performing together in this play I’m doing now.

Eye-Ai: Last time we met you told me that composing was one of your hobbies. Is that still the case?

Yamakawa: Yes it is my interest, but actually I haven’t been doing any recently. When things settle down I’ll get back to it.

Eye-Ai: If my calculation is correct, it’s your 10th wedding anniversary this year, isn’t it?

Yamakawa: That’s right. We have two children. The elder is seven and a first-grader, and the younger is four. Yeah, Iﾕve been thinking about that and wondering what I should do. I think Iﾕll take my wife somewhere “just the two of us” like an onsen, and give her a break from looking after our children and dealing with all the household responsibilities.

(Actually, Yamakawa-sanﾕs wife was present during some of the interview, but had stepped out of the room when I asked this question. She seemed very happy when she came back to hear that heﾕd been planning something special!)

Eye-Ai: Your mother is 70 now, I think. Has she stopped pearl diving?

Yamakawa: Yes sheﾕs now 70 and doesnﾕt do that work any more.

Eye-Ai: You must be relieved about that.

Yamakawa: Yes, I am, but on the other hand Iﾕm also concerned that she still stays active. That’s important because if she suddenly stops all activity it wonﾕt be good for her health, so I want her to do some exercise that’s appropriate for her.

Eye-Ai: Finally, do you have a message for the readers?

Yamakawa: Yes, Iﾕd like to continue at my own pace. It’s a long path so I don’t want to overdo it. And of course, if I can, I’d like to go to Hawaii.

Eye-Ai: Thank you very much for sparing the time for this interview.

Yamakawa: It was my pleasure. Please take care of yourself.

It was a great pleasure meeting Yamakawa-san again and as always, he was extremely gracious and generous with his time. We look forward to following his ongoing career and hope that in the not too distant future he can overcome his dislike of flying and visit his fans outside of Japan.