Saturday, August 20, 2011

Channel NewsAsia

Join us this week as we take a nostalgic trip down memory land to places which inspired various classic Japanese hit songs. First up is a tour around Tokyo, a treasure trove of hit songs. The city has inspired many songs such as Student Street, Bath House and The Slope. Our first destination is Kanda River, connected with the famous folk song Kanda River (Kandagawa) by Minami Kosetsu and Kaguya-Hime. The lyrics of the song - which was released in 1973 - can be found at a park here. Since the lyrics of the song mention a bath house, go to Waseda and visit the Tsukinoyu Bath House. Built in 1928, this popular place still offers an old bath house experience. For example, it has retained its original high ceiling – a common feature of old bath houses. It is customary to drink some milk before leaving a bath house, so do buy the classic coffee milk for 100 yen (S$1.50), which comes in a glass bottle.

4 comments:

  1. Join us this week as we take a nostalgic trip down memory land to places which inspired various classic Japanese hit songs. First up is a tour around Tokyo, a treasure trove of hit songs. The city has inspired many songs such as Student Street, Bath House and The Slope. Our first destination is Kanda River, connected with the famous folk song Kanda River (Kandagawa) by Minami Kosetsu and Kaguya-Hime. The lyrics of the song - which was released in 1973 - can be found at a park here. Since the lyrics of the song mention a bath house, go to Waseda and visit the Tsukinoyu Bath House. Built in 1928, this popular place still offers an old bath house experience. For example, it has retained its original high ceiling – a common feature of old bath houses. It is customary to drink some milk before leaving a bath house, so do buy the classic coffee milk for 100 yen (S$1.50), which comes in a glass bottle.

    After this, head to Ochanomizu, a student area. There are many universities located here, such as Chuo University, Meiji University and Nihon University. As you walk towards the student area of Hongo in Bunkyo-ku, the popular song, Student Street Tea Lounge by folk group Garo, comes to mind. It was one of the biggest hits of 1972 - the same year Sapporo hosted the first Winter Olympics in Asia. The song talks about students hanging out at tea lounges. So, drop by the Rouault Tea Lounge located in front of Tokyo University. It is named after the artist Georges Rouault, and its logo even features a paint palette. Opened 58 years ago, this nostalgic tea lounge has served many generations of students. Decorated with paintings on the walls, this quiet and quaint little tea lounge is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. It still has its original menu, with a cup of coffee costing 50 yen and curry rice at 100 yen. The same furniture – featuring low tables and chairs - has also been used all these years. Order the Ceylon curry rice, which comes with coffee. The curry rice has still retained its traditional taste; the flavour cannot be found in other restaurants. In the past, students used to go to tea lounges to host study groups or book clubs. Now, they still visit the lounges, but with their laptops in tow!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Next, go the university residential area, which is a 10-minute walk from the tea lounge. You will be surprised to see that there are still some boarding houses in the area. One such boarding house is Toshimakan, which provides lodging for students in Bunkyo-ku. In the past, meals were served in the boarding houses, but now only rooms are provided. A 0.480-square foot room costs 50,000 yen (S$770) to rent. Facilities include a communal kitchen and students have their own refrigerator.

    Another place worth visiting in Tokyo which is connected to music is Nippon Budokan, which is near Kudanshita. Originally built for the Olympics, The Beatles held their concert at Nippon Budokan in 1966. So after that, every musician aspired to perform at Nippon Budokan someday. In fact, in 1976, Minami Kosetsu was the first solo musician to hold a concert there. After Nippon Budokan, head to Harajuku, which is closely associated with folk music. Previously a popular hangout for adults, it is now a famous youth area. Yoshida Takuro, a charismatic folk singer in the 1970s, was a very active musician in this area. He even wrote a hit song with Harajuku as the subject – called Bourbon at Penny Lane. Penny Lane is an actual bar in Harajuku. The bar closed down for a short period in 2006 and later reopened at a different location near its original venue. However, the Penny Lane logo still remains the same. A popular gyoza shop now occupies the former site of Penny Lane. Currently, the bar is owned by Mr. Misaki, who was also the manager of Yamamoto Kotaro and Weekend. In the past, people came especially to Harajuku because of the song Bourbon at Penny Lane, and they usually ended up ordering bourbon. The bar still keeps the vintage glasses which people used to drink bourbon in the past. The spacious second floor of the bar has a stage, where live shows used to be held.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Our next destination is Kichijoji, which is sometimes called George. It used to be a popular hangout among creative people such as actors, filmmakers, artists and folk singers. Folk music icon Takada Wataru used to live in Kichijoji. In the 1970s, Kichijoji was known as the “holy land” of folk music, with the folk music here being branded as Kichijoji Folk. Everyone wanted to perform at Kichijoji and many folk musicians made their debut at the Gwarando Live House. In its heyday, there were over 30 record stores in Kichijoji. Few of these stores still exist but a recommended one for fans of folk music is the Rare Used Record Store. Opened in 2003, the store was originally located in Ogikubo. It boasts a huge collection of folk classics and rare vinyl records. An example is the single I Only Live Once – which was a bit hit after the war - by Folk Crusaders. Yet another popular shop is Iseya. Iconic folk singer Takada Wataru used to come here all the time. Many other folk singers used to gather at Iseya, which has been in business for 80 years. A branch of Iseya, which opened at the same time as the main Iseya, is located by a park nearby.

    Next, ride along the Chuo Line and alight at Ogikubo-ekimae, which is two stations away from Kichijoji. Visit a folk pub here called Rakuyo, which has been named after the famous song Rakuyo by Yoshida Takuro. Many famous musicians are patrons of this pub, which is a haven for middle-aged folk musicians. They like to come here for a drink and to sing their favorite songs after work. Folk pubs can be found throughout Japan now, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, but Rakuyo is said to be the pioneer one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Our next adventure down memory lane takes us to Yokohama, the subject of many hit songs. There are more than 2,400 songs which mention Yokohama in the title. The city has inspired many famous songs, but the top three which come to mind are Harbor’s Yoko Yokohama Yokosuka by Downtown Boogie Woogie Band; Yokohama Twilight by Itsuki Hiroshi; and of course Blue Light Yokohama by Ishida Ayumi. The single Blue Light Yokohama has sold over 1 million copies, and it has been a best-selling single for 40 years!

    First, we will go to the fashion area of Motomachi, which is well known for its Shopping Street. Many fashion trends originated in Yokohama and in the 1970s, it used to attract huge crowds. It was a popular dating spot, and even now, many couples flock to the area on weekends. A well known dating spot is the Minato no Mieru Oka Park, which is very near Motomachi. In the mid-70s, youths loved to hang out in Motomachi and around the same time, a popular fashion trend emerged. That particular style was called Yokohama Traditional or Hamatora. It started as a trend among university girls, but soon spread to all the young girls in Japan. The three sacred items of the Hamatora style are bags, clothes, and shoes. Some of the classic shops selling these items still exist today. For example, Kitamura – a speciality shop for bags - has been in business since 1883. The "K" logo is the iconic symbol of the shop. In the 1970s, a Kitamura bag was a "must-have" accessory for Hamatora girls. Another shop, Mihama, has been in business since 1924, and many girls would buy flat shoes from here as part of the Hamatora style. This shoe design is still quite popular today. A third shop is Fukuzo, a shop that led the Hamatora fashion trend. Fukuzo Yohinten has been in business since 1947, and it sells items originally made by the store. The seahorse logo is its iconic symbol. In the 1970s, the most popular outfit as part of the Hamatora style comprised a 3/4-sleeve blouse with a pair of culottes or a skirt, and flats worn with patterned tights. Back then, girls from all over the country would come to Fukuzo in Motomachi to shop. When new designs were put on the racks, a long queue would form outside the shop. It was so crowded that after their shopping, customers had to leave from the back so that other customers could come in from the front.

    ReplyDelete