en Hiroshi Itsuki

Itsuki Hiroshi
五木ひろし
Itsuki Hiroshi; 五木ひろし
	2022
Background information
Birth name	Kazuo Matsuyama
Also known as	Masaru Matsuyama (1965-1967); Eiichi Ichijō (1967-1968); Ken Mitani (1969-1971)
Born	March 14, 1948 (age 76); Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Genres	Enka, Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, Composer
Years active	1965–Present
Labels	Tokuma Japan Communications
Website	www.itsuki-hiroshi.co.jp

Hiroshi Itsuki (五木ひろし, Itsuki Hiroshi, born March 14, 1948) is a Japanese singer and composer. As of 1987, he had sold 20 million singles and 4 million LP albums.^[1]

Itsuki is usually regarded as an enka singer, but he has also released a cover version of Southern All Stars' J-pop song "Tsunami".^[2]

Career

In 1965, Itsuki debuted under the stage name "Masaru Matsuyama," but did not initially achieve commercial success. Although he changed his stage name to "Eiichi Ichijō" in 1967, and then to "Ken Mitani" in 1969, there was no improvement in his music's commercial sales. In 1971, he changed his name to "Hiroshi Itsuki" and was given the song "Yokohama Tasogare" (よこはま・たそがれ) by Masaaki Hirao. Written by lyricist Yoko Yamaguchi, "Yokohama Tasogare" reached the top of the Oricon weekly single chart.^[3]

His 2006 single "Takasebune" debuted at number 9 on the Oricon charts, becoming his first Top 10 single in 22 years, since his 1984 single "Nagaragawa Enka".^[4] In 2008, he was featured in Morning Musume's Cover You album. He sang "Izakaya" with Ai Takahashi. Also in 2008, he collaborated with the girl group Cute, letting them record the song "Edo no Temari Uta", he himself was planning to include in his end-of-year album. Cute's producer Tsunku liked the song and thought that if performed by girls the enka lyrics will sound like "a modern fairytale".^[5] In what was called a collaboration by Tsunku^[6] and a rivalry between two performers by Sankei Sports,^[5] they both released the song as CD singles, Cute on July 30, and Itsuki as his 132nd single on October 22. Cute's version, entitled "Edo no Temari Uta II", was nominated for the main Japan Record Award of 2008, which also meant receiving a Gold Award from the Japan Composer's Association.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Discography

Top 10 singles

#	Title	Date/Position
1	Yokohama Tasogare (よこはま・たそがれ Yokohama Twilight) Debut single	1971 (#1)
2	Nagasaki kara fune ni notte (長崎から船に乗って Riding on a boat from Nagasaki)	1971 (#4)
3	Matteiru Onna (待っている女 Woman waiting)	1972 (#6)
4	Anata no Tomoshibi (あなたの灯 Your lamp)	1972 (#5)
5	Yozora (夜空 Night sky)	1973 (#4)
6	Hamahirugao (浜昼顔 Seashore false bindweed)	1974 (#5)
7	Miren (みれん Lingering affection)	1974 (#6)
8	Airenki (哀恋記 Chronicle of a sad love)	1975(#10)
9	Chikumagawa (千曲川 Chikuma River)	1975 (#6)
10	Ai no shihatsu (愛の始発 Love's first train)	1976 (#10)
11	Omae to futari (おまえとふたり A couple with you)	1979 (#3)
12	Shiawase sagashite (倖せさがして Looking for happiness)	1980 (#4)
13	Futari no yoake (ふたりの夜明け Our dawn)	1980 (#10)
14	Sasameyuki (細雪 Light snowfall)	1983 (#9)
15	Nagaragawa enka (長良川艶歌 Enka of the Nagara river)	1984 (#10)
16	Takasebune (高瀬舟 Flatboat)	2006 (#9)

Honours

Japan Record Awards

Grand Prize: 2 times
Best Singing Award: 3 times
Singing Award: 5 times
Gold award: 10 times
Composition Award: 1 time
Best Album Award: 1 time
Planning Award: 2 times
Special prize: 2 times
Masao Koga Memorial Award: Once
Misora Hibari Memorial Award: Once

Other Awards

Medal with Purple Ribbon (2007)
Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (2018)

References

^ Barron, James (1987-06-29). "Japan's Sinatra Sings for Fans in New York". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
^ "五木ひろしが「TSUNAMI」をカバー、「湘南」が「日本海」になる感じ" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
^ "Lyricist and literary award winner Yoko Yamaguchi dies at 77". Japan Times. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2014-09-20.
^ 五木ひろしの新曲「高瀬舟」オリコン初登場９位 [Hiroshi Itsuki's New Song "Takasebune" Debuted at #9 on the Oricon Charts] (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 2006-05-11. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
^ ^a ^b "°C−ｕｔｅと五木ひろしが楽曲を"競作" - 芸能 - SANSPO.COM". SANKEI DIGITAL INC. 2008-07-14. Archived from the original on 2008-07-16. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
^ Tsunku. 江戸の手毬唄II (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
^ "50th Japan Record Awards". Tokyograph. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
^ "EXILE, Jero win Japan Record Awards". Tokyograph. 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
^ "°C-uteが4枚目のアルバム「憧れ My STAR」発売". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2012-07-01.

External links

Hiroshi Itsuki at IMDb
Official Website (in Japanese)

This article about a Japanese singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] Barron, James (1987-06-29). "Japan's Sinatra Sings for Fans in New York". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-02.

[2] "五木ひろしが「TSUNAMI」をカバー、「湘南」が「日本海」になる感じ" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2009-05-20.

[jtimes-3] "Lyricist and literary award winner Yoko Yamaguchi dies at 77". Japan Times. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2014-09-20.

[4] 五木ひろしの新曲「高瀬舟」オリコン初登場９位 [Hiroshi Itsuki's New Song "Takasebune" Debuted at #9 on the Oricon Charts] (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 2006-05-11. Retrieved 2009-05-04.

[sanspo20080714-5] "°C−ｕｔｅと五木ひろしが楽曲を"競作" - 芸能 - SANSPO.COM". SANKEI DIGITAL INC. 2008-07-14. Archived from the original on 2008-07-16. Retrieved 2012-07-01.

[6] Tsunku. 江戸の手毬唄II (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2012-07-01.

[7] "50th Japan Record Awards". Tokyograph. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2012-07-01.

[8] "EXILE, Jero win Japan Record Awards". Tokyograph. 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2012-07-01.

[9] "°C-uteが4枚目のアルバム「憧れ My STAR」発売". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2012-07-01.

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