"Harebutai" (Japanese)

Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother Embraces his Japanese heritage Never sang Enka outside the family Coming to Japan Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer His clothes are part of his identity Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage Trying to convey the meaning of the songs Nikkei Sansei Considers Pittsburg his home, but always wanted to live in Japan Singing the way I sing (Japanese) "Harebutai" (Japanese) Getting on Kohaku (Japanese) The first concert in the United States (Japanese)

Transcripts available in the following languages:

(Japanese) This song, yeah, when it first debuted, it seems obvious that it’s a story about my grandmother, but my mother was the one who raised me all by herself, though we didn’t talk very much about Japan, yeah. I’m pretty sure that there were a lot of painful memories. Even knowing that, I’d ask her about it, but she wouldn’t go into any details when she answered. Still, it left me with kind of a lingering sense of how hard it must have been, but even though she had such difficult memories that she held on to—she really threw herself into raising me—it’s why I’m an Enka singer now. I really have her to thank, and I really want to express that in my singing. Yeah.

Date: March 30, 2010
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Interview by Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum. Courtesy of Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

enka identity music