When the Curtain Rises on a Journey--"Ii Hi Tabidachi" and Momoe's Quiet Determination (1978)

When the Curtain Rises on a Journey--"Ii Hi Tabidachi" and Momoe's Quiet Determination (1978)

In 1978, Japan was in the midst of the gentle swell of the times after the end of its rapid economic growth. Folk music was flowing through the streets, and people's values were shifting from "things" to "heart. Momoe Yamaguchi's "Ii Hi Tabidachi" was born as if to reflect the atmosphere of such an era. Written by Shinji Tanimura as a campaign song for Japan National Railways, her serene voice breathed life into the scene of departure.

Momoe was 20 years old at the time, and was at a crossroads in her career as an entertainer, carrying the glory and torment of her teenage years, as well as her public love affair with Tomokazu Miura. The lyrics of the song, "There's someone waiting for me," echo her own yearning for the future. Traveling is an act of looking back at the past and at the same time taking a new step forward. The song "Ii Hi Tabidachi" was a symbol of this.

The following year, she announced her retirement and put down the microphone at the Budokan. This decision was also the conclusion of her "spiritual journey" of quietly stepping down from the stage of show business. This song remains in our memories as a prelude to her life itself.