Love on a Wet Boat--Aki Yashiro, Song Narrative of Sorrow and Emotion - to 2023

Love on a Wet Boat--Aki Yashiro, Song Narrative of Sorrow and Emotion - to 2023

Aki Yashiro was born on August 29, 1950 in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, and her real name is Akiyo Hashimoto. Growing up in a coal mining town, she lived in poverty and loneliness from an early age, relying on singing. After graduating from high school, she moved to Tokyo to pursue her dream, but was pushed back by the harshness of the world, and her heart was so shaken that she sometimes almost gave up her dream of becoming a singer.

Finally, in 1971, she made her debut with "Even If Love Dies. However, the road to success was far from smooth sailing. Nevertheless, she never stopped singing, and her passion for singing finally blossomed in 1973 with "Namida Koi. When this song became a big hit, Yatsushiro's voice was recognized for its melancholy and ability to touch people's hearts.

In "Funauta" (1979) and "Ame no Kojo" (1980), Yatsushiro sang about the shadows of life. In his voice, the traces of his former confusion and resurrection are engraved, striking a chord in the hearts of those who hear him. She won the Japan Record Award for "Ame no Boujo" and appeared many times on NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Singing Contest). She has established her reputation as the queen of enka (traditional Japanese balladry), but behind her lies layers and layers of past silence and solitary, invisible efforts.

In particular, "Ame no Boujo," released in 1980, is a milestone in the history of enka in Japan. The golden duo of lyricist Yu Aku and composer Keisuke Hama once again teamed up to depict the deep longing for love that is still there in the hearts of those who seek it by getting drenched in the rain and revealing the wounds in their hearts. The opening phrase "Ame ame fure fure fure more fure ......" is reminiscent of a children's song, but in fact it is a concentrated blow of the emotions of loss and longing.

This song is not just a song about lost love. It is a testament to the "life" of a person whose love is broken, but who still continues to think of someone else deep in his heart. The arrangement changes from a quiet rain-like tone in the beginning to an overflowing passion, as if a wave of emotion is slowly filling the listener's heart. Yashiro's rich voice and her use of verses in this song relentlessly shakes the hearts of the listeners. With this song, Yatsushiro has transcended the framework of enka and become a national singer.

In the 2000s, Yatsushiro took on a new challenge. Seeking a different form of expression from her former self, she began working in earnest as a painter. He was selected for the "Le Salon" in France, and began to depict his inner feelings through his paintbrush. In addition to enka (traditional Japanese balladry), he also dabbled in other genres such as jazz and blues. This was her very own way of moving forward even though she was lost in her search for new forms of expression.

On December 30, 2023, she passed away at the age of 73 due to interstitial pneumonia. The news of her death marked the end of a soul who had lived through the Showa era, the Heisei era, and the 2021 era. Her voice, however, was born amidst confusion, grew up amidst suffering, and shone beyond hope. Even now, like a boat in the rain, she remains quietly but surely close to the heart of Japan.