Michiya Mihashi--From the site of his melancholy voice (1930s-1940s)

Michiya Mihashi--From the site of his melancholy voice (1930s-1940s)

In the 1950s and 1960s, Japan was in a transitional period as it emerged from the ruins of postwar devastation and headed toward rapid economic growth. However, behind the prosperity of big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, people in rural areas were still struggling to make ends meet, and physical labor in coal mines, ports, and factories was the daily routine. In such an era, the voice of Michiya Mihashi was quietly but surely echoing in the rural areas.

Unlike the fashionable urban songs of the day, Mihashi's songs had a "down-to-earth" feel that was rooted in the daily lives of the people. In particular, his representative songs, such as "A melancholy train," "Old castle," and "Tatasha de na," sounded as if they were the sentiments of the workers themselves, and gave them the strength to face their nostalgia for home, the pain of parting, and loneliness. These songs were not mere consolation or distraction, but served as "pillars" of labor, reminding workers to "work again tomorrow.

In those days, radio was an important medium for entertainment and information, and Mihashi's songs were the daily background music even at rice fields and fishing ports in mountainous areas where electricity was sparse. His sweet, taut voice and unique style, which blended enka with minyo (traditional Japanese folk song) verses, reached the weary body.

At a time when the word "entertainment" was still a "distant thing," Mihashi was a bridge between labor and entertainment. His songs were not something to be "watched" like on TV or in movies, but rather to be "listened to while working" and thus became a source of emotional support for the people who listened to them. His voice certainly rang out in the Showa era labor scene.