Haruo Oka - "Chakki Chakki" singer who brightly colored postwar reconstruction, 1940s-1950s

Haruo Oka - "Chakki Chakki" singer who brightly colored postwar reconstruction, 1940s-1950s

Haruo Oka was born in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture in 1918, and became one of the leading singers of the postwar song reconstruction period. He began his singing career in the 1940s, but was drafted into the army during World War II, which interrupted his musical career. In the chaos and burnt ruins of the postwar period, people were seeking new hope, despite the hardships of life and social unrest. At that time, Haruo Oka's bright and folksy voice gave many people the strength to live.

His masterpiece "Tokyo no hanayasume" (1947), about a flower seller in postwar Tokyo, depicts the lives of ordinary people with a clear and lively melody. The song became popular as a symbol of reconstruction and breathed a bright wind into the society of the time. This song symbolizes the joy of ordinary people regaining their daily lives again, as if to add flowers to the burnt ruins of the postwar period.

The songs "Minato Chanson" and "Longing for a Hawaiian Passage" were also big hits, reflecting the yearning for foreign countries and curiosity about new cultures. These songs coincided with the postwar period when Japan was once again moving forward into the international community, and Oka's songs inspired hope for the future in the common people.

Haruo Oka, known as "Chaki-Chakki Oka," was popular on stage for his cheerful character, which brought out the spirit of the Edo child. While his contemporary Ichiro Fujiyama sang songs of high quality and authenticity, and Noboru Kirishima sang lyrical songs that evoked nostalgia, Haruo Oka reflected the mood of the times with his brightness and folkiness. In the midst of postwar reconstruction, his voice was deeply loved by the people as a source of hope and cheer.