<figure id="attachment_295592" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-295592" style="width: 4000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8339ce0b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/02/aflo_36626566.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-295592" class="wp-caption-text">Saburo Kitajima reigns at the top of the enka world. The &#8220;Kitajima Family&#8221; boasted an iron-clad unity, but&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
 Saburo Kitajima has been at the top of the enka world for a long time. However, due to the COVID-19 crisis and age-related health problems, he is rarely seen on the stage.
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 In 2001, he announced his graduation from the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Singing Contest), and in 2003, he ended his performance as the head of the troupe. He made one special appearance in Kohaku in 2006, but the opportunities to hear him sing live have dwindled.
 Last year on New Year&#8217;s Eve, Sabu appeared on &#8220;Toshiwasure Nippon no Uta&#8221; (TV Tokyo) for the first time in two years. Although she remained in a wheelchair until the end, she sang &#8220;Matsuri&#8221; and other representative songs.
 In &#8217;16, she underwent surgery for myelopathy, a chronic illness, and in &#8217;19 she underwent surgery at home to remove both toes from her legs. In 1919, she broke seven toes on both feet at home. Since then, it has become difficult for her to walk, and she has been living in a wheelchair.
 The &#8220;Goudai,&#8221; who has wounds all over his body, has recently made a major decision.
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 The singers belonging to the Kitajima Music Office, except for Mr. Kitajima, will leave the office at the end of March. The office will remain only in form, but in effect it will be the dismantling of the Kitajima family.
 A look at the office&#8217;s website shows that the singers named as Kitajima&#8217;s top group are veteran singer Yuuri Harada and Kitayama Takeshi, Kitajima&#8217;s daughter-in-law. All others except Kitajima, including Yutaka Oe, who got his big break on &#8220;Sanma&#8217;s Super Karakuri TV&#8221; (TBS), will become independent from the office.
 The COVID-19 crisis took a heavy toll on the entertainment industry, but it was especially hard on the enka world. Their style was to travel around the countryside for concerts, sales events, and campaigns, and to sell their CDs by hand.
 The COVID-19 crisis wiped them out. And although concerts resumed around last year, the enka music fan base is older, so people are naturally cautious, and the number of customers has not returned as expected. Even the Kitajima family could not resist the adversity.
 Not only singers but also executive staff members are leaving the Kitajima office. When we inquired at the Kitajima Music Office about this matter, they replied, &#8220;There is no such story.
 When we inquired at the Kitajima Music Office about this, they replied, &#8220;There is no such talk. It is just a rumor.
 But&#8230;.
 The BS TV TOKYO music program &#8220;Sabu-chan to uta buddy,&#8221; which Kitajima hosted, will also end in March.
 The Kitajima family boasted an iron-clad unity, including Joji Yamamoto, who was his number one disciple. Although they will be downsizing as a production company, the bond with Kitajima will not disappear so easily&#8230;

 Yoshio Tsunoda/Afro

 Saburo Kitajima has reigned at the top of the enka world. Since his injury in 2007, he has not been seen on stage as often as he would like. The COVID-19 crisis has also brought about a difficult situation in the enka world, and the great singer has finally decided...


Saburo Kitajima has finally decided to dismantle the Kitajima family at the end of March, when his disciples, including Yuri Harada and Yutaka Oe, go independent&#8230;

Saburo Kitajima has finally decided to dismantle the Kitajima family at the end of March, when his disciples, including Yuri Harada and Yutaka Oe, go independent…

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