Koji Nogami and Hiroto Tsukasa Ride Enka Boom in Tenjinbashi Live Performance at High School Graduation

In late March, when cherry blossoms had yet to bloom in the heart of Tokyo, a unique sight was witnessed at a high school in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, during the graduation season.

 

Graduation songs vary by generation. Some may recall classics like “Aogeba Toutoshi” or Yumi Matsutoya’s “Sotsugyou Shashin,” while more recent hits like Remioromen’s “March 9th” or Ikimono-gakari’s “YELL” are also well-known.

 

However, there was a school where, oddly enough, a full-fledged enka song was performed live immediately after the graduation ceremony. It was “Tenjinbashi,” currently a smash hit, sung passionately by Koji Nogami and Hiroto Tsukasa at the “Oozora High School Sendai Campus.”

Upon taking the stage, Nogami expressed,

“As soon as I stepped onto the stage, I was enveloped by the smiles of the high school students before me. Although I’ve performed on various stages before, I experienced a sense of excitement and emotion that I’ve never felt before!”

His excitement was palpable and unabated.

Behind the scenes of this surprise appearance on graduation day, there was a heartwarming story.

It all began when students from the school participated in a contest organized by the karaoke magazine “Uta no Techo” to commemorate the release of “Tenjinbashi,” called the “National ‘Tenjinbashi’ Singing Photo & Video Contest in Your Town.” Six students from the school submitted a video of themselves singing and dancing on campus while wearing sunglasses. Their video won the grand prize.

The song “Tenjin Bridge,” which has been steadily climbing the enka and kayokyoku charts and gaining popularity nationwide, is still far from being a huge hit. Moreover, it was unexpected that high school students would produce a group video of this song.

As if to repay Ohzora High School, this time both Mr. Nogami and Mr. Tsukasa surprised the students by making a surprise appearance after the graduation ceremony. Mr. Nogami expressed,

“I am deeply moved by the fact that high school students sang our ‘Tenjin Bridge’ and made a video. The bond created through music is something that lasts a lifetime!”

Mr. Tsukasa also expressed,

“I felt that my life as a singer would be even more enjoyable if I could continue to connect with various people through music!”

Their performance seemed to bring even greater joy to the graduating high school students.

Currently, there is an unprecedented “Showa Kayokyoku Boom” among young people nationwide and overseas. It is said that one factor is the ease of viewing past music videos on the internet, such as YouTube and Instagram.

Songs like “Stay With Me” by Miki Matsubara, released in ’79, and “Dancing Hero (Eat You Up)” by Yoko Oginome in ’85, are often heard recently.

In the midst of this Showa Kayokyoku Boom, a “Kayokyoku Surprise” performance was held after the graduation ceremony. The students who participated in the filming of “Tenjin Bridge” expressed,

“Although filming the video was tough, it was so much fun! We were able to impersonate Mr. Nogami and Mr. Tsukasa perfectly. We never expected to win, so thank you for choosing us!

When the two of them made a surprise appearance, we almost added the chorus of ‘Osaka Osaka~.’ We were surprised because we didn’t realize it was a surprise for us!! It was an unforgettable experience!”

 

High school students singing and dancing to kayokyoku. It may be a sign of a new movement in the world of kayokyoku and enka.