Hit Song Jorogumo: Hitomi Nishikawa’s Dedication to Preserving Aki Yashiro’s Shiranui Jouwa

Enka singer Hitomi Nishikawa, whose previous song “Onnaeshi” sold more than 10,000 copies in Japan. Hitomi Nishikawa, an enka singer, said, “I absolutely wanted to sing this song.

I really wanted to sing this song,” she said.

She sang a new song on August 7, “Shiranui Jowa,” which was written in 2005 by Aki Yatsushiro, a senior singer in her hometown of Kumamoto Prefecture.

I was born in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, six houses down from Aki Yatsushiro’s parents’ house. In my hometown, the Ariake Sea is called the Shiranui Sea. Both Ms. Yashiro and I grew up seeing the Shiranui Sea, where you can see the fishing fires. It really is a beautiful sea.

Mr. Yashiro told me, “You have to work hard.

Mr. Yashiro passed away in December 2011 at the age of 73, and this “Shiranui Love Story” was published to commemorate his 35th anniversary. For Mr. Nishikawa, it was a “hometown song” sung by a great star from his hometown. It was natural for him to be strongly attracted to this song.

The last time I met Ms. Yashiro was during the recording of a TV program last year. He was listening to “Onna-ro-hana” and said to me in Kyushu dialect, “You must do your best. I was really happy because he was someone I admired in my hometown.

Mr. Yashiro was still in good health when I decided to cover this song, and then he passed away very suddenly. Because of Mr. Yatsushiro’s passing, I wondered if it would be a good idea to release it right away. But now I am going to sing a local song sung by Ms. Yashiro, whom I adored, and connect it to my own. I couldn’t be happier.

The previous song “Onna-ro-hana” was also sung by composer Chiaki Oka 30 years ago. And this time, “Shiranui Jyogatari” is also an Oka work.