The Hidden Meaning Behind the Musical Note in Seiko Matsuda’s Former Mansion the Seiko Palace

On April 1st, singer Seiko Matsuda (63) celebrated her 45th debut anniversary.

“Seiko, who made her record debut in 1980 with ‘Hadashi no Kisetsu,’ went on to release hit songs such as ‘Aoi Sangosho’ and ‘Akai Sweet Pea.’ She even appeared on the ‘NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen’ from her very first year. In her private life, she married actor Masaki Kanda (74) in 1985. The following year, in 1986, they started their newlywed life in a newly built detached house in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo” (Entertainment reporter for a sports newspaper).

The mansion Seiko lived in during her single days was located in a quiet residential area in Meguro Ward, where she had invited her parents from her hometown of Kurume City (Fukuoka Prefecture) to live with her.

Now, 40 years later, in early April, FRIDAY Digital visited the site of the mansion. While the gate showed signs of rust and age, “Seiko’s Palace” still quietly stood in the upscale residential area

“Seiko is no longer living here, but the house itself is still standing. In the past, there was a nameplate that said ‘Kamachi Planning,’ which had her real name on it. It was removed, though, because someone had vandalized it.

The day of her wedding to Kanda-san was quite a commotion. From the morning, there were many staff members and security personnel from her agency, and a row of black limousines and broadcast vehicles were lined up. When Seiko came out of the mansion, the media and fans formed a grand procession to the wedding venue. The 20-minute journey from the mansion to the venue was broadcast live across the country” (Neighboring resident).

In Seiko’s mansion, there are still musical note ornaments written on staff paper. What do they mean?

“They represent the chorus part of her breakout hit, ‘Aoi Sangosho.’ However, it seems that some malicious fans took a few of the notes, causing them to be scattered. The reason ‘Aoi Sangosho’ was chosen among all her hit songs is likely because she has a special attachment to this song” (Music industry insider).

To mark her 45th debut anniversary, Seiko announced the completion of her new song, Shapes of Happiness. Even after turning 60, she continues to be an idol.