Unfortunately, this was one aspect of Japanese culture that I never got to participate in...but then again, I get seasick rather easily, so by not doing so, I may have saved my friends from disgust and the tatami on the boat from something rather noxious.
The yakatabune are boats that can be seen sailing in bays and rivers and they can be chartered for private dinner parties. They are regular sights in Tokyo Bay and along the Sumida River, and I would think that at around this time, they must be very busy because it is the year-end party season. Nothing like a traditional seaside cruise and dinner to finish off the year.
Considering how much I've seen enka singer Mika Shinno（神野美伽）on television via programs such as "Uta Con"（うたコン）, I'm surprised that she's only popped up once on KKP, so I must rectify this situation. The Osaka native appeared on an episode of "Shin BS Nihon no Uta"（新・BS日本のうた） recently to perform a March 1989 single of hers, "Shunka Shuutou Yakatabune" (Yakatabune Throughout the Seasons) which was written and composed by Yoshikazu Fukano（深野義和）. It's a gentle and refined enka that emphasizes the gentle sailing of the boats hundreds of years ago with perhaps the only passengers being a romantic couple. No over-boisterous salarymen singing karaoke here. The song reached No. 47 on Oricon.
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