Yoshimi Tendo -- Tabiji（旅路）

 

Watching "Uta Con"（うたコン）earlier today, I saw that the husband-and-wife folk duo Humbert Humbert（ハンバート ハンバート）were back to perform what has probably become their most famous work, "Warattari Korondari"（笑ったり転んだり）which is also the reassuring theme song for the current NHK morning serial drama "Bakebake"（ばけばけ...The Ghost Writer's Wife）. That will wrap up by the end of this month, and to me, it's been the asadora that has really zipped by as in "I can't believe it's already finishing!" although it did start up all the way back at the end of September.

Maybe it's because the show has basically stayed within one time period instead of going through decades of time and the fact that any turbulent crises were pretty minor and quickly resolved, but it's also been one of the more comfortable and comedic serials that I've seen. Apparently, tourism to the city of Matsue where the story has mostly been based enjoyed a nice bump in tourism. Plus, I think the main character Heavin-sensei's pronunciation of "subarashii" has been copied in jest a number of times.

Just wanted to get my thoughts on "Bakebake" out of the way. In any case, enka singer Yoshimi Tendo（天童よしみ）was back on the show as well to perform her latest single which came out at the end of January, "Tabiji" (The Journey). According to the Teichiku Records Tendo YouTube channel (where the above video originates), "Tabiji" completes the trilogy of Showa Era-inspired songs which includes "Showa Katagi"（昭和かたぎ）and "Showa Gokoro"（昭和ごころ）.

Written by Reiji Mizuki（水木れいじ ）and composed by Hideo Mizumori（水森かおり）, "Tabiji" really does sound like an enka tune out of the last few decades of Showa. Maybe the only thing that's missing is a mournful background chorus. From what I've understood of the lyrics thus far is that a couple married for many years is looking back on their own journey together and haven't regretted the path they've taken. I'm hoping that will also be the case with Heavin-sensei and Toki by the end of "Bakebake".