Yumi Matsutoya/Noriyuki Makihara -- Haru yo, Koi （春よ、来い）

Yup, May 1st...about a good month since the O-Hanami season came and went in the Tokyo area, but over here in Toronto, apparently this is the week to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom in what may be the only large area to see them in the city, High Park.

Musically, one of the songs that has become symbolic of the Spring season has been Yuming's（ユーミン） 26th single, "Haru yo, Koi" (Come, Spring). A delicate and beautifully haunting tune, its fame has far outgrown its original use as the theme song of the 1994 NHK morning serial drama of the same name. Released in October 1994, it has been used in a number of commercials and the music retrospectives, and even in graduation ceremonies. Just my opinion, but I think amongst her most recent work, "Haru yo, Koi" is probably the most representative in the last 20 years. It's sure to be heard around March and April as much as any of her Xmas tunes are heard in December.

Not surprisingly, "Haru yo, Koi" hit the top spot on Oricon and became the 47th-ranked song of 1994 and the 49th-ranked song of 1995. It was a million-seller, and was also included on her 26th album, "The Dancing Sun" which also hit the top spot and became the 3rd-ranked album of 1995.

Following the March 11 2011 Earthquake, Yuming and NHK collaborated on a project to support recovery efforts. Titled "(Minna no) Haru yo, Koi" (Come, [Everybody's] Spring), the project involved asking for people to send in videos singing the song. The videos were then edited and brought together as one mass video chorus behind the singer to be put up onto the Net. She even appeared on the 2011 Kohaku Utagassen for a special performance of the project.

Noriyuki Makihara（槇原敏之）, among others, performed a slightly different cover of "Haru yo, Koi" on his 1998 album, "Listen to the Music" which peaked at No. 2 on the album charts.