Aki Yashiro -- Omoide Douri（想い出通り）

 

2023 was a year in which we sadly observed a lot of music figures in Japan leaving this mortal coil. From Yellow Magic Orchestra's Yukihiro Takahashi（高橋幸宏）to guitarist Takako Suzuki（鈴木孝子）from the rock band Pink Sapphire, it's been a tough time. And unfortunately as one fan on the street said earlier on the NHK news broadcast, another major piece from the Showa era music tapestry has left us.

Aki Yashiro（八代亜紀）died on December 30th last year at the age of 73. She had come down with some health issues in 2023 but it was still a shock to get the announcement that was made only today. The enka singer from Kumamoto Prefecture was always someone who struck me with her vivacious beauty and that distinctive smoky voice. And yet, my impression was that though she was very amiable in interviews, the singer also had a self-effacing side to her. I had a secondhand experience in knowing about Yashiro since one of my students who has been a real estate agent once mentioned that she had tried to help the singer in finding a new home. She described her as very kind if slightly flighty.

Yashiro was also a fairly regular presence on "Uta Con"（うたコン）and I'm sure that she was even more so with the NHK music program's predecessors including "Kayo Concert"（歌謡コンサート）. "Uta Con" probably won't return for a week or two but when it does, I'm sure that there will be a tribute to the singer with her biggest hits such as "Ame no Bojou"（雨の慕情）and "Funauta"（舟唄）being featured.

In my own tribute, I would like to present Yashiro's final single, her 110th since her debut in 1971, "Omoide Douri" (Memory Lane) which was released in March of last year. Written by lyricist and former actress Keiko Yuuki（悠木圭子）and composed by Yashiro herself, it's a bittersweet mix of enka and pop reminiscing about that lost lover, whether by breakup or death. In a way, the song might also have Yashiro's fans also looking back like the protagonist in the lyrics at the singer's own accomplishments and appearances.

My condolences go to Yashiro's family, friends and many fans.