Hachiro Kasuga -- Inochi Tsubunure (いのちつぶ濡れ)

Oh, Hachi, why do you look so awkward? I say that as if I'm any less awkward when having my photo taken.

Horerutte kouiu koto ka yo

I was recently on another trip to Fukushima. I was game on doing some travelling during my now-ended spring break. I knew it had to be Fukushima again, and I knew it wasn't going to be solely for R&R. And so, I travelled back into the mountains of the Aizu region, to the small town of Bange (会津坂下) for the third time in six years to do some data collection at the Kasuga Hachiro Omoide-kan (春日八郎おもいで館) for my thesis.

I knew that I had to make contact with Hachi's museum for something like this eventually because it's essentially one of the Hachi info mines. My professor also urged me to build bridges with the museum as well - at the minimum, find out if they're willing to help. And so, I decided that Spring break would be the time to get serious and do so. But, truth be told, I was horribly nervous because I didn't know what to expect. I'd never done fieldwork of this scale and in a more or less official institution before, even if I'd visited the place multiple times. I worried about whether they would agree to the request of this foreign student. I worried about what I'll be allowed to see after I made that harrowing phone call to the Aizu-Bange tourism board to ask for permission, even after they essentially gave the green light. I worried about what I may need to bring to show I'm there for "official" business. I just worried a lot. 

But. 

The thing that kept me going was the drive to do a paper worthy for Hachi's centenary. Or, at least, try to do it with the means I can. And going to the museum was one of those means. Fieldwork is part and parcel of research, but I just found it bonkers that my fangirling has brought me to that point. Never would I have imagined that my next visit to the Kasuga museum was for this reason. This reminds me of one of my go-to Hachi tunes, "Inochi Tsubunure". It's one I like a lot, but I've been listening to it with greater frequency because of my recent circumstances.

Aitaitte kouiu koto ka yo

 

For some background, "Inochi Tsubunure" was released in the album "Nekketsu no Utagoe" (熱血の歌声) from 1972. I believe this was Hachi's first fully original album in a long time, and he worked with many musicians whom he'd never worked with before to create what I would consider kayo of various styles, including folk and Mood Kayo. Since it was his 20th anniversary and he would be considered a veteran in the business, this move was perhaps a way to show that he can keep up with the times and show his musical prowess. I said the album's songs are kayo, but the album's liner notes considers all the works inside as "enka". This could be due to the newly-formed enka genre's (finally made official in 1970) emergent popularity in the early 1970s, and a way to associate Hachi, a veteran of significant status, with this new genre. I have some reservations about the "all enka" thing, but that's really not important here. 

"Inochi Tsubunure" has an upbeat, slightly jazzy Mood Kayo melody with an element of rock, which was brought to you by Yuji Konishi (小西悠史). Writing the words that resonate with me was Gougo Hotomi (保富康午). From what I gather, our protagonist falls absolutely head over heels for one of the patrons at a bar he visits. At least from my perspective, the protagonist is older and is rather jaded/disenchanted by life until that faithful meeting. The resultant rush of feelings, both sweet and sour, reinvigorates him and he's once again filled with life. I'm not exactly sure how to translate the title without it sounding odd. A direct translation based on my ability is "Soaked/Dripping with Life", but with taking Hotomi's lyrics into consideration, perhaps something like "Bursting with/Full of Life" sounds a bit better.

So this is what is at the end of the rainbow

Turns out, my research trip wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be. I was provided with what I requested: Almost 3 decades worth of old fan club magazine archives. I was taken care of by the museum caretaker Ito-san, who recognised me and knew it was my third time there. She did her best to find me more materials I might find useful, including bringing her own copy of a now out-of-stock posthumous fan club book, and tried to make me at home by plying me with snacks as I worked. I say worked, but if I got a 100 yen for every time I got distracted by a silly candid shot of Hachi in those fanzines, I'd be able to buy his 20 disc album set containing all his singles ever released. Every time my eyes crossed from skimming through the resources, I'd get up to look at the museum displays. The line between fan and academic, while already blurred for me, completely disappeared for those few hours. It was a very strange sensation, but one I will never forget.

Having found useful nuggets of information, I would consider this research trip a success. I greatly appreciate the museum for allowing me to do so and providing me with so much, as well for Ito-san's hospitality. It's given me greater resolve to do what I can to make a good - decent - readable Hachi thesis, and a tiny bit more confidence to pursue this path further. And you could say that it's reinvigorated my fangirling for Hachi. 

Horerutte kouiu koto kayo (So this is what it's like to be in love)

Kono yo wa hitori ano(hito) dake (In this world there is only (him))

Sonna baka janakatta hazu ga (I shouldn't be this stupid)

Baka wo shouchi de moete iru (But I know I am, and I'm fired up)

Atsuichi de inochi inochi tsubunure (Passion coursing through my veins, I'm bursting with life)

Man, the more I think about what I'm trying to do and have been doing, the more this song speaks to me.