Hiroshi Kume (1944 - 2026)

From Oricon

I've never counted but I think that every year that "Kayo Kyoku Plus" has been in existence, there has been at least one article where I've had to note the passing of someone in the music industry. And 2026 is no different. In fact, the person here left this mortal coil right on New Year's Day. 

Hiroshi Kume（久米宏）wasn't a singer or anyone who was deep in this industry. But anyone who has enjoyed music in the later years of the kayo kyoku era for a while at least has seen, heard and known of him because among his many radio and television shows, he gained national popularity especially as the first co-host of "The Best 10"（ザ・ベストテン）, the long-running TBS music ranking series that lasted between 1978 and 1989, which he appeared alongside Tetsuko Kuroyanagi（黒柳徹子）. 

I will always remember him as this rather svelte fellow in the tuxedo and short haircut that a high school baseball coach would appreciate. And I mentioned this in "The Best 10" article, but he and Kuroyanagi had a penchant for talking at about a mile a minute. Perhaps they were afraid of running out of time but their warp-speed patter could have smashed through the fabric of reality.

Kume left "The Best 10" in 1985 and jumped networks to TV Asahi where he became the main anchor of their nighttime news telecast, "News Station"（ニュース・ステーション）. His delivery speed and general sense of whimsy were still there but he also gained a reputation of not mincing words in his commentary and interviews. I never met the man but I once had a student who worked for the Tokyo branch of one of the big movie studios and she had to be the minder for Sir Anthony Hopkins. Apparently, the actor wasn't too fond of Kume's probing and rat-a-tat style which earned Kume a new English nickname of "idiot" or something just as profane. Knowing Kume, he probably flicked that off like a dust mote. He had a longer stint on "News Station" which lasted until 2004.

In any case, I would like to offer my condolences to Kume's family, friends and fans. The broadcaster passed away from lung cancer at the age of 81.

Dark Ducks -- Hotaka yo Saraba（穂高よさらば）

 

August 11th's Mountain Day is the newest national holiday in Japan although it's been around since 2016. I'm not sure whether people have been encouraged to climb their local geological protuberance tomorrow, but there are many Japanese citizens who have never needed prodding to hike up mountains. My old English circle has often scaled the local mountains as a hobby.

To commemorate the occasion then, I thought that a mountain-themed kayo kyoku would do. As such, I've managed to find this one by Dark Ducks（ダークダックス）, a vocal group that seems to be the experts at singing mountain songs according to this article that I wrote back in 2017. Ironically, they would retire in the same year that Mountain Day was first celebrated.

According to "World Folk Song", "Hotaka yo Saraba" (Farewell, Hotaka) is a song that was created back in 1944 by composer Yuuji Koseki（古関裕而）, a beloved songsmith who knew his way around the proud and intrepid melodies such as "Sports Show Koushinkyoku"（スポーツショー行進曲）. The same goes with "Hotaka yo Saraba" which sounds like a theme for the aftermath of a military campaign but the lyrics by Mitsuhiko Yoshino（芳野満彦）talk of a climb up beloved Mt. Hotaka, one of The 100 Famous Mountains of Japan that lies on the border between Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. One interesting point that I discovered was that Yoshino only came up with the first verse; after that, a number of different verses were written by actual mountain climbers so that the song could have different versions based on lyrics. I tried my best but I couldn't find out when Dark Ducks' version was recorded.

Speaking of holidays, the Obon Holidays are upon Japan now but the typhoons have been a problem over the past few weeks, and unfortunately Typhoon No. 7 or Typhoon Ran is now making a beeline straight toward the main island of Honshu. I've already been noticing events and reservations being cancelled, so I can only hope that all of my friends and relatives in Japan will stay safe.