AKEMI -- Keep On Dream

by Basile Morin via Wikimedia Commons

Once again, I've come across another talented Japanese singer whom I've never heard about before despite having made her debut well more than thirty years ago. AKEMI doesn't even have a J-Wiki profile and it was through the good fortune of blogger kinuzure and his "Tamaranaku, AOR Kayo"（たまらなく、AOR歌謡） that I was able to find out anything about her. And this was an article that he had posted only a few months again in August.

First off, AKEMI hails from Fukuoka Prefecture and she got into the singing business thanks to being inspired by "We Are The World" in the mid-1980s. She made her debut in 1990 with an insert song in a drama. In the late 1990s, she went over to the United States to study performance and composing at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She's also taken up jazz and gospel as part of her repertoire. Currently working under the name AKEMI Lady-A, she is continuing to ply her trade in both Fukuoka and New York City.

According to kinuzure, the source album for this particular song is "Second Wind", her second album from 1991. "Keep On Dream" is a peppy pop song written by Kaoru Asagi（麻木かおる）, composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）and arranged by Etsuko Yamakawa（山川恵津子）. It has a slight brush of R&B and hearing those percolating beats, I got that 1990s vibe immediately. 

Hitomi Tohyama -- Darling

 

This is probably just my sort of thing, but whenever a City Pop song pops up in my head, I've often developed my form of cross-categorization. One particular angle is whether such a tune sounds like something for the daytime or the nighttime.

When it comes to Hitomi Penny Tohyama's（当山ひとみ）"Darling", which is the second track on her March 1985 album "Five Pennys", it's hard for me to categorize it in that diurnal way. Written by Eiko Kyo（許瑛子）and composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）, it has that bright and sparkly arrangement which hints at the daytime (especially around brunch) but then the chorus feels like a relaxing evening in the penthouse, especially when the sax gets unleashed. Lovely and breezy background vocals, by the way. In any case, "Darling" is that typical Tohyama tune of soul, sun and stars.

Ryoko Moriyama -- Navigation

 

Still keeping on the Camellia Diamonds subject now that I released my Author's Picks on the songs used for their commercials, I also wanted to individually mention one other song that was also used for Camellia but hadn't been put on the blog previously. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the ad on YouTube but as I remember it, it featured a model in a white billowy dress in some desert looking distinctly nonchalant about her situation. As a substitute, I've put up a Bing AI image.

Playing in the background of all that sand was folk/pop singer Ryoko Moriyama's（森山良子）"Navigation", her April 1990 43rd single. One other reason that I wanted to have "Navigation" all on its own here was that the song was something that I had long searched for on YouTube to post onto KKP since I started the whole thing back in 2012. I'm happy to say that the search is over.

"Navigation" is truly one of the later examples of exotic kayo (or considering the time of release, it should be called exotic J-Pop?) considering most of that sub-genre popped up in the late 1970s. It feels like some very dramatic Middle Eastern adventure with a hint of South American tango. As was the case with many a Camellia Diamond jingle, I decided that I had to get the single. However, I went one better: I ended up purchasing the album that "Navigation" became a part of..."We Shall Overcome wo Utatta Hi" （"We Shall Overcome"を歌った日...The Day That I Sang "We Shall Overcome"） which was also released in the same month as the single. Incidentally, Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）and Yukiko Marimura（万里村ゆき子）were the composer and lyricist respectively.

Looks like Camellia didn't want to leave the desert all that quickly. Below is another ad from them featuring supermodel Linda Evangelista but the song is decidedly far more active. Welcome aboard, B'z!

Risa Yamamoto -- Dance de Kizutsukete（DANCEで傷つけて）

 

Welcome to November! Hopefully, Halloween was an enjoyable one for you with those candies and other treats. Looks like the first day of the month will begin with the usual Urban Contemporary Friday on KKP.

Today, we're starting off with a new name to the blog. Singer and actress Risa Yamamoto（山本理沙）was born Rieko Susa（諏佐理恵子）in Osaka although she did spend a lot of her high school years up in Sapporo. A lot of her TV career from the mid-1980s while she was in her teens involved a number of variety shows, dramas and commercials. However, she also had a brief recording career with five singles and one original album.

That May 1986 album, "You're In", included the track "Dance de Kizutsukete" (Hurting Through Dancing), which was created by lyricist Keiko Aso（麻生圭子）and composer Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）. I think the song straddles the line between City Pop and pop although the rhythm has that champagne-and-caviar form of City Pop. It's not too bad especially with that horn section in there but that banging synthesizer before the verses can get a bit grating.

Yamamoto ended her career in 1989.

Yukari Yamamoto -- Watashi MAILUWA（私 MAILUWA）

 

Happy Sunday! Looks like we're in the middle of an election-packed period. Japan's Lower House elections are taking place as I type this, Election Day in America is just a smattering of days away, and Canada might have its own soon enough depending on how cranky the Opposition gets over the next couple of weeks.

It's one of those rare times when I encounter different singers with the exact same name in romaji, at least. I already have one Yukari Yamamoto（山本由香利）, an aidoru of the 1970s up on KKP, but just recently, I discovered another Yukari Yamamoto（山本ゆかり）who had her own aidoru career, mostly in the 1980s. Plus, her kanji depiction is somewhat different, but I've had to make some adjustments in the Labels as you can see way down below.

Anyways, this native of Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture debuted with the single "Watashi MAILUWA" from June 1984. Seeing that romaji there, I had first assumed that Yamamoto promised to send a letter, but actually, the songwriters, consisting of lyricist/composer Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）and arranger Mitsuo Hagita（萩田光雄）, got a little cute and the title means in current vernacular "I'm So Done". "Watashi MAILUWA", a tune about a teenage girl pining for a lone wolf kid, begins promisingly with some of that jangly guitar and boppy bass as Yamamoto delivers in a slightly sing-songy exotic Asia way in the first verses and then does some vocal fancy dancing before she hits the chorus. It was quite the snazzy way to begin her recording career. The song also got onto her debut album "The MAJI" which was released in October.

As I mentioned above, most of her seven singles and three albums came out between 1984 and 1988 with her final single and album being released in 1996. In recent years, Yamamoto has been splitting her time among being a radio DJ, an event emcee and a voice trainer in Tokyo.

Hiroshi Murai -- Video Days

 

In my Minami-Gyotoku neighbourhood in Ichikawa City...as was probably the case in most neighbourhoods, we had a wealth of convenience stores and supermarkets. Around the station within a radius of several hundred metres, there were four supermarkets and at least as many convenience stores. The supermarkets of course were where I got my ingredients for home-cooked meals but I visited the konbini when I was satisfied enough to get a microwavable bento or snacks. Although I think I went mostly to the local Am/Pm and 7-11, Sunkus was also just a few minutes down from the station exit so when I did come home early, I would also drop by there for food and drink.

Well, this song by Hiroshi Murai（村井博）was apparently used as the commercial jingle for Sunkus back in the early 1990s. "Video Days" was released as his 4th single; depending on where you look, it was supposed to have come out either in 1990 or 1991 but I'll go with the former year since it was more specific with the release month being June that year. Not sure how video comes into this song but it's a summery pop tune that has me thinking of the band TUBE and even Yasuhiro Abe（安部恭弘）when I'm musing about Murai's delivery. 

"Video Days" was written by Anju Mana（真名杏樹）, composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）and arranged jointly by Motoki Funayama（船山基紀）and Yasuhiro Kido（木戸やすひろ）. It was also a track on Murai's 4th and final album to date, "Natural" (1990) which shares space on the CD with "Natsu no Kakurega ~ Weekend Resort"（夏の隠れ家）. Up to now with the other three Murai songs that I've posted including "Natsu no Kakurega", it's been about the 1990s City Pop but "Video Days" is bright ol' pop...happy enough to persuade folks to pick up some bento and Pringles and milk tea perhaps.😋

Kaho Shimada -- Rosey/Manga-tique Romance（マンガチック・ロマンス）

 

Having a passing interest in architecture especially for buildings that have that futuristic tinge, I was quite elated to get this shot of Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower in Shinjuku. I never had any particular need to enter the above ground floors but I did access the basement ones where a bookstore resides. Access was possible through the covered passage leading from Shinjuku Station's West Exit to the hotel-and-skyscraper area.

Anyways, I want to introduce a new person into "Kayo Kyoku Plus". Her name is Kaho Shimada（島田歌穂）and she's a singer and a musical theatre actress. I can't quite remember whether she's appeared on "Uta Con"（うたコン）since its beginnings several years ago but I remember that she used to appear fairly often on the show's predecessor "Kayo Concert"（歌謡コンサート）on NHK with her golden tones.

As an example, I can offer her "Rosey" from her 2nd album "Distractions" which was released in February 1990. Written and composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）, it's a pretty stylish pop love ballad about realizing too late that a love has now gotten away. It's a sad song to be sure but the arrangement and Shimada's rich and resonant vocals can bring fans back for repeat listenings. Many singles and albums of hers have come out between 1981 and 2019. Shimada's most famous role on stage is that of Eponine in the Tokyo production of "Les Misérables".

Born Kaho Shima（島歌穂）in 1963 in Tokyo, the future entertainer grew up in the midst of a musical family. Her father, Takaho Shimada（島田敬穂）, was a musician who trained one of the Anison Kings, Isao Sasaki（ささきいさお）, while her mother, Reiko Tsukubane（筑波嶺玲子）, was a jazz singer who emerged from the famed Takarazuka Troupe. Teenaged Kaho had a recurring role in a tokusatsu comedy series "Ganbare!! Robocon"（がんばれ!!ロボコン...Do Your Best!! Robocon） through the mid-1970s and then made her debut as an aidoru in April 1981 with her first single "Manga-tique Romance", a 70s funk/disco-sounding tune written by Fumiko Okada（岡田有希子）and composed/arranged by Katsuo Ono（大野克夫）.

Perhaps one reason that I haven't seen Shimada recently on an NHK program (she did appear on the Kohaku Utagassen in 1988 and 1989) is that she may be very busy as an assistant professor of drama at the Osaka University of Arts.

Mariko Takahashi -- Blues wo Kikasete（ブルースを聞かせて）

 

I've collected my fair share of Mariko Takahashi（高橋真梨子）albums over the years but I don't have her September 1986 "Forest" so it's always nice to hear something new by the veteran singer-songwriter and musician. And seeing that we are now in the penultimate day of the year, it would be wonderful to start off with something mellow before the raucousness of New Year's Eve takes over. 

"Blues wo Kikasete" (Let Me Hear the Blues) is one of its tracks with Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）handling both words and music, and of course, Mariko lovingly delivers those lyrics as usual. The blues though is simply a request from the chanteuse and not the genre for the song which is very much in the pop category, albeit on a more refined level. I think the only thing that irked me was getting a little too much of that particular instrument near the end whether it was a pianica or an especially twee soprano saxophone. 

Still, I was surprised that it's over six minutes long. It certainly didn't feel that way so for the most part, the song was still enjoyable. 

Kiyoshi Maekawa -- Otoko to Onna no Kakera（男と女の破片）

 

Y'know...checking through the Kiyoshi Maekawa（前川清）file, I realized that this has been solely Noelle's realm all these years. Although I have put up my fair share of articles for The Cool Five, Mae-Kiyo's old Mood Kayo group, I had yet to post anything by the singer solo. Hopefully, my fellow co-administrator will understand.

Well, what sparked me to post my first Maekawa melody was once again last night's "Uta Con"（うたコン）episode. Earlier today, I noted Yukari Ito's（伊東ゆかり）"Suteki na Cappuccina"（すてきなカプチーナ）and HIROMI's（ヒロミ）"Hachioji no Uta"（八王子のうた）which had also been performed on the show. Another one was the aforementioned Maekawa along his buddies, the vocal group Junretsu（純烈）, and together they performed "Otoko to Onna no Kakera" (Fragments of a Man and a Woman), which was the singer's 10th single from July 1991. 

Listening to the original recorded version above though, I really got that impression that "Otoko to Onna no Kakera", a ballad about loving each other so much and yet the necessity that the couple has to sadly break up, was the quintessential example of that hybridized genre known as New Adult Music. It's got the quivery emotion of an enka or a Mood Kayo but with the modern uptown arrangement of urban contemporary. Lyrics were provided by Toyohisa Araki（荒木とよひさ）while the music was composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）. As usual, Mae-Kiyo looks as dapper as ever.

Yuji Oda -- Utaenakatta Love Song（歌えなかったラヴ・ソング）

 

I'd been wondering when I would finally get to use the Yuji Oda（織田裕二）photo. Well, tonight's the night! When it comes to Oda's file on "Kayo Kyoku Plus", I figured that it was going to be a short one since I've really only known him for his acting and despite having a fairly long discography, the only song that had ever really gotten my attention was his contribution of his duet with Maxi Priest, "Love Somebody", as the theme for one of his most famous dramas, the 1997 "Odoru Dai Sosasen"（踊る大捜査線....Bayside Shakedown）. 

However, I was able to find his 3rd single from February 1991, "Utaenakatta Love Song" (The Love Song I Couldn't Sing). Written by Aki Mana（真名杏樹）and composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）, it's got an amiable pop-rock rhythm and aside from the synths, I couldn't help but feel that the song was arranged sounding like a very upbeat number created and performed by another singer with the same initials as Oda: Yutaka Ozaki（尾崎豊）. Mind you, Ozaki had the better chops. 

I mentioned in the "Love Somebody" article that its lyrics reflected the personality of Oda's role in "Odoru Dai Sosasen", the noble if somewhat goofy Officer Aoshima. Well, perhaps "Utaenakatta Love Song" could describe a happier and naive Kanji Nagao, his character from another earlier and famous Fuji-TV drama "Tokyo Love Story"（東京ラブストーリー）. Interestingly enough, the single was released midway through the original run of that popular show though it had nothing to do with it, but I felt that the lyrics reflecting on a guy just starting out on his working life was Kanji-kun about to take off from his home prefecture of Ehime to Tokyo to begin an exciting new chapter as an employee at Heart Sports, before he ran into that sticky love triangle with Rika and Satomi.

"Utaenakatta Love Song" may not have had anything to do with "Tokyo Love Story", but it was picked up to be the commercial tune for the Suzuki Cervo which Oda helped promote. According to J-Wiki, the song was Oda's first Top 10 hit by landing at No. 2 and it ended up as the 14th-ranked single of 1991, selling over 500,000 copies. An acoustic version of it is available on his March 1991 album "On The Road". As of 2019, "Utaenakatta Love Song" remains as Oda's most successful single. One more piece of trivia, the arranger was none other than Akihiko Matsumoto（松本晃彦）who would later come up with the soundtrack for "Odoru Dai Sosasen".

Masaki Ueda feat. Cindy -- Letting You Go ~ Ai no Kageri（愛の翳り）

 

Happy Friday and getting into the City Pop for today with a really nice recommendation from Rocket Brown of "Come Along Radio".

Never knew that soulful Masaki Ueda（上田正樹）and singer-songwriter Cindy were involved in a duet but I was introduced to their work together on the song "Letting You Go ~ Ai no Kageri" (Cloud Over Love), which is a track on Ueda's 1985 album "Silence"（サイレンス）. Written by Ralph F. McCarthy and composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）, the ballad pairs Ueda's characteristic heartfelt raspiness and Cindy's smooth-as-butter vocals over some of that mellow City Pop balladry for pure relaxation. It's just too bad that McCarthy's lyrics are about the slow disintegration of a romance but I can't deny the lovely music.

According to the site Groovenut Records, the album "Silence" also has Ueda exploring genres such as rock, blues and reggae, so there is quite a variety to enjoy. However, I'm quite happy as it is with this one track right now.

Takashi Sorimachi with Richie Sambora -- Forever

Welcome to Hump Day! In recent years, when folks think of actor Takashi Sorimachi（反町隆史）, they may envision his role as the latest partner for the elegant but dogged detective Ukyo Sugishita in the long-running series "Aibou"（相棒）.

However, the first time that I ever heard of Sorimachi, my memories fly back to the late 1990s when there was this Fuji-TV drama that was in the prestigious Monday at 9 pm time slot (a la "Tokyo Love Story" and "101st Proposal"). Quite different from those two shows in 1991, "Beach Boys" was probably a series that had sun worshippers punching the air with their fists while exclaiming "YES! Finally...a show to call our own!". It was a series that I remember gaining quite a lot of attention at the time but when you have a summery series that: A) would have the members of TUBE and Southern All Stars swooning, B) has two comely hunks in Sorimachi and Yutaka Takenouchi（竹野内豊）, and C) has an up-and-coming cute teen actress by the name of Ryoko Hirosue（広末涼子）who would corral even more of the high school fans...well, perhaps it's no wonder that it grabbed a peak of 26.5% in the ratings.

Especially for B), maybe there were a lot of fans who were already mentioning the above, years before Ristarte. OK, we can now leave the cheap anime meme gag.

Sorimachi started his thespian career in 1994, but it was with the Summer 1997 "Beach Boys" that he also began a music career by providing the theme song for the show through "Forever", a collaboration with guitarist Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi. With lyrics by the singer himself and melody by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）. "Forever" was released in July and it peaked at No. 3 on Oricon. Also a track on Sorimachi's debut album "Message" which came out later in September, it also got him his invitation to the 1997 Kohaku Utagassen.

My very tenuous connection with Sorimachi only occurred because I used to teach a student and his wife at their apartment near the Tama River in western Tokyo. The student once pointed out to a gleaming white house all the way up a hill overlooking the river and the apartment building and stated that it was the residence for Sorimachi and his wife, Nanako Matsushima（松嶋菜々子）. So, indeed he was looking over me; considering his height, he could be two metres away from me and still looking over me.

Miki Asakura -- 49% no Kankei（49%の関係）

I really like this entry by Miki Asakura（麻倉未稀）, "49% no Kankei" (49% Relationship). Not quite sure what is up with such an exacting split in the relationship, but the bouncy beat can't be denied.

A track from Asakura's December 1986 10th album, "By Myself", "49% no Kankei" seems to combine 60% City Pop and 40% Eurobeat (although your mileage may vary) by my estimation. Maybe Marcos V. can give his own opinion on my stats. Still, the song has the best of both worlds for me in terms of the genres involved with the crashing synths of one genre and the groovy beat of the other. There is especially that one particular keyboard which signals those champagne-and-caviar days and nights of Bubble Era Tokyo.

Had to go deep into the JASRAC database since for some reason, it wouldn't accept me just typing in Asakura's name and the title of the song. But I did find out that it was Machiko Ryu（竜真知子）on lyrics and Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）on the music. Speaking of which, don't give up the ghost at 4:43...the song still has some more seconds to go.

Oh, dopey me. It took me a couple of rounds of "49% no Kankei" to realize that Asakura was indeed singing out "49 PERCENT" in the refrain, and not "BODY NIGHT PERSON".

Ayumi Shirota -- Koishikute（恋しくて）

Getting the information together for this article, I realized that Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）has been one of those relatively rare composers who have created melodies spanning everything from enka to City Pop. He's also done Mood Kayo and even helped one famous singer of that genre to cross over into pop.

Moreover, Tsushimi has also provided music for aidoru including Ayumi Shirota（白田あゆみ）who I had never heard of before. Shirota herself was born in 1970 in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo and was scouted through an idol-based magazine, Momoco, in the early 1980s. However, nothing really developed for her until the latter half of the decade, when she finally released her debut single "Koishikute" (I Miss You) in September 1987.

"Koishikute" is that wistful aidoru song that was created by Tsushimi with lyrics by Hiroto Natsu*（夏裕人）, and actually I like it because it goes over the border into straight pop. There's nothing especially treacly about "Koishikute" and even its arrangement reminds me of some of the works of Ami Ozaki（尾崎亜美）. Shirota's vocals also come off as sounding quite self-assured which is why it's a pity (mind you, I'm only judging from this one song) that her singing career was so short having ended at only 3 singles and 2 albums. There were no hits that came about from Shirota, and she retired from show business in 1989.

*That first name gave me some fits about how to read it so I'm going with Hiroto for now but if anyone can either confirm or correct me, please let me know.

Mariko Takahashi -- Midnight Christmas Eve

We're in the final hours in Toronto before Christmas 2019 arrives. I basically have everything ready for tomorrow so it's really just putting up the last few articles for "Kayo Kyoku Plus" before hitting bed.

Somewhat ironic having that thumbnail photo of "Happy Holidays" up at the top since the latest Xmas song is more on the melancholy side of things. "Midnight Christmas Eve" is a track from Mariko Takahashi's（高橋真梨子）September 1991 album "Sweet Journey".

The lyrics by Tetsuo Kudo（工藤哲雄）speak of a woman about to board a plane heading off to places unknown over the Holidays to help her forget...or at least, put a past romance in better perspective. When it comes to Japanese pop music, traveling seems to be the tonic for whatever ails the broken heart. Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）is the composer for the gentle and compensating optimistic melody. Maybe it's the hint that the clouds are finally parting for the protagonist here.

Of course, Takahashi is wonderful here. Of all of the various famous singers bringing their form of Xmas jolly/melancholy tunes, I'd always wondered whether this chanteuse had ever contributed a song to the Yuletide. Well, I no longer have to worry.

Hiroshi Takeshima -- Yume no Furiko（夢の振り子）

Heard this on recent episodes of both "Uta Kon"（うたコン）and "Gogo Uta"（ごごウタ）and found it catchy enough to write about. "Yume no Furiko" (Pendulum of Dreams) is the June 2019 single for enka/Mood Kayo singer Hiroshi Takeshima（竹島宏）, and though I don't consider this to be an enka, I'm kinda wondering if this would be a musical hybrid of Mood Kayo and straight pop. Plus, the shortened music video above has choreography kinda reminiscent of an aidoru group, and Takeshima himself still has some young aidoru-like looks although he is currently 41.

I think what got me interested in "Yume no Furiko" is that the collaboration of lyricist Goro Matsui（松井五郎）and composer Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）has produced a song which has also gotten me thinking of that exotic kayo boom from the late 1970s when the hits from that mini-genre were arranged so that the listener felt that they were on some sort of out-of-country adventure in Europe or Asia. There's certainly that jaunty beat in "Yume no Furiko".

"Yume no Furiko", which went up to No. 15 on Oricon, was also the ending theme for a samurai drama on NHK Broadcast Satellite titled "Daifugou Doushin"（大富豪同心...Ultra Rich Constable）. The show was adapted from a novel series starting from 2010 and ran for a couple of months earlier this year. According to the website "My Drama List", the series dealt with the son of a very wealthy merchant in Edo ending up as a bumbling constable trying to solve crimes with considerable help from people around him.

Hitomi Tohyama -- Cheek Dance（チークダンス）

It's still early in the week for one of these, and I say it this way since I think for such a song, I would probably have put it somewhere on a Wednesday/Friday night because it's one of those tunes that is so made for urban contemporary soothing duties after a hard day or week at work. However, there is also such a thing as a lousy Monday, so for those folks, here you are.

From Hitomi Tohyama's（当山ひとみ）7th studio album "Human Voice" from October 1981, here is "Cheek Dance", a tune that has been described on Hip Tank Records as "....a gorgeous skyscraper midnight ballad". Yep, it's a mellow City Pop romance but I think I can place this one any time between sunset to sunrise; the setting itself is fine...enjoying a glass of Chablis with the one you love while sitting atop one of the highest buildings in the city is supremely splendid, but I would give "Cheek Dance" much more time than just a sliver of midnight.

It has that wonderful slow groove and the lovely solo horn while Tohyama and her backing chorus bring me memories of some fine 70s soul. Too bad that it wasn't included on my BEST collection for the singer but that gives me the impetus to see if I can get my own copy of "Human Voice". Equally too bad is that I couldn't find out who was responsible for words and music. Even the JASRAC database couldn't assist this time. Maybe the wonders of Daemonskald can come to the rescue again. 😁

Kaori Kozai -- Kuchibeni Moyou（口紅模様）

I gather that perhaps both the Tokyo and Osaka halls for NHK were occupied with something else this past week to explain the latest episode of "Uta Kon"（うたコン）just involving the two hosts showing off past clips and footage of interviewing frequent guest singers on what their favourite lunch is. It was a combination effort of the music show and the show that appears right after, "Sara Meshi"（サラメシ）which is all about people and their noontime repasts.

(short version)

So, going back to the episode of "Uta Kon" from the previous week, I have to say that I was charmed by Kaori Kozai's（香西かおり）latest single from June this year, "Kuchibeni Moyou" (Lipstick Patterns). The story of a probably middle-aged woman who's going through her history and wondering about the path not traveled with someone who may have become the love of her life, I can't be sure whether this could really be classified as an enka or a Mood Kayo, despite the facts that Kozai is wearing her trademark kimono in the video above and the overall theme is that of regret over a lost romance. Plus, there is that now-familiar enka electric guitar.

I would be more than happy to say then that this is a modern-day pop song in the kayo style. There is something both old and new in the arrangement. Koyomi Asa（麻こよみ）was the lyricist here with "Kuchibeni Moyou" while Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）provided the dramatic yet wistful music.

Megumi Mori -- Mou Ichido Love Story（もう一度ラブ・ストーリー）

Oh, isn't that cute? That LOVE sign is (or was) located in Odaiba, Tokyo just outside of the Decks mall.

The only thing I knew about Megumi Mori（森恵）, the 1980s singer and actress, was "Tokio Town"（東京街）, the Eurobeat-mixed-with-exotic Asian tune that was on one of my old compilation tapes from Wah Yueh, and I think it was probably her most famous entry. Recently, though, I found this September 1988 single, her 5th, "Mou Ichido Love Story" (Love Story Again) on YouTube.

Mori this time takes things into a more latter 80s City Pop direction with that feeling of celebrating a night in the big city through a luxury sports car. As the singer fairly whispers and coos Etsuko Kisugi's（来生えつこ）lyrics in our ears, the crisp saxophone and the synths lead the way into urban good times with plenty of pedestrians staring in wonder and envy. Before I further end up waxing way too poetically, I will also mention that Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）was responsible for the jaunty music. "Mou Ichido Love Story" also ended up on Mori's 2nd album "Medium" released in April 1989.

Michiyo Nakajima -- Aki no Himawari（秋のひまわり）

Yes, it's a season too early for "Aki no Himawari" (Autumn Sunflowers) but hey, that's OK with me. I get to do my first Michiyo Nakajima（中嶋美智代）article for "Kayo Kyoku Plus" after Marcos V. has given his contributions to this 90s aidoru.

"Aki no Himawari" is the coupling song for Nakajima's 3rd single "Hatsukoi Doori"（初恋通り...Avenue of First Love）. I think what got me to bookmark the song was that I liked the combination of piano and synths. That combination has been hitting the nostalgia nerves in my body when it comes to the late 1980s/early 1990s. Moreover, Nakajima's vocals just strike me as being prototypically aidoru: sweet, high and not always in tune.

Even though "Hatsukoi Doori/Aki no Himawari" was released in July 1991 (Nakajima debuted earlier that year), there is something very 1980s about the latter song especially. The song was composed by Takashi Tsushimi（都志見隆）and written by Megumi Ogura（小倉めぐみ）and it hit No. 13 on Oricon.