Kaguyahime

Overview

Kaguyahime (かぐや姫) is a Japanese folk/pop/rock band that debuted in 1970. The second and best-known line-up consists of Kōsetsu Minami (vocals, guitar), Shōzō Ise (vocals, guitar) and Panda Yamada (vocals, bass). Their breakthrough single "Kandagawa" ("Kanda River"), released in September 1973, reached No. 1 on the Oricon chart and remains their biggest hit with 1.6 million copies sold.

Career

First generation (1970–1971)

In 1970 Minami, Shinichirō Mori and Sanpei Ōshima debuted as "Minami Kōsetsu to Kaguyahime" (originally billed with Minami's name written differently). Their best-known song was "Yoidore Kaguyahime", and the group changed its billing with the single "Henchō Tabaruzaka"; both songs reached the Oricon top 100. They appeared as semi-regulars on Yomiuri TV's Katsura Sanshi no Sakasama Show, sometimes performing in twelve-layered court robes, and won four straight weeks on All Japan Kayō Championship before declining to compete a fifth. After three singles and one album the first line-up ended after about a year; Mori became a bank employee and Ōshima an event promoter in their hometown. After retirement the two resumed activity as "Shodai Kaguyahime" and Mori hosts the Oita Broadcasting radio show Folk Jūsan'ya ~ Mada Mada Seishun.

Second generation (1971–1975)

In 1971 Minami formed the second line-up with Shōzō Ise, a junior from his high school, and Panda Yamada, who had just left the college folk group Shrikes. They re-debuted on September 25, 1971 with the single "Seishun".

In March 1972 they released the theme song of the TV anime Triton of the Sea as a single credited to Rika Sudō / Minami Kōsetsu and Kaguyahime ("Umi no Triton / Umi no Fantasy"). Live-action footage of Sudō and the group singing it was used in the opening (first six episodes) and later the ending. The album Hajimemashite followed on April 20, 1972, produced with help from Takuro Yoshida, and sold 50,000 copies. Kaguyahime On Stage arrived that December.

After the album Kaguyahime Third (July 1973), the single "Kandagawa" came out in September 1973. Supported by late-night radio listeners, it sold 1.6 million copies. That year the band was invited to the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, but declined after being asked to change the lyric "crepas" (a trademarked product) to "crayon". The song was later adapted into a Toho film; Minami has said the lead's image differed greatly from the song.

Minami had wanted "22-sai no Wakare" or "Nagori Yuki" as the next single, but the record company unilaterally chose "Akachōchin", already slated for a film (the group name became "Kaguyahime" from this song). Further single choices tied to film projects, such as "Imōto", continued to override the artists' wishes, reportedly hastening the breakup. Albums Sankaidate no Uta (March 1974) and Kaguyahime LIVE (September 1974) followed.

The band disbanded after a farewell concert at Tokyo's Kanda Kyoritsu Hall on April 12, 1975. Minami and Yamada went solo, while Ise continued as part of Kaze. Their final double album, Kaguyahime Forever, stayed in the Oricon LP top 100 for 186 weeks.

After the breakup

• August 2–3, 1975: reunited for the 12-hour all-night "Tsumagoi Concert" in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, with Takuro Yoshida and Kōtarō Yamamoto, drawing 50,000 people (60,000 by police count).
• April 1978: released the album Kaguyahime Today for a limited-time reunion and toured nationwide in May, including Yokohama Stadium on Yamada's birthday, May 13. The recording was released on LP in 1985 as the KAGUYAHIME "Live "forever and on CD in 1995.
• June 29, 1980: reunited for the Kida Kōsuke / Abe Haruhiko memorial concert at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall.
• July 27–28, 1985: one-night reunion at "Takuro Yoshida ONE LAST NIGHT IN Tsumagoi", performing "Jinsei wa Hayari Step", "Boku no Mune de Oyasumi" and "Nagori Yuki".
• August 8, 1999: reunited at Minami's "Summer Picnic Dream"; thereafter they regularly regrouped between solo careers. On December 31, 1999 they appeared on the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen and performed "Kandagawa".
• 2000–2001: nationwide "Best Dreamin'" reunion tour; the maxi single "Seishun no Itami" came out in October 2000.
• August 6, 2005: "Hiroshima 60" concert in Hiroshima marking 60 years since the war.
• August 2006: "Furusato Live" in Iizuka (Yamada's hometown) and Oita (Minami's and Ise's hometown).
• September 23, 2006: at Yoshida's invitation, the "Takuro Yoshida & Kaguyahime Concert in Tsumagoi 2006" in Kakegawa, a 9.5-hour show attended by 35,000 fans.
• 2013: Minami and Ise performed as the duo "Himekaze".

Compilations followed, including Best Dreamin' and Kaguyahime Forever reissue material in 2010 and Single Collection in 2017.

Musical style

Kaguyahime is centered on folk with pop and rock elements, and their lyrical songs also connect to kayōkyoku and enka sensibilities. All three members sang, with Minami and Ise on guitar and Yamada on bass. They won a wide following through late-night radio, and several songs, including "Kandagawa", were adapted into films. In Oita, a weather-forecast jingle they recorded for OBS Oita Broadcasting is still aired and familiar to locals.