P erfor-itg C ommuttity' Jupan's 5o'h Kohaka Song Contest Shelley D. Brunt VoTUME ONB Thesis submitted fot the degtee of Doctor of Philosophy Elder Conservatorium of Music Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences The University of Adelaide April2006 Contents Volume One List of Tables ............. lv List of Plates ................... v List of DVD Examples....,... vll Abstract v111 Declatation................ X Acknowledgements. xi Major Historical Periods x111 Introduction 1 Part One: Framing the 50th Kobakw: Backgtound and Context 36 Chapter One: The Historical Development of Kohakø.. ............37 Chaptet Two: The 50th Kohakø Event... ............98 Part Two: Song Performances of the 50'n Kobakw Comrnunity 140 Chapter Thtee: Performing the Music and Lydcs..'....". 1,42 Chapter Four: Lyric Themes 1,63 Chapter Five: Staging 1,97 Chapter Six: Perfor-itg Reiationship s 231, Conclusions.............. 259 -11 - Volume f wo Appendices ,A.ppendix Ä Ratings: the 1 3th-49'h Ko ha ku (1,9 62-1,998) ................. 268 Appendix B The 50th Kohaka Community: Member Profiles 271, Appendix C The Historrcal Kohaku Commttnity: ¡þ3 lst-lQth K¡haka (1,951,-1,999) .., 281 Appendix D The 50th Kohaka Community: Genres 283 Appendix E Overview: the Televised 50'h Kíhaka....'. 285 Appendix F Ratings: the 50'h K¡hakø ..398 ,\ppendix G Song Lyrics in Translation: the 50th Kahaka...... 401 ,\ppendix H Still Images ftom the Accompaning DVD 449 Glossary: Selected Tetms 451 Bibliography 458 DVD . inside rear cover -111- List of Tables Tabte 1./ Summary Data; ¡þs lst-lth Kohaka (1,951,-1,954).... 40 Table /.2 Summary Data: the 6th-10th K¡hakø (1955-1959) . 45 Table 1.3 Summary Data: the 11ù-15'h Kohaka (1960-1,964) 49 Tabte 1 .4 Summary Data; the'l'6th-20'h Kohakø (1,965-1,969) 53 Tabte 1.5 Summary Data: the 21,"t-25'h Kohakø (1,910-1'974).........."'.. ------".'.57 Tabte 1 .6 Summary Data: the 26'h-30'h Kohaka (1,975-1,97 9) .'..'...'...."".. 62 Table 1.7 Summary Data: the 3L"-35tta KLhakil (1980-1984)...'.....' 67 Tabte 1.8 Summary Data: the 36tt'-40'h Kohakø (1985-1989) '....'... 71, Table 1 .9 Summary Data: the 41't-45th Kohaka (1,990-1,994).. 80 Table 1.10 Stmmary Data: the 46'h-49'h Kahaku (1995-1998) 90 Table 2.1 Tlne 50'h K¡haka SongPerformers .1,03 Tabte 2.2 Summary of Song Performer Genre Classifications in the 50'h Kõhakø.......'1'05 Tabte 2.3 Ten Favourite Male and Female Personalities in NHI('s Survey'..'....'..........108 Tabte 2.4 Favourite Music Personalities According to Respondents' ,\ge Gtoup........109 Tabte 2.5 Order of Song Performances in the First ltsralf of the 50'h KAhaka ................1,31, Table 2.6 Order of Song Performances in the Second Half of the 50'h Kohaka............1'33 Table 2.7 Selected Exampies of SupplementaLry Segments of the 50th Kzhaka..............1'35 136 Table 2.8 Jndges for the 50'h Kohaka . Table 3./ Overview of Selected Song Elements....... 144 Table 3.2 Songs of the 50'¡ K¡hakø which Employ English Lyrics.... Tabte 5./ Summary of Staging Designs for Song Performances......'. Table 6./ Distribution of 50'h K¡ha/<a Community Members and Past Perfotmances in Kahaka..... 234 Table 6.2 Songs from the 50th KzhakaPerformed in Past Kahaka 243 -1V- List of Plates Plates are located between Part One and Part Two. 1 Koha,€z in NHI{'s Radio Studio One Photograph of the 2"d Kohaka (1,952) teproduced from (Takahashi 2000:1,70). 2 The Team MCs and the Chest with the Voting Balls Photograph of the 1.6th Kohakø (1965) reproduced from (Takahashi 2000:1,32). 3 K¡hakø Moves to NHI( Hall Photograph of the 24'n K¡baka (1973) reproduced from (Takahashi 2000:107). 4 \X4rite Team Song Performers Rally Support Photogtaph of the 26rn K¡haka (1,975) teproduced from (Takahashi2000:102). 5 A Teatful Farewell Photograph of the 35th Kzhakø (1,98\ reproduced from (Takahashi 2000:75). 6 I(obayashi Sachiko's Stage Design and Costume Photograph of the 47'h KAhaka (1,996) reproduced from (Takahashi 2000:17). 7 Mikawa l{en'ichi's Stage Design and Costume Photograph of the 49r" Kohdkø (1,995) reptoduced from (Takahashi 2000:22). 8 The Team MCs for the 50th Kohaku Promotional photograph for the 50th Kohakø reproduced from (TV Lirt 1,999:1,3). 9 Press Conference for the 50th Kzhakz Newcomers Promotional photograph for the 50th K¡hakø reproduced from QV Lirt 1'999:26). 10 Presenting a 50th Kohaku Audience Ticket Âuthot's photograph; Outside NHK Hall;31. December 1999' 1,1, Patitions for the 50'h K¡haka Atdience Line Author's photogtaph; Outside NHK Hall;3l December 1999. 1,2 Two Ticket Holders for the 50'¡ Kahaka .,\uthot's photograph; Outside NHK HalI;31 December '1999' 1,3 A Gtoup of Ticket Holders for the 50th Klhaka Author's photograph; Outside NHK lrJ:all;31 December 1,999. 14 Women Soliciting Tickets for the 50'h Kahakø Author's photogtaph; Boulevard alongside NHI( HalI;31 December 1999. 15 Youths Soliciting Tickets fot the 50'n Kahakø Author's photograph; Boulevard alongside NHI( FIalI; 31 December 1,999 . -v- 16 Audience Voting Fan for the 50th K¡haka Reproduced from (" Ka h a ka a tagasse n" 2000:Internet). 1l Blocking at Rehearsals for the 50'h K¡hakø Still image reproduced from a television repott on the final reheatsals of the 50th Kohaka featured in the NHK 7:00pm News bulletin, 31 Decembet 1999. 18 Hosokawa Takashi-"Sakøra no hana no chirø gotokø" ('As if Cherry Blossoms Were Falling") Song Performance 38; the 50th Kohaku Still image reproduced from (50tt' Ko h a ka 199 9 :T elevision Ptogtamme). 1,9 Nakamura Mitsuko-"Kawachi-qake" ("I{a'wachi sake") Song Performance 1.6; the \Qtn [70¡op, Still image reproduced from (50th Kzhaka l.999:Television Progtamme). 20 NagayamaYöko-((J'adamelaki' ("Destiny Snow") Song Perform^nce 37; the 50'n K¡haka Still image reproduced from (50tu Kohakø 1999:Television Ptogtamme). 21, Sakamoto Fuyumi-"Ko<t ni tatsa" ("To Stand Against the rX/ind") Song Performance 43; dne 50t¡ K¡haka Still image reproduced from (50tn Kohaka 1.999:Television Programme). 22 Hysteric Bl,re-"Harø -spring " ("Spdng") Song Performarìce 3; the 50'h Kohakø Still image teproduced from the 50tn Kohaka 1999:Television Ptogramme. 23 }j.alnda\¡iv-"f¡qgaru n0 hana" ("Flowers of Tsugatu") Song Performance 9; the 50th Kohakll Still image reproduced from (50Th Kzhaku l999:Television Programme). 24 Y amakaw a \ ¡¡¡þ¡-(' Am eri ka- b as ht" (" Amedca Bridge") Song Performance 13; the 50'h Kohaka Still image reproduced from (50th Kzhdku l999:Television Ptogramme). 25 SPEED-"my gradualon'99" Song Performarìce 21; the 50'h Kohaka Still image reproduced ftom (50rh Kzþaka 1.999:Television Progtamme). 26 J¿sfì-"þe Cool!" Song Performance 27; the 50th K¡hakø Stìll image reproduced from (50th Klhaka l.999:Television Programme). 27 Yashiro AI<t-"F/¿na øta" ("Sailor's Song") Song PerformaLnce 35; the 50t11 Kzhal<a Still image teproduced from (50th Kohaka l.999:Television Ptogtamme). -vl - List of DVD Examples 1 Möningu Musumeo mashtn" ("Love Machine") -"LOVE Song Performance 1 Footage reproduced from the 50th K¡haka 1999:Television Progtamme. 2 DA PUMP_(lffs can,t stop the music" Song Performance 2 Footage reproduced ftom the 50th Kohaka 1999:Television Programme. < J Tob a Ichlro-c As h i qa ri - m i s a ki' (" C ap e A shizuri") Song Perfotmance 6 Footage reproduced ftom the 50'h Kohaku 1999:Television Progtamme. 4 The 50th Kohakø Community Gh. 50'¡ K,haka Community Song) no kinitachi r-A song for children-" ("For the People of the 21" -"N/aisseikiCentury-A Song fot Children-") The Final Song Petformance in the trirst Half Footage reptoduced from the 50th Kohaka 1999:Television Ptogramme. 5 Tendö Yoshimi-"Kaud n0 nagare nolo nî'("Like the River's Flow") Song Petfotmance 51 Footage reproduced from the 50th K¡haka 1999:Television Progtamme. 6 lStajima $ 2þs1[-(' M a t s a rf ' ("Fe s tival") Song Performance 54 Footage teproduced ftom the 50th Kohaka 1999:Television Programme. 7 The 50'h Kohakø Community and others Çhe KohakaFtnale Song) no hikarí' ("The Light of Fireflies") The-"lf¿f¿rv Final Song Petformance in the Second Half Footage teproduced ftom the 50'h Kohaku 1999:Television Progtamme. -vll - Abstract ethnomusicologists, Japan's traditional perfotming afts have iong been of interest to yet contempol?¿ïy forms have, until recently, received compatatively little attention. The nationally televis ed Kohakø atagassen ('The Red and ÏVhite Song Contest') is one neglected topic of scholady research despite being a thriving contemporary tradition frmly centred in the popular consciousness. By way of addressing this gap, the following study considers the 50th Kohaku, held on New Yeat's Eve 1'999, as a landmark but yet representative edition of Kíhaka. In this light-hearted contest,Japan's most promirìent teerì idols, middle-aged rock stars and eldedy ballad singers are divided into men's and women's teâms, altetnating performances until one team is declared the victor at the end of the evening ,\lthough the rivalrous, 'battle of the sexes' format is intrþing in itself, the most captivating âspect of the programme is the sense of unity, congeniality and camaradete conveyed by the song performers. Taking this observation as a starting point, the study considers the performers as members of a community-the 50tu K¡haku Commtniry- and argues that song performance provides a key to undetstanding this gtoup and the broader implications of community at a sþificant moment in Kohaka history at the turn of the millennium.