It's actually a sad song of the Okinawa ground battle In the spring of 1945, when the flowers of Deigo bloomed, the U.S. military attacked Okinawa began. Even in the early summer when the big flowers are in full bloom, the US military continues to attack Okinawa. Many civilians were repeatedly sacrificed, and people's sorrow spread like waves all over the island. I met you in the sugar cane field. In the cave under the sugar cane field, I had an eternal farewell to my beloved you. Island song, ride on the wind, cross the sea with the souls of the dead, and return to the divine world "Niraikanai" far away from the eastern sea. Island song, I want you to take the wind and bring the sadness of Okinawa to the mainland. I think it was like this
This is the Okinawan singing style. The title is "Shima-uta", but it is also a word that refers to Okinawan folk songs that use the Okinawan traditional instrument Sanshin with a unique rhythm and singing method.
これを作曲したのが、何と山梨県出身の宮沢和史だというのがすごい。沖縄とは直接関係なかったが、沖縄の戦中の話に触発されて創作した。最初は県外の人間が真似事で作ったように言われていたが、本人は魂までコピーしたらこれはもう本物ではないか？と言ったそうだ。MISIAが知覧で特攻隊の話を聞いて「逢いたくていま」を創ったのに通ずる。It is amazing that the composer of this song is Kazufumi Miyazawa, who is from Yamanashi Prefecture. Although he had no direct connection to Okinawa, he was inspired to create this song by a story about Okinawa during the war. At first, it was said to be an imitation by someone from outside the prefecture, but he said that if he copied even the soul, it would be the real thing.This is similar to how MISIA created "Aitakute Ima" after hearing the story of the Kamikaze pilots in Chiran, Kagoshima.
She is using a traditional Okinawan instrument called a "Sanshin”. In Chinese characters, it is written "three lines”. It looks like a ”Shamisen”, but it's different. ”Shima Uta" means "song of the island", and as others have commented, it was sung by THE BOOM and became a record-breaking hit in 1993. This video by Natsukawa-san is a cover of it. The original music video by THE BOOM is here. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jIBS2wHx0pc.html The most famous song by Rimi Natsukawa is "Nada Sou Sou", which means "Tears are falling down". ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5TR1wJCimyk.html Another famous song by an Okinawan singer is "Shimanchu nu Takara" by BEGIN. It means "treasure of the people of the island". ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7iZ4-4EYNnk.html
Sanshin(snake skin) went to the northern Japan and called Shamisen ( cat, dog skin) and picks with the fan pick. BEGIN from the same Ishigakijima would be good to react 1st single "Koishikute" , "Nada Sousou" and "Shimanchu nu Takara". Natsukawa Rimi's "Nada Sousou" is my fav tho :)
日本各地で昔から伝わってきた民謡(Minyou)独特の歌い方、発声方法です😄 Google translate↓ It is a unique singing and vocalization method of folk songs (Minyou) that has been handed down from ancient times in various parts of Japan. (Okinawa,Kagoshima,Aomori,Hokkaido,…etc) Singer using Minyou techniques 中孝介(Kosuke Atari) 元ちとせ(Chitose Hajime) 細川たかし(Takashi Hosokawa) and 演歌歌手(Enka Singers)
How can you manage to be so soft spoken! Dreamy soft spoken! Soo cool and soothing to listen to! Don't forget the sad sad sad history of Okinawa or Liukiu during the second world war.
"Shima Uta" was written and composed by Kazufumi Miyazawa in 1993. Kazufumi was born and raised in Yamanashi Prefecture. Yamanashi Prefecture is not bordered by the sea. Please listen to the "Shima Uta" he sings. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jLJC1a6Mpqg.html Also, in 2001, Alfredo Casero covered "Shima Uta" and it became a big hit in Argentina. This time, the lyrics were sung in Japanese without translation. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Am4nPkR7j8w.html
元ちとせ (Hajime Titose) She is a singer from Amami nearby Okinawa 千の夜と千の昼 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U4a1Z75jjy4.html ワダツミの木 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xJCW_EJjkLg.html Both composed, arranged, produced by Gen Ueda (上田現 / 1961-2008 L.I.P)
What you hear like a whistle is a finger whistle. Okinawan finger whistle are not found in traditional music in other parts of Japan. Enliven the music like a shout. I was surprised to see the ordinary Okinawan audience play this well. A person from Okinawa told me that playing a traditional musical instrument is the essence of an adult female in Okinawa. I don't know if this is the case for young people today;)
It is a soul-like song that represents Okinawa in Japan. Whistling is called "finger whistle", and many people in Okinawa use their fingers to whistle like a whistle.
This reaction marks the first time you encounter with Okinawa's traditional music vibes...but you know what? In a year or so, you'll be familiarized with all the folklore/traditional music of Japan (because you are as absorbent as a sponge!) and you'll be going, "Yup! That's Definitely Okinawan vibe" just by that particular hairstyle, costume, singing techniques, whistles or Sanshin. I'm so excited for you just thinking about your future! :)
I’m from Ishigaki island as well:-) Glad to you looked happy when you listened this song. By the way, I want you to check “Minami Kizuki ”. She’s from small island as well and she sings the traditional singing of the island.
The original singer of "Shima Uta" is a band called THE BOOM, and the vocalist composed this song. He is not an Okinawan, but he wrote this sad and beautiful song for the victims of the war. Over the years, it has become a song that is loved by many people. Please try other THE BOOM songs! "I want to be the wind 風になりたい" are famous.
As an Okinawan, I'm really proud that you reacted her. Thank you! Please react "BEGIN" next. They are also very popular Okinawan band. Their songs are called "Okinawan pops". Like you felt Rimi Natsukawa, you might feel the difference between Okinawan and other Japanese pops. I highly recommend their song,「三線の花」"Sanshin no hana"!!
It's Okinawan 三味線(shamisen) called 三線(sanshin), usually made with ebony and python skin, Its scale is shorter and tone is higher than other shamisens, it's not difficult to start, if you play guitar, but it's fretless. She is lovely, isn't she? I believe all guys fell in love with her voice when she appeared on TV, actually I did. This song was written by a guy actually not from Okinawa, I'm not sure but some say that this song is about WWⅡ、and the word storm and sorrow mean air raid by the US striking over and over. How about 涙そうそう(Nada Sousou) for the next song of Rimi Natsukawa? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8FJnJroUD4o.html
Hai sai! New here...found you by looking up my favorite Okinawan singer Natsukawa Rimi. I'm half Okinawan and sing her music for my mother often. There are several things you'll hear in Okinawan music...the whistle, the chant "iia saa saa" and "su su su". Check out her singing Asadoya Yunta...look at the video with the drummers on stage with her. You'll hear all of this in amazing Rimi style! Okinawa is a deeply emotional place...my first home. My survived the war decades ago, but the pain is still present. 💔 Sorry if I'm repeating anything others might've written, as I don't usually read other's comments.
今日こんなことがありました。Miya catさんのお母さんが病気で、彼女が看病の為時間が取れずパトリックさんの配信が観れないので、謝っておいてほしい（英語で）と言われました。私はMiyaさんの事と合わせて、Watanabeさんも具合が悪いと言ってから、2週間が経つことをパトリックさんに連絡しました。 パトリックさんからの返信です。 「Thank you so much for the message! i hope everyone is Safe! our first reaction to everything is indeed to be worried and the depressed! but i feel like if we stay positive and hopeful everything will be okey! i wish miya cat the best of luck with her Parents and i will make sure to send you! Miya an Mr Watanabe-san some love!」 寒さが厳しく、今週末は一段と冷え込み、また、関東は大雪になるかもとの予報が出ています。 Watanabeさんが休養しているとしても、温かい場所で気持ちがゆっくりできる環境にある事を願っています。😊 追申：Miyaさんも彼女自身の事で大変ですが、Watanabeさんのことを心配しています。💕
The instrument she plays is "sanshin". Similar to sanshin and syamisen, but different instruments.The sanshin is covered with snake skin, so it has a brown tint overall. And since the shamisen uses the skin of cats and dogs, it has a whitish color. There are also differences in the areas where you play. Sanshin is a musical instrument in warm areas such as Okinawa and Amami. The shamisen is often played in cold areas such as the Tsugaru region. The round and brown one is the sanshin. The shamisen is square and white.
The govt of Japan should have this stunning woman on their currency and as an example of how the beauty of Nihon is both physical and emotional. Natsukawa san is an ideal for all humans.
People have lived in Okinawa and the Amami Islands since ancient times. The other day, the oldest human remains in Japan (as of 2022) were discovered on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa. Almost the whole body of bone remains, and it is estimated to be about 27,000 years old. Moreover, there is evidence that it was artificially buried, and even now, research is still ongoing, assuming that there was a community, culture, and thought from that time. About 600 years ago, the islands of Okinawa started the kingdom system due to the increase in external pressure in addition to external exchange. That kingdom is called the "琉球王国 / Ryukyu Kingdom". Modern people tend to pay attention to the latest tragedy. However, if you look at the very long history, you cannot ignore the history of the land's prosperity and sad decline. It's painful and sad, and we, the modern people, have to reflect on it ... In that era, small, weak communities are being oppressed and destroyed by the big, strong. The Ryukyu Kingdom was under pressure from the countries that are now China and South Korea, but it was the Edo Shogunate and the Meiji government (now Japan) that finally extinguished the Ryukyu Kingdom. (Kingdom destroyed in 1879 → Okinawa Prefecture / 沖縄県) The fact that the kingdom came under Japanese rule led to the sad history of World War II from 1941 to 1945. Since Okinawa and Amami was islands, a unique culture remains, and even now, you can feel the unique culture of Ryukyu, including words. The Shima-Uta of music is one of them. 島唄 / Shima-Uta is a word that indicates a genre, and there are various songs in Shima-Uta. This time, you reacted to "Shima-Uta", which was created with the theme of Shima-uta as a category. It was created by Mr. Kazufumi Miyazawa / 宮沢 和史さん (from Yamanashi Prefecture) of THE BOOM who is not from Okinawa. Mr. Miyazawa was fascinated by the sound of Ryukyu music and wanted to create a song that made use of that sound. The year before the release of Shima Uta's original version, Mr. Miyazawa visited Okinawa and learned what happened to Okinawa during World War II. What happened in Okinawa was a tragedy that was scary to put into words, and the word "sadness" was not enough. Mr. Miyazawa was very shocked that he was ignorant of the war in Okinawa. And he said he created and sang this song with the hope that the song he created would be a requiem. Initially, the original version had standard language lyrics, but about half a year later, Shima Uta Uchinaguchi ver. (ウチナーグチver. / Ryukyuan dialect version) was re-released. (Mrs. Natsukawa is singing the Uchinaguchi ver.) BOOM's "Shima Uta" was a hit all over Japan, but many artists from Okinawa, including Mrs. Rimi Natsukawa, sing it as a cover song. Even in Argentina in South America, this song was covered in Japanese, and it was a big hit locally. And this song was also selected as a cheer song for the Argentine team of the 2002 Soccer Japan-Korea World Cup. It was wonderful that this song impressed people who went around the earth halfway! Wow! Mr. Miyazawa, who created this song, once wondered if he could sing this song even though he was not from the island (Okinawa), and he once sealed it. However, he learned that he was very pleased by the people of Okinawa and began to sing again. It's a special song that is so cherished by him and many people. The outline of the lyrics is a love story, but if you look closely at the lyrics, there is a part that strongly appeals to "love" and "peace". In that sense, BOOM's Shima Uta is a song that has the same meaning as Mr. Patrick's motto. Mrs. Natsukawa has a very high singing ability and expressiveness, so it is popular with viewers like us who speak standard languages. In addition to Mrs. Natsukawa, there are many artists from Okinawa who are popular and give us various impressions. I'm sure you'll get lots of requests from your viewers! I have requested a few songs from Okinawan artists in the past, so I will refrain from doing so today. I sincerely hope that you will continue to be exposed to various Japanese music. Thank you very much with Love, Piece & Positivity. 🌈🌈🌈 PS : You were reacting to "Ms. ReoNa" about a year ago. She is also from Amami (Kagoshima) in the Okinawa region. At that time, I recommended you about the goodness of Okinawan music. And finally, you responded to Ryukyu's words and sound songs like Mr. Natsukawa. I'm definitely not blaming you. You don't have time to spare because there are so many great songs in Japan, right? I think it's a proof that the Japanese music scene is so fulfilling. I am smiling at this.😊 【NOTE】: Currently, it is divided into the Amami Islands of Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures. (The other day, Mr. Abstract was talking about Kagoshima's black pig, right? Amami belongs to that Kagoshima.) Strictly speaking, the Shima-Uta is not an Okinawan thing, but a culture of the Amami archipelago. There is a music genre called Okinawan folk songs/ 沖縄民謡 in Okinawa. The person who inherited the Okinawan folk song said, "There is no Shima-Uta in Okinawa!", So I think that is the case. Perhaps few people have a strict understanding of it. In particular, it is very difficult for people on the "mainland" side (other than those on Okinawa and Amami Island) to categorize these music. I myself am from the mainland side, so I didn't know the detailed category. And Okinawan folk songs and Amami island songs are very similar musically, and the instruments used are also similar. The words are very similar. It seems that the specifications of the representative "三線 / San-Shin" are slightly different between Okinawa and Amami, but I can't tell them apart. Historically, the Amami Islands are included in the Ryukyuan Cultural Area. Even in the small town where I lived, the dialect was different from that of the neighboring town, but if people other than those towns listen to it, it will sound the same dialect. Perhaps many people understand that it is difficult to distinguish between Okinawa and Amami when considering the large area of Japan. The theme of this "Island Song" created by Mr. Miyazawa is the tragedy in Okinawa. Did he know that "Island Song" wasn't in Okinawa when he wrote this song? I guess he may not have known that fact. However, the island song of the same Ryukyuan culture area will never change with the message, "Please, I want many people to reach this feeling." There is no doubt that it is true that this song has impressed many people and has been loved by many people for many years.
![【海外の反応】Natsukawa Rimi - Shima Uta [ 夏川りみ - 島唄 ]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
