Enka is alive and well here on the eve of 2007 if the performances on the Kohaku Uta Gassen is any indication! And yes, Shige-chan is still adorable as heck, too. Gotta gives props where it's due!
Kaori Kozai
When i first began watching the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, Enka was going through a renaissance of “bijin” Vocalists, and I’m happy to say that even now 10 years later they’re still here making their marks!
Fuyumi Sakamoto
Natsuko Godai
Sayuri Ishikawa
Aside from the Enka props, the 57th Kohaku (this year hosted by Yukie Nakama and SMAP’s Masahiro Nakai) had much to share for its burgeoning younger audience- some of which really captivated me and some of which simply made me smile~
Mihimaru GT opened the show this year with the genki "Kibun Jojo"
w-inds did their catchy “Boogie Woogie ’66”, a song I loved (and used to open my latest J-pop mix, no less!!)
Svelte and Sexy BoA had me on high…
And classy Ayaka Hirahara balanced it with “Chikai”
Morning Musume explain to a befuddled Yukie Nakama that GAM stood for the eye-rollingly silly “Great Aya and Miki” before both Momusu and GaM took the stage…
Takashi Hosokawa brought the “Matsuri” song this year…
While Kenichi Mikawa and Sachiko Kobayashi battled it out to see who would be the "Queen" of excessive Glitz and Glamour!
Sweetie Ai Otsuka did her song "Renai Shashin”
Bonnie Pink did “A Perfect Sky”
Some fun with WaT doing "5centi"
Ayaka made her Kohaku debut with “Mikazuki”
Then it was the “Bad girls of J-Pop" with Kumi Koda doing “Yume No Uta”…
...then Ayumi Hamasaki channeling her inner Cinderella…
…and Mika Nakashima as...Cruella DeVil!
TOKIO rocked with their song “Sorafune”
Rimi Natsukawa did the classic “Hana”
And Takao Horiuchi busted out his signature SANKYUUUU!
Besides the musical guests, this year had its fair share of various "tarento" appear like Becky (who reminded us how NUTTY she was)
and Aki Hoshino,who reminded everyone why her full-body pillow was one of the hottest wota items this Christmas…(In fact, I see TWO reasons for her popularity!)
Then it was time for the Artists who were in the middle of cleaning their basements when they got the call to appear at the Kohaku, with Orange Range and the debut of Angela Aki as the Boro-Boro T-shirt Brigade...
Miki Imai made her very first appearance doing “Pride” along with her beau Hotei Tomoyasu on guitar…Oh man, I was really crossing my fingers that she would do “Piece of My Wish”, but twas not to be. Maybe next time!
Argh, Miki’s so darn beautiful!!!
Dreams Come True revisted their ALL-TIME classic song “Love Love Love’, this song is just drenched with memories and sentimentality for me…
And SMAP did their song “Arigato" from the drama “Boku No Aruku Michi” (which starred Tsuyoshi and actress Karina)
Akiko Wada crooned her song “Mother”…(one of Akiko’s four of five BIG Kohaku hits…)
And then the chairman of the Board Saburo Kitajima closed the event with THE Kohaku finale song “Matsuri”!
Mihimaru GT opened the show this year with the genki "Kibun Jojo"
w-inds did their catchy “Boogie Woogie ’66”, a song I loved (and used to open my latest J-pop mix, no less!!)
Svelte and Sexy BoA had me on high…
And classy Ayaka Hirahara balanced it with “Chikai”
Morning Musume explain to a befuddled Yukie Nakama that GAM stood for the eye-rollingly silly “Great Aya and Miki” before both Momusu and GaM took the stage…
Takashi Hosokawa brought the “Matsuri” song this year…
While Kenichi Mikawa and Sachiko Kobayashi battled it out to see who would be the "Queen" of excessive Glitz and Glamour!
Sweetie Ai Otsuka did her song "Renai Shashin”
Bonnie Pink did “A Perfect Sky”
Some fun with WaT doing "5centi"
Ayaka made her Kohaku debut with “Mikazuki”
Then it was the “Bad girls of J-Pop" with Kumi Koda doing “Yume No Uta”…
...then Ayumi Hamasaki channeling her inner Cinderella…
…and Mika Nakashima as...Cruella DeVil!
TOKIO rocked with their song “Sorafune”
Rimi Natsukawa did the classic “Hana”
And Takao Horiuchi busted out his signature SANKYUUUU!
Besides the musical guests, this year had its fair share of various "tarento" appear like Becky (who reminded us how NUTTY she was)
and Aki Hoshino,who reminded everyone why her full-body pillow was one of the hottest wota items this Christmas…(In fact, I see TWO reasons for her popularity!)
Then it was time for the Artists who were in the middle of cleaning their basements when they got the call to appear at the Kohaku, with Orange Range and the debut of Angela Aki as the Boro-Boro T-shirt Brigade...
Miki Imai made her very first appearance doing “Pride” along with her beau Hotei Tomoyasu on guitar…Oh man, I was really crossing my fingers that she would do “Piece of My Wish”, but twas not to be. Maybe next time!
Argh, Miki’s so darn beautiful!!!
Dreams Come True revisted their ALL-TIME classic song “Love Love Love’, this song is just drenched with memories and sentimentality for me…
And SMAP did their song “Arigato" from the drama “Boku No Aruku Michi” (which starred Tsuyoshi and actress Karina)
Akiko Wada crooned her song “Mother”…(one of Akiko’s four of five BIG Kohaku hits…)
And then the chairman of the Board Saburo Kitajima closed the event with THE Kohaku finale song “Matsuri”!
All in all another FUN Red and White Festival!
