01 Wadatsumi no Ki (Words+Music+Arrange: Gen Ueda)
02 Maboroshi no Tsuki (Words+Music: Sadayoshi Okamoto Arrange: COIL)
03 Yoru ni Yomeru Uta (Words+Music: K.Y.O.K.O Arrange: Kou Mamiya) Epic Records Japan
Released: February 6, 2002
Catalog Number: ESCL-2289
Barcode: 4988010000882
Chitose sings a type of Amami-Ôshima minyou called higya uta (higya = east).
Chitose’s utasha career so far:
In 1992, at the age of 13, she won the “Shourei Shou”, an award given to a person who cultivates the art.
In 1993, at the age of 14, she was awarded the “Yûshû Shou”, for excellence in the art.
In 1994, at the age of 15, she received her “Shinjin Shou”, or new comer’s award.
In 1996, at the age of 17, she received the “Taishou”, or grand prix, the highest award for utasha.
There is a cassette tape available of Chitose’s early utasha career called “Higya Merabe”, which was recorded in 1994. It’s a collection of lullabies. There’s also a CD of her utasha music called “Shima Kyora Umui”, which is a collection of recordings from 1994 to 1996.
These recordings are quite difficult to get through the regular channels. One way to order them is through the distributer from Amami-Ôshima.
Links: Chitose World — this site has the most information on Chitose’s utasha career. Simauta.net — you can order her utasha recordings here.
Akaku sabita tsuki no yoru ni
chiisana fune o ukabe mashou
Usui toumeina kaze wa
futari o tooku tooku ni nagashimashita
Doko made mo massugu ni susun de
Onaji tokoro o guru guru mawatte
Hoshi mo nai kurayami de
samayou futari ga utau uta
Namiyo, moshi, kikoeru nara
sukoshi, ima koe o hisomete
Watashi no ashi ga umi no soko o
toraete suna ni fureta koro
Nagai kami wa eda to natte
yagate ookina hana o tsukemashita
Kokoni iruyo, anata ga mayowanu youni
Kokoni iruyo, anata ga sagasanu you
Hoshi ni hana wa terasarete
nobiyuku ki wa mizu no ue
Namiyo, moshi, kikoeru nara
sukoshi, ima koe o hisomete
Yasashiku yureta minamo (suimen) ni
utsuru akai hana no shima
Namiyo, moshi, kikoerunara
sukoshi, ima koe o hisomete
Yup, there’s more stuff to bring to your attention about this fanblog.
The little font used for the banner (above) and the graphics on the right hand column is *free* from Kottke.org and is called Silkscreen. He does ask for a donation if you use it a lot. :)
Chitose’s 4th single entitled “Sen no Yoru to Sen no Hiru” (ESCL-2410, Epic Records) is set to be released on Wednesday, June 11. The song is being used as a CM (commercial) song for Marocha 120 and is produced (he also penned the words and music) by Gen Ueda who is responsible for her hit song (and major label debut) “Wadatsumi no Ki” from 2-6-2002.
Chitose’s latest promo pic.
The single will contain 3 tracks, one from regular contributor Eric Mouquet from the group Deep Forest called “Hakuya”, and a yet untitled track. Her previous single, “Kono Machi”, was released on November 7 of last year and was used as a theme song for the popular NHK morning serial drama “Manten”.
[note: this entry was first posted on the Pop.i-O Yuntaku on 4-11-2003.]
The layout is a modified default MT template, the background image is *free* from squidfingers.com, the little blog icons are also *free* from webgraphics.com, and this weblog is powered by MovableType.
If you want even more info on this fanblog, please visit the site that hosts it, Internet-Okinawa.com. I also have another blog that focuses on Okinawan pop culture over here.
What? Do I have my own personal weblog? Why, I’m glad you asked. ;)
Chitose Hajime was born in Amami-Ôshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, on January 5, 1979. While in elementary school, she began learning shimauta (island songs), and by the time she was a senior in high school, she won the Amami Minyou Taishou, an award given to the top folk singer in Amami.
Like many young women, Chitose’s dream was to become a professional hairdresser, so she packed up her things and headed to Ôsaka. Luckily for us, allergies caused by the chemicals used in the profession ended her training, and led her to pursue a new dream as a pop singer. In March 10, 2001, she debuted with a mini-album of cover songs simply titled “Hajime Chitose” from Augusta Records. In August of the same year, she released a second mini-album of originals called “Kotonoha”.
Her breakthrough song came with her major single debut from Epic Records entitled, “Wadatsumi no Ki”, released on February 6, 2002. After two-and-a-half months on the Oricon Singles Chart, she took the top spot, and her song has been a long seller ever since.
On July 10, 2002, Chitose released her first major label full-length album called “Hainumikaze”, and is now one of the brightest hopes in the J-pop scene with her unique blend of folk singing and pop music. Her latest single is called “Kono Machi” (released on November 7, 2002), and is the theme song for NHK’s morning drama serial “Manten”. Having a theme song for a drama is a big step for any Japanese musician, but having your song on a NHK morning drama serial is extra-special since it’s aired all week and seen by most of Japan. As a fan, I look forward to see how much higher her star rises in 2003. Let’s all wish her luck!
Surprised? I finished working on a template for another fanblog and I’m going to plug it into this one too. I still have to create some graphics and change some of the links on the right hand column. I’ll try to have everything up by the end of tonight.
![[chitose hajime banner]](graphics/chitose-banner.jpg)
![[kono machi]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/hajime_c/covers/chitose_konomachi-s.jpg)
![[outside link graphic]](graphics/aoutside.gif){kind=small}
![[kotonoha album cover]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/hajime_c/covers/chitose_kotonoha-s.jpg)
![[hajime chitose album cover]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/hajime_c/covers/chitose_hajime-s.jpg)
![[kimi o omou album cover]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/hajime_c/covers/chitose_kimio-s.jpg)
![[wadatsumi no ki album cover]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/hajime_c/covers/chitose_wadatsumi-s.jpg)
![[album cover of sen no yoru to sen no hiru]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/hajime_c/images/chitose-sen.jpg)
![[chitose hajime image]](http://pop.internet-okinawa.com/blog/images/chitose_sen.jpg)