Biography
Yutaka Yamakawa (山川豊, born 15 October 1958) is a Japanese enka singer from Toba, Chiba Prefecture. Yamakawa's birthname is Haruji Kimura (木村春次), and he is the younger brother of enka singer Ichiro Toba (鳥羽一郎). Yamakawa made his début in 1981 with the single "Hakodate honsen" (「函館本線」). Besides being an active performer, is Yamakawa also a certified gas welding technician, C-level boxing trainer, and amateur ballroom dancing silver medalist.
Yutaka Yamakawa debuted in February 5, 1981 with the song “Hakodate Honsen” released by Toshiba EMI (now Universal Music). In 1986, he appeared on the NHK Kohaku Utagassen singing contest, singing “Toki-meki Waltz.” In 1998, Yamakawa released “America-bashi,” which went on to be a major hit.
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In 2015, he released the smash hit single, “Keiko.” At the 48th Annual Japan Lyricist Awards, Yamakawa received the Japan Lyricists’ Association 50th Anniversary Memorial Award. He followed up “Keiko” with his Pure Love series, releasing “Sai-ai/Shinkiro-no-machi kara” in 2016 and “Tasogare” in 2017.
Yamakawa released a new song in 2018 entitled “Kyou to iu Hi ni Kansha shite.” For it he received the Excellence Award at the first ever Japan Enka Song Awards. This wistful, pleasant-sounding song hums along with the natural setting of Yamakawa’s home prefecture of Mie.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.