Jonkara Onnabushi
Jonkara Onnabushi[a] (じょんから女節) is the name of both a song and single by Japanese enka singer Yōko Nagayama.
Single
| "Jonkara Onnabushi" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Yōko Nagayama | ||||
| Language | Japanese | |||
| A-side | "Jonkara Onnabushi" | |||
| B-side | "Tamayura" | |||
| Released | June 25, 2003 | |||
| Genre | Enka | |||
| Length | 18 mins | |||
| Label | Victor Entertainment | |||
| Composer | Tsuyoshi Nishi | |||
| Lyricist | Kiyo Suzuki | |||
| Yōko Nagayama singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Jonkara Onna Bushi is a Japanese single by enka singer Yōko Nagayama released in 2003. The single features two songs; Jonkara Onnabushi, and Tamayura. It also includes a karaoke version of both.[1]
Song
| "Jonkara Onnabushi" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Yōko Nagayama | |
| Language | Japanese |
| Released | June 25, 2003 |
| Genre | Enka |
| Length | 4:41 mins |
| Label | Victor Entertainment |
| Composer | Tsuyoshi Nishi |
| Lyricist | Kiyo Suzuki |
Jonkara Onnabushi is the name sake for the single. It peaked at 21 on the Oricon Singles Chart.[2] Yōko recalled that since elementary school, she has always invisioned a song about a wandering Tsugaru shamisen artist.[3] This is featured in the music video in which a mother, who is a wandering Tsugaru shamisen artist, comes to conflict with her daughter.[3] The songs instrumental features the shamisen, which Yōko has said is herself playing it.[4]
On August 27, 2008, Yōko Nagayama released the single Boukyou hitori naki which features a new version of the song Jonkara Onnabushi titled "Jonkara Onnabushi (New Version)".[5] She also released a karaoke version of the same song.[5]
The song tells the story of a woman in love with a man she cannot have. Over the course of the songs verses, she grows from hurt, to passionate, as she deals with her conflicting emotions.[6]
In the music video however, it focuses on a mother's conflicting relationship with her daughter.[3]
Reception
The song has been received generally well, receiving a height of 21 on the Oricon Singles Chart.[2] Yōko has performed the song live many times, including three times on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen for the 54th, 55th, and 58th renditions of the show.[7] While she did not perform it during the 56th rendition of the show, instead performing a song named "Bashōfu", Jonkara Onnabushi was ranked 60th on the survey conducted by the NHK for the 56th rendition of the show when selecting the shows participants.[8]
During the 2025 Music Awards Japan, Yōko performed her song Jonkara Onnabushi during the conclusion of the Enka/Kayōkyoku section of the awards.[9]
The song was also covered by a Korean singer during the 44th episode of the MBN Korea-Japan Top 10 Show.[10]
Notes
- ^ Also spelt as Jonkara Onna Bushi or Jyongara Onna Bushi
References
- ^ "長山 洋子 | じょんから女節 | ビクターエンタテインメント". ビクターエンタテインメント | Victor Entertainment (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ a b "じょんから女節 | 長山洋子". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ a b c "長山洋子「じょんから女節」 津軽三味線は「私の原点」". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). July 22, 2003. p. 16.
- ^ "長山洋子が五所川原市の津軽三味線大使に". Hogaku Journal (in Japanese). 2008. p. 10.
- ^ a b "■望郷ひとり泣き". www.jvcmusic.co.jp. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "Yoko Nagayama - じょんから女節 (Jonkara onna bushi) (English translation #2)". lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "ＮＨＫ紅白歌合戦 曲目発表 阿久悠さんの4作品が登場". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). December 21, 2007. p. 29.
- ^ "第56回 NHK紅白歌合戦". www3.nhk.or.jp. Archived from the original on 2006-01-04. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025 演歌・歌謡曲LIVE［最優秀 演歌・歌謡曲 楽曲賞 授賞式］レポート【後編】 授賞式・豪華ステージの模様をお届け！". うたびと (in Japanese). 2025-05-21. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "일본 전통 악기 샤미센?! 내가 바로 엔카의 신이 될 남자~ 쿠도 타케루 ♬ 종카라 온나부시 MBN 250408 방송". 네이트 TV (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-10-10.