Jonkara Onnabushi
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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.
| "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]