Photo: 国土交通省 / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I'll be honest, enka isn't usually my lane, but Hiroshi Itsuki makes me get it. That voice has weight to it, the kind that rolls up from somewhere deep and lands square in your chest, and the way he draws out the syllables in "Yokohama Tasogare" basically paints a whole rainy harbor scene before he finishes the line. What gets me is that he didn't just sing the songs, he wrote some too, which is a different kind of stubborn dedication. A kid from rural Fukui who became a genuine pillar of the genre for decades, picking up the Purple Ribbon and Rising Sun honors along the way, yet somehow never going stiff or stately on stage. That mix of national-treasure status and old-school charm is the part I find quietly impressive.
Overview
Hiroshi Itsuki is a Japanese enka singer, composer, and actor born on March 14, 1948, in Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture. He is best known for signature songs such as "Yokohama Tasogare" and "Nagaregawa Enka," which established him as one of Japan's foremost enka artists. In addition to performing, he has composed music throughout his career. He was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2007 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays in 2018 in recognition of his contributions to Japanese music.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Hiroshi Itsuki
- Name (Japanese)
- 五木ひろし
- Reading
- いつき ひろし
- Born
- March 14, 1948 (age 78)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Rat (子)
- Origin
- Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 173 cm
- Occupation
- Singer / Composer / Actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Medal with Purple Ribbon (2007)
- Japan Record Award (year unknown)
- Golden Arrow Award (year unknown)
- Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays (2018)
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Representative work | Yokohama Tasogare | — | Unknown |
| Representative work | Nagaregawa Enka | — | Unknown |
| Representative work | Soshite... Meguriai | — | Unknown |
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.itsuki-hiroshi.co.jp/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/hiroshi.itsuki_staff/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%94%E6%9C%A8%E3%81%B2%E3%82%8D%E3%81%97
Frequently asked questions
When was Hiroshi Itsuki born?
Born March 14, 1948 (age 78).
Where is Hiroshi Itsuki from?
Hiroshi Itsuki is from Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.
What does Hiroshi Itsuki do?
Hiroshi Itsuki works as Singer, Composer, Actor.
How tall is Hiroshi Itsuki?
Hiroshi Itsuki is 173 cm.
What is Hiroshi Itsuki known for?
Notable works include Yokohama Tasogare, Nagaregawa Enka, Soshite... Meguriai.
Singer — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.