Hiroshi Itsuki

五木ひろし　/　いつきひろし

Veteran enka singer and composer from Fukui

March 14, 1948 (age 78)　・　Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture, Japan

From Fukui Prefecture
Singer
Composer
Actor

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
Blood type: Private
Height: 173 cm
Agency: Private
Active years: Unknown
Occupation: Singer / Composer / Actor

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: Private
Debut: Unknown

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)

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

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 sitehttp://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