My Take
Okay, can we talk about that voice? The man is well into his seventies and those crystal-clear high notes still sail out like he's defying gravity, and I genuinely don't know how. What kills me is the contradiction: here's an engineering grad who went on to study architecture, a real left-brain guy, and yet he writes a song called "I Can't Put It Into Words" while putting it perfectly into words every single time. He famously won't do Kohaku, he doesn't chase trophies, he just quietly keeps making gorgeous songs from Off Course's "Sayonara" through "Love Story wa Totsuzen ni," which somehow moved millions. Half a century, zero drift. I just admire the guy.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
Story
Overview
Kazumasa Oda is a Japanese singer-songwriter born on September 20, 1947, in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa. He co-founded the band Off Course while studying at Tohoku University and made his professional debut in 1970; the group achieved widespread popularity in the late 1970s and disbanded in 1989. His 1991 solo single "Love Story wa Totsuzen ni," the theme song for the Fuji TV drama Tokyo Love Story, sold over 2.7 million copies and topped the Oricon annual singles chart. He holds a master's degree in architecture from Waseda University's Graduate School of Science and Engineering and has continued releasing original work and touring nationally well into his seventies.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kazumasa Oda
- Name (Japanese)
- 小田和正
- Reading
- おだ かずまさ
- Born
- September 20, 1947 (age 79)
- Origin
- Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Height
- 172 cm
- Occupation
- Singer-songwriter / Musician
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Boar
- Blood type
- A
- Agency
- Far East Club
- Active years
- 1970–present
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Kanto Gakuin Mutsuura Elementary School / Yokohama Municipal Hakkei Elementary School
- Junior high
- Seiko Gakuin Junior High School
- High school
- Seiko Gakuin High School
- University
- Tohoku University, Faculty of Engineering / Waseda University Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Master's in Architecture
- Debut
- April 1970 — professional debut with Off Course on the single "Gunshū no Naka de"
Awards & achievements
- 1985 Oricon Weekly Singles Chart No. 1 ("Ima dakara")
- 1991 Oricon Annual Singles Chart No. 1, over 2.7 million copies sold ("Love Story wa Totsuzen ni")
- 2007 Tohoku University 100th Anniversary Cultural Contribution Award (Arts and Culture Division)
- 2009 Agency for Cultural Affairs 59th Art Encouragement Prize, Minister of Education Award (Popular Entertainment Division)
Timeline
- 1969While at Tohoku University, entered the Yamaha Light Music Contest from the Tohoku region with Off Course
- 1970Professional debut with Off Course on the single "Gunshū no Naka de"
- 1979Expanded to a five-member lineup; "Sayonara" became a major hit and brought the band mainstream recognition
- 1982Member Yasuhiro Suzuki departed; after about a year's hiatus the band resumed as a four-piece
- 1989Off Course disbanded after a final concert at Tokyo Dome
- 1991Solo single "Love Story wa Totsuzen ni" sold over 2.7 million copies, theme of Fuji TV drama Tokyo Love Story
- 2008Nationwide 52-show tour "Kyō mo Dokoka de," including dome concerts
3. Relationships
- Siblings
- Older brother Hyoma Oda (pharmacist)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Golf
- Watercolor painting
Specialties
- Lyric writing
- Composing
- Architecture
Motto
Just give it a try.
5. Works & records
Works summary
- Works
- 15 (1988–2012)
- By year (titles with a known year)
- 1988: 1, 1989: 1, 2002: 1, 2005: 2, 2007: 2, 2009: 2, 2012: 1, year unknown: 5
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song | Sayonara (Off Course) | Songwriter and vocalist | 1979 |
| Song | Kotoba ni Dekinai (Off Course) | Songwriter and vocalist | 1982 |
| Song | Yes-No (Off Course) | Songwriter and vocalist | 1980 |
| Song | Love Story wa Totsuzen ni | Songwriter and vocalist | 1991 |
| Song | Tashika na Koto | Songwriter and vocalist | 2004 |
| Song | Ima dakara (co-written with Yumi Matsutoya and Kazuo Zaitsu) | Songwriter and vocalist | 1985 |
| Album | Jiko Best | Best-of album | 2002 |
| Album | Jiko Best-2 | Best-of album | 2007 |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. Works and profile fields sourced from Wikipedia reflect content as of 2026-08-26. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Kazumasa Oda born?
Kazumasa Oda was born on September 20, 1947 and is 79 years old.
Where is Kazumasa Oda from?
Kazumasa Oda is from Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
What does Kazumasa Oda do?
Kazumasa Oda works as Singer-songwriter, Musician.
How tall is Kazumasa Oda?
Kazumasa Oda is 172 cm tall.
What is Kazumasa Oda's blood type?
Kazumasa Oda's blood type is A.
Where did Kazumasa Oda study?
Kazumasa Oda attended Tohoku University and Waseda University Graduate School of Science and Engineering.
What agency is Kazumasa Oda with?
Kazumasa Oda is with Far East Club.
How long has Kazumasa Oda been active?
Kazumasa Oda's recorded active years are 1970–present.
What is Kazumasa Oda known for?
Kazumasa Oda's notable works include Sayonara (Off Course), Kotoba ni Dekinai (Off Course), Yes-No (Off Course).
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