Photo: Ogiyoshisan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Saburō Kitajima is one of those voices that stops being a singer and becomes part of the national landscape. Born in 1936 in Shiriuchi, a small town in Hokkaidō, he stands 161 cm — and yet songs like 'Yosaku' and 'Hakodate no Hito' come out of him with a force that seems physically unreasonable. What I admire is not the technique but the point of view. Enka in his hands is sung from the tired side of life: migrant labor, married endurance, obligations between men. That is why listeners hear their own story inside it. He also wrote, composed, acted, and built a business around the music, and Japan eventually gave him the Order of the Rising Sun. That is a country formally bowing to a man who kept singing for ordinary people.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Saburō Kitajima
- Name (Japanese)
- 北島三郎
- Born
- October 4, 1936 (age 89)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Rat
- Origin
- Shiriuchi, Hokkaidō, Japan
- Height
- 161 cm
- Occupation
- singer / composer / lyricist / businessperson / actor
2. Background
- High school
- Hokkaido Hakodate Nishi High School
Awards & achievements
- 2016 The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
- Japan Record Awards
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Kyōdai Jingi | — | |
| Notable work | Kaerokana | — | |
| Notable work | Hakodate no Hito | — | |
| Notable work | Yosaku | — | |
| Notable work | Fūfu Isshō | — | |
| Notable work | Bungacha Bushi | — |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.kitajima-music.co.jp/sabu/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E5%B3%B6%E4%B8%89%E9%83%8E
Frequently asked questions
When was Saburō Kitajima born?
Born October 4, 1936 (age 89).
Where is Saburō Kitajima from?
Saburō Kitajima is from Shiriuchi, Hokkaidō, Japan.
What does Saburō Kitajima do?
Saburō Kitajima works as singer, composer, lyricist, businessperson, actor.
How tall is Saburō Kitajima?
Saburō Kitajima is 161 cm.
What is Saburō Kitajima known for?
Notable works include Kyōdai Jingi, Kaerokana, Hakodate no Hito.
Singer — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-07-26
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.