Do you know a singer called ‘Batayan’ , Tabata Yoshio? Maybe many old people in Japan know him and the songs sung by him.
Batayan was born in Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture, in 1919.
At the age of three, he lost his father and his family moved to Osaka. They were so poor that he was usually in malnutrition. As a result, he suffered from trachoma and lost his right eyesight.
At the age 13, in 1932, he started to work as an apprentice one after another, such as at a drugstore, at a baker and at an ironworks.
In those days, he was impressed by songs sung by a famous singer, Dick Mine. Yoshio imitated Dick’s singing with his hand-made guitar which didn’t make sounds. He called it ‘Itaa’, because it was made of ‘benia ita’ or pieces of a board.
At the age of 19, in 1938, he was recommended by his elder sister to participate in a singing contest. Fortunately, he won the championship.
At the contest, Yoshio was spotted and recruited by Mr. Suzuki Ikusaburo, the president of a record company called ‘Polydor.’
Next year, he made his debut with a song ‘Sima no funauta’ or ‘The Ship Song of an Island.’
During the war, he visited the army bases both in China and in Japan.
At the age of 27, in 1946, he was traded to another record company called ‘Teichiku.’
His new song ‘Kaeri-bune’ or ‘A Ship Returning to Japan’ became a great hit. It sold about 1.8 million copies.
After that, he was not able to have a big hit. As a result, the numbers of his fan club decreased form a few thousands to only 8 people.
One day, however, he came across a beautiful song. Yoshio was drinking sake at an Okinawa restaurant in Shimbashi. Five girls started to sing an Okinawa song, ‘Shima-sodachi’ or ‘Rised in the Island’ and he was fascinated by the song.
The song was composed by Mikai Minoru and the lyrics were written by Arikawa Kunihiko. The two men were both born and raised in Amami Island.
At the age of 43, in 1962, he decided to sing the song and sell it in spite of objection of his company executives. It became a great hit again and sold about 400,000 copies. That was called ‘a miracle come-back.’
Next year, he was able to participate in the Kohaku-uta-gassen which is
a singing contest between a male and a female team of popular singers, sponsored annually by NHK on New Year’s Eve.
When Batayan visited Amami Island, about 10,000 people packed the pier and welcomed him enthusiastically. He never forgot the day for the rest of his life.
At the age of 94, in 2013, he passed away because of pneumonia.
I miss the great singer from the bottom of my heart. May he rest in peace.