Okinawa Bookstore Grand Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 9 (2023) excellence award
Kazufumi Miyazawa
みやざわ かずふみ
Miyazawa Kazufumi
Aliases:
MIYA
Pen Names:
MIYAZAWA（Solo stage name (used for some releases, notably Portuguese-language works around 1998)）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1966-01-18 （Kōfu, Yamanashi, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- Singer-songwriter, Actor
- Active Years
- 1986-
- Influenced By
- John Lennon, U2, Sting, Kinya Chōkichi (influence from Okinawan music / artists)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meiji University | School of Commerce / Faculty of Business Administration | — | — | — | Japan |
Meiji University
School of Commerce / Faculty of Business Administration
Country:
Japan
Reported to have entered after one year of浪人; exact graduation year not specified in source material
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 35th Japan Record Awards — Best Song Award | Shima Uta ("Island Song") | ベストソング賞 | Japan Record Awards | winner |
35th Japan Record Awards — Best Song Award
1993
Work:
Shima Uta ("Island Song")
Category:
ベストソング賞
Organization:
Japan Record Awards
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Shima Uta
1992 Rock / Okinawan folk fusionA song incorporating Okinawan melody and the sanshin. Written as a reflection on war and a plea for peace, it became a nationwide hit after its single release in 1993 and is one of Miyazawa's signature songs.
peacemeeting and partingisland/regional identitymemory
Adaptations
- [Cover] SHIMAUTA (cover by Alfredo Casero) (2001)
Kaze ni Naritai (I Want to Become the Wind)
1994 Rock with samba influencesA representative song influenced by Miyazawa's time in Brazil, incorporating samba rhythms; one of THE BOOM's signature tunes.
freedomtravelliberation
Bibliography
- Safety Blanket (series)
- Where Sound Lives (series)
- Kazufumi Miyazawa Complete Lyrics Collection
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Fusion incorporating folk music from around the worldLyrical, conversational songwritingRhythmic diversity (samba, ska, bossa nova, etc.)
- Recurring Motifs
- travelsea/islandspeacenature
Health
-
Cervical radiculopathy (possible cervical herniated disc)2005年頃発症〜（2013年に悪化、以後治療と活動休止・制限あり）Neck pain and neurological symptoms affected singing and performances. Announced temporary hiatus for treatment in 2013; in 2016 announced an indefinite pause of singing activities, later resuming limited activities.
Legacy
A songwriter and singer who incorporated Okinawan and Brazilian elements and other world music into Japanese rock. Known widely at home and abroad for hits such as "Shima Uta," he has left a cross-generational influence.
Archives
- National Diet Library (related holdings)
In Popular Culture
- Appearances on NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (e.g., 1993, special 2008 edition)
Quotes
-
I like people who, like John Lennon, U2 and Sting, turn what they see in the world into songs. I too have tried to make music that speaks to society.
Source: Interview (source summary from referenced Wikipedia material)
Trivia
- His eldest son is actor/model Hio Miyazawa.
- Known as an avid angler (fishing enthusiast).
- Has been involved in planting ebony trees used for sanshin instruments.
- "Shima Uta" was covered and became a hit in Argentina (by Alfredo Casero).
- Nickname: "MIYA".