Posted on: Friday, June 28, 2002
Bon dance beat hasn't left 'best' singer, 87
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Gladys Inaba, left, and James Kunichika sing "Sakuma Teicho" at a practice for Honpa Hongwanji Hawai'i Betsuin's bon dance — a Japanese tradition honoring ancestors. Kunichika, a regular at O'ahu dances, is regarded as the best.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser |
James Kunichika, a retired painter and contractor, hums a few bars of "Oh! Susannah" to a bon dance beat. The music doesn't have to be Japanese, although it's what he prefers.
The 87-year-old Kunichika is recognized by many classical dancers as the singing voice at bon dances on O'ahu. "Sakuma Teicho" is his signature song.
"(It's) about a submarine commander," Kunichika said. "The submarine sinks. Main thing for him is take care of his men."
Because bon dance songs are long and fitted into a set program, Kunichika rarely sings anything more than "Sakuma Teicho." His other favorites are "Nikudan Samyushi" or "human bullet," which is about a man on a suicide mission to blow up a barbed wire fence, and "Yoshioka Kundo," about a teacher trying to save children in a fallen school building during a typhoon."
"All I need is good (public address) system and taiko player to be good," Kunichika said.
Overhearing his remarks, 84-year-old Lillian Kuroiwa added, "And when he sings good, everybody dances good."
Bon dances, social events where the living come to pay tribute to their deceased ancestors, are traditionally held at Japanese temples from June through August. Five have already been held on Kaua'i and O'ahu, but tonight's dance at Honpa Hongwanji Hawai'i Betsuin temple at 1727 Pali Highway will be the first for Kunichika this year and the start of a full schedule of summer dances.
Kunichika, his wife of 59 years — the former Katherine Fujita — and Kuroiwa are founding members of the O'ahu-based Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai club, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this bon dance season. The club today has 220 active members, ranging in age from 8 to 80 and older, said Roy Hamasaki, president of Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai.
Iwakuni Bon Dance Club, an older club than Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai, and its affiliate, the Yamada Dance Group, are also active on O'ahu and participate at bon dances.
"When I joined in 1986, our membership numbers were in the 80s," Hamasaki said.
They will also be dancing tomorrow night at Honpa Hongwanji. Wahiawa Hongwanji Mission at 1067-A California Ave. is also hosting bon dancing tonight and tomorrow night as is West Hongwanji Waimea on Kaua'i.
Kunichika expects to sing well tonight and tomorrow because he rates the P.A. system at Honpa Hongwanji as No. 1.
"He's the best," Hamasaki said of Kunichika's singing. "It's his beat, the tempo."
"No more singers, that's why he say I'm best," Kunichika responded. "Had plenty before, but now, no more. Yoshii Fukuishi from Kaua'i is the best I ever heard."
Proud of the fact that he worked all but two days every year before retiring as a painter/contractor, Kunichika is equally devoted to singing. The Kaua'i native taught himself to sing Iwakuni bon dance songs.
"I learn myself from records when I was 18 or 19," he said. "In Ko'olau (Kaua'i), we no more electricity. My phonograph was crank-up kind.
"My first time singing, I had to wear a suit. Sing two, three songs, maybe 10 minutes each."
Iwakuni style of dancing comes from Hiroshima prefecture and is the oldest style of bon dancing in Hawai'i.
It was introduced here by immigrants, who were mostly from Hiroshima, said Kuroiwa, a Japanese folk dance instructor. The other notable dancing style in Hawai'i comes from Fukushima prefecture.
"The difference is in the music and dance motions," Kuroiwa said. "The beat of the taiko is different. Iwakuni uses only one taiko."
Bon dances often feature both Iwakuni and Fukushima music. Some have even added western pop music, such as "Elvira" and "Horse."
