Listen closely, and your own 'hometown' will come into view.

The album features original songs written specifically for this release, alongside beloved standards like 'What A Wonderful World,' 'Hamabe no Uta,' and 'Furusato,' all imbued with a profound love for home.


Everyone holds a cherished hometown in their heart.

Never before, in the spring of 2011, had that truth struck with such poignant pain.

And yet, never before had the world, ever-turning, connecting, and always moving towards new seasons,

felt so deeply precious.

To this beautiful world,

here, I sing a heartfelt hymn, a wish to live in this era.



Hatakeyama, who hails from Kesennuma City, was deeply affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th.Great East Japan EarthquakeThe tsunami that followed devastated her hometown. On the night of the earthquake, watching footage of her hometown's harbor ablaze on television, she felt utter despair, thinking, 'It's all over.' For a time, unable to contact family and friends in Kesennuma, she prayed relentlessly, her chest heavy with anguish (from a Miho Kawaguchi 'SWITCH' interview).



Particularly resonant are the spoken-word recitation of 'Waga Utsukushiki Kokyo Yo' (track 5) and the subsequent original song of the same title (track 6). Her ability to speak and sing directly, without pretense, stems from her unwavering resolve and deep conviction as an artist. Listening to the songs evokes the devastation of 3.11 that we repeatedly saw on television, and the faces of people working towards recovery. Yet, this is not mere reminiscence; her voice carries hope. That is precisely why it moves us so profoundly.



The album's jacket illustration is by Shinko Okuhara, an artist also from Kesennuma City. Her distinctive style, translating everyday moments, feelings, and cherished thoughts into colors and shapes, perfectly captures the essence of 'Waga Utsukushiki Kokyo Yo'.



The Miyuki Hatakeyama 'Waga Utsukushiki Kokyo Yo' tour begins in February 2012, kicking off in Fukuoka on February 5th (Sunday) before traveling nationwide.


Miyuki Hatakeyama Official Website

http://hatakeyamamiyuki.com/





Miyuki Hatakeyama: 'Waga Utsukushiki Kokyo Yo'

Price: ¥2,800

Details: 16-page booklet + special insert 'Poetry'

Product Number: RBCP-2603 JAN: 4545933126039

1. Sono Machi no Namae wa

2. Kaze no Fuku Mama

3. What A Wonderful World

4. Moon River

5. Waga Utsukushiki Kokyo Yo (Poetry Recitation)

6. Waga Utsukushiki Kokyo Yo

7. Oshiete, Mama

8. Over The Rainbow

9. Hamabe no Uta

10. Hana no Yobune

11. Untitled

12. Furusato