Welcome to episode 61 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing Kaoru Akimoto’s 1968 album, “Tenor Sax Mood White Christmas.”

I’ve collected a variety of things throughout my life. No matter what I’ve been collecting at the time, I’ve always had a handful of items that seemed just beyond my reach. In each case, I’ve managed to get at least a couple of those things I never thought I’d own. Sometimes, they turn out to be a huge disappointment. Luckily with my record collecting, each of the albums I’ve gotten that I never thought I’d own have lived up to or exceeded my expectations. Whether it’s been Kaoru Akimoto, Jun Fukamachi, Chiemi Eri, or any of the others that either seemed to rare or expensive for me to get, or that one collector or another had told me to not even bother looking for because, they assured me, I’d never be able to get—they’ve all turned out to be at least as good as I was hoping.

I hope you’ve found Kaoru Akimoto to be as satisfying an album as I did. It’s a wonderful album and one I’ve listened to more than a lot of the others, mainly because of how early I got it in my collecting. As I said in the episode, though, there are a lot of even more spectacular albums out there. I’ve only covered a handful of the best ones so far, and the best ones truly are yet to come. Join me back here next week when I discuss Niw! Records’ 2010 compilation, “We Wish You A Happy.” It’s a fun, more contemporary album and one you’re sure to enjoy.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 59 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing Mika Kanai’s 1997 album, “Clam Chowder.”

I’m sometimes surprised by how hard it is to find various albums. Some seem to never show up for sale, while others are readily available from sellers on Amazon and other sites, but for exorbitant, unrealistic prices. “Clam Chowder” was in the former category. No matter how much I searched, there just weren’t any copies to be had.

More frustrating, though, are the albums I’ve passed on in the past and not seen since. Seven of my top ten most-wanted albums fall into that category. I’ve seen copies of each of them at some point and either didn’t attempt to buy them, or gave up on an auction, figuring another copy would show up for a more affordable price at some point. Based on what they’ve sold for, most of those seven aren’t particularly rare or sought-after, but I still kick myself for missing out on the copies I had a chance to buy.

Listen in again later this month when I talk about the 1990 compilation, “White Album ‘90.” It’s another album that took well over a year to find. It has an interesting blend of songs and styles, and you’re sure to enjoy it.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 57 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing Ken-Ichi Sonoda’s 1981 album, “White Christmas – Happy Christmas Party.”

As much as I like this album, I was really hoping to find more background on Ken-Ichi Sonoda. Between the sparse amount I could find online, and a complete lack of free time, this episode is a little light on content. I’m hoping this turns out to be a rare exception.

I have most of my schedule for the rest of the year planned out and I might be working in a few surprises. Next month I’ll be covering a pair of 1990s albums, while October will feature a classic Mood Kayo album and a compilation from 2010. In November, I’ll be focusing on artists who were Big In Japan, while December will feature two of the coolest 1980s compilations ever produced.

Be sure to listen in later this month when I talk about a fantastic compilation from 1988, “The Night Before Christmas.” It includes some great, rarely-heard songs, including one from Hitomi “Penny” Tohyama, who I mentioned way back in 2020. It’s an overlooked classic that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 55 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be Yumi Matsutoya’s Christmas songs.

When it comes to Japanese Christmas music, there are a handful of really key artists. Over the past forty years, one of the most influential is Yumi Matsutoya. She’s certainly not the most prolific when it comes to Christmas music, but she helped to revive public interest, and she furthered the success of Japanese Christmas pop songs. While original Christmas pop songs were being written in Japan as early as the 1950s, until the late 1970s they were more the exception than the rule. From 1978 to 1983, a string of Christmas hits written by young Japanese pop and rock artists helped convince the public and the music industry that there was more to Christmas than “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph,” and Bing Crosby. Yuming was one of the most successful of the bunch.

From 1974 to 2002, Yuming regularly produced Christmas, or Christmassy songs. “MISSLIM,” “Streamline ‘80” and “Surf and Snow” were albums I bought or knew about early on. I found out about the others as I researched her more. I’ve bought copies of most of the albums featuring her Christmas songs, but the rest came from her “Seasons Colours Song Collection” 4-CD set.

I was eager to talk about her music and the impact it has had. One of the things I enjoyed most about researching her was finding videos of some of her old performances. She’s always had a great stage presence, but it’s the older videos, particularly from the 70s and 80s, that I enjoy the most. One I regret not being able to find was a video of her performing “Christmas Waiting At The Lodge” while riding a ski lift. It’s from a late-70s or early-80s television special, and it reminded me of one of John Denver’s specials from the same period.

Christmas Waiting At The Lodge

Let’s Move In Together

Before The Diamond Dust Fades

Angel Cryin’ X’mas

Wings Of Winter

Snow, Moon And Flowers

December Rain

I hope you’ve enjoyed Yumi Matsutoya’s music. If you’d like to hear more from her, there’s plenty to be found online. A lot of unauthorized videos have been taken down lately, but she has her own YouTube channel and more music is being added there regularly. Her Christmas music is just the tip of the iceberg.

Join me back here on the 25th for my third Christmas In July episode. I don’t expect it to be late, but I’ve run into a lot of snags, including delays to my latest order of records, so there’s a chance it won’t hit until the 26th. I have a great selection of summery Christmas songs lined up and you’re sure to enjoy them.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 53 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing Naomi Sagara’s 1975 album, “White Christmas.”

I’ve mentioned before how collecting Japanese Christmas albums can sometimes be a real crap shoot. So many of them, especially older ones, have no presence online, so I often have no idea how they’ll sound once I finally get them. This was another of those cases where I pleasantly surprised with the results. While some of the songs are dated, I truly enjoy the entire album and it’s one that I’ve returned to multiple times since getting it.

As I said in this episode, I was really taken by Naomi Sagara’s voice. There’s a pleasing quality to it I really enjoy. I looked up several of her songs on YouTube and was also impressed by her stage presence in her live performances. Despite the difficulties she faced, her reputation as a performer appears to have rebounded and her songs maintain a following to this day.

The World Is For Two People

Why Not, As Long As You’re Happy

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about Naomi Sagara and listening to “White Christmas.” Join me next month for Christmas in July. I’ll be starting things off with something a little different. Instead of a Christmas album, I’ll be covering Yumi Matsutoya’s City Pop classic, “Surf & Snow – Volume One.” It’s a fantastic album with a mix of summer and winter-themed songs, including one of the biggest and most popular Japanese Christmas songs, “Koibito ga Santa Claus.” Then join me on the 25th for my third annual Christmas In July episode. I have some really fun songs lined up for it. If I can find a little extra free time, I might even throw out an extra episode or two.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 51 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing Goro “Smiley” Asahina’s 1967 album, “Dancing Through Blue Christmas.”

Just speaking as a collector, this is the sort of album I live for. Not only is it virtually unknown, both here and in Japan, but it contains an original song that can only be found here. Finding songs and albums like this are a huge thrill. As a result, the episodes where I cover music that can truly only be heard here are even more enjoyable.

I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to “Dancing Through Blue Christmas,” and learning at least a little about Goro “Smiley” Asahina. He’s a unique figure, at least among the musicians I’ve researched, in that he was so closely tied not just to the US military, but to one base in particular.

Be sure to join me back here in June as I kick off the summer months with a pair of truly enjoyable albums. Up first is “Xmas Home Party” by Naozumi Yamamoto. He’s joined by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and famed pianist Norio Maeda. Then join me on the 25th for Naomi Sagara’s 1975 album, “White Christmas.” She was an extremely popular singer throughout the 1970s with an outstanding voice. They’re both great albums, and you’re sure to enjoy them.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 49 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be wrapping up my discussion about Eiji Kitamura and his Christmas music, with his fantastic 2001 album, “Santa Clarinet.”

While Akira Ishikawa’s “Drum Christmas Drum” kicked off my interest in Japanese Christmas music, the Jazz, Group Sounds and Mood Kayo albums of the 1960s really cemented my obsession, while the City Pop Christmas music from the 1980s broadened my collecting horizons and led to me finding an even wider variety of music.

One of the things I love about Eiji Kitamura is that he serves as a bridge from the earliest days of Japanese Pop music to today. He got his start around the same time Hibari Misora’s “Hitoribocchi no Christmas” gave birth to Japanese Christmas Pop, so he has been an eyewitness to the genre as it’s evolved. That’s part of why I’d love to see him do an album where he covers all the big Japanese Christmas songs, from Kai Band’s “Anna,” to Yumi Matsutoya’s “Koibito ga Santa Claus,” Keisuke Kuwata’s “Merry X’mas In Summer” and “White Lovers,” and, of course, Tatsuro Yamashita’s “Christmas Eve.” I have a couple Jazz albums with covers of a lot of those songs, but having one from Eiji Kitamura would be something special, considering his long history in the industry.

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about Eiji Kitamura. Join me back here next month for my special 50th episode, where I’ll be talking about the 1977 compilation, “Merry Christmas (Bouquet of Hearts Present Series),” from King Records. It’s a great album in its own right with an interesting history, but it’s also an instrumental album for me personally, not just in the way it helped me improve my research and collecting strategy, but in the long-standing connection it’s given me with a like-minded collector in Japan. It’s a double LP and will take a lot of work to prepare, so at this point I’m not sure what else I’ll cover next month, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 47 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, I’ll be discussing the 1992 album “Non-Stop Silent Night,” by Pochettes & Reindeers.

Seldom does one ever come across an album of this caliber, capable of eliciting a truly visceral reaction from audiences, even upon repeated listening. The quality and craftmanship are unparalleled. It truly stands out from the other albums in my collection. I can honestly say that when compared to Akira Ishikawa, Jun Fukamachi, Jimmy Takeuchi, Nobuo Hara and Shoji Suzuki, it’s in a league of its own.

I hope Pochettes really made your day. Despite my full schedule, listening to this CD again inspired me to rush this episode out and help you start the month off right. Join me back here later this month for a pair of episodes about Eiji Kitamura. He’s one of the most noteworthy Japanese clarinetists of the 20th century, and you’re sure to enjoy his music.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!

Welcome to episode 45 of Holly Jolly X’masu! In this episode, in honor of Women’s History Month, I’ll be discussing Iruka’s 1977 album “From the Bohemian Forest.”

As you’ve likely noticed, I’m still way behind schedule. I was hoping to have this episode out on the 18th. I’m doing my best to get caught up and will hopefully be back on track next month.

Over the course of my collecting, I’ve found that some albums are a real crapshoot. Their covers don’t always give an indication of what you’re going to get, and since a lot of them can’t be found online, I’ll sometimes buy a record and have no clue how it’s going to sound until I finally drop the needle. “From the Bohemian Forest” was one of those cases.

As you can see above, this looks like a standard children’s album. However, the music was much better than I’d imagined. After I listened to it the first time, I told a friend that it was similar to “John Denver & the Muppets – A Christmas Together.” Not that I was making a direct comparison, but it features a mix of familiar and unfamiliar songs, as well a story involving a tree that segues into a song, packaged in a way that’s geared toward children but belies a more mature and enjoyable style of music. All in all, it was a great addition to my collection.

In the episode, I mentioned Iruka’s song “Nagori Yuki,” and the animated special for “Jeremy Tree.” Here are links to each of them:

Nagori Yuki

Jeremy Tree

Join me back here on the 25th (or thereabouts), when I cover Iruka’s 1990 album, “Noel – Fantastic Winter Story.” It’s another great album and one I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know.

Remember, I’ve added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you’d like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!