The Most Powerful of 2010s Koenji and Tokushima — Captured Live on the Streets by Makoto Kubota, Now on Vinyl for the First Time!

In the summer of 2010, Zomeki Ichi, a live recording of the Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori by Makoto Kubota, was released.
It became a huge hit, resonating not only with devoted Awa Odori fans but also with lovers of world music and club culture.
Since then, the “Zomeki” series has released eight CD volumes.

This release is a special edition — a “Bangai-hen” (side story) to the Zomeki series, and its first-ever analog pressing on 12-inch vinyl.

Side A: Kokesaku”

This track features Kokesaku, a troupe founded in 1968, renowned for its relentless one-beat style that has influenced the new generation of Awa Odori performers for over half a century.
This particular performance, led by Koji Tani during his time as head of the troupe in Koenji, showcases their dazzling yet stoic sound — a display of unmatched mastery.

The recording not only captures the resounding clang of the kane (bell) and the band’s commanding presence, but also the wild energy of the crowd and the urban reverberations that filled the streets during this powerful live performance.

Side B: Shinmachibashi Yoiyoi Bayashi with Mayuzuki Ren

On the B-side is a rare live session: a collaboration between the late Harusame Yanagimachi, leader of Shinmachibashi Yoiyoi Bayashi, and the uniquely groovy Mayuzuki Ren.

For decades, this troupe drew dancing crowds not from reserved seats but from open plazas — creating a festival space akin to a Jamaican dancehall.
Their call-and-response rhythms would send the crowd into a whirlpool of movement.

Meanwhile, Mayuzuki Ren delivers a deep, infectious groove that rivals the explosiveness and precision of rock drum pioneer Earl Palmer.

About the Recording and Cover Artwork:

These tracks were recorded in the 2010s by Makoto Kubota using a ROLAND R4, a handheld mic, and the SONY ECM-999.
Because the performers were marching and the mic was moving, the mix shifts over time — a dynamic soundscape that lets you feel the motion of the street and the procession.

The retro cover photo is by acclaimed photographer Hiroyoshi Taira, whose 2024 exhibition “Zomeki” is set to open this March at Olympus Gallery in Shinjuku.