60th Anniversary of 'Imujin River' and 'Kaettekita Yopparai'! Osamu Kitayama Turns 80. Our Era, Our Lives, Our Songs Are Here: 'Ano Subarashii Uta wo Mou Ichido Concert 2026 Tokyo' Set for September 18

It has been decided that the "Ano Subarashii Uta wo Mou Ichido Concert 2026 Tokyo" will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the Tokyo International Forum Hall A. The "Ano Subarashii Uta wo Mou Ichido Concert" (Once Again, That Wonderful Song Concert) began in 2018 with the concept of "enjoying famous hits that colored the era, with artists and the audience coming together as one." The title of the concert derives from the eternal standard folk song "Ano Subarashii Ai wo Mou Ichido" (Once Again, That Wonderful Love), a massive 1971 hit with lyrics by Osamu Kitayama and music by Kazuhiko Kato. The concert name was chosen because Kitayama's words about the song—"It sings about 'love' being born among people who admired the same things. That could apply to fireworks, snow-viewing, family commemorative photos, or school graduation albums"—perfectly capture the essence of this concert, where artists and the audience enjoy themselves together. The concerts in 2018 and 2019 were held at the Nippon Budokan, drawing around 10,000 people, primarily middle-aged and older generations, and became a major talking point. Sadly, the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it returned with renewed spirit in 2021, moving the venue to the Tokyo International Forum Hall A. Since then, it has received great feedback from audiences, with increasing calls for the next event, establishing itself as an annual tradition. The age demographic of the audience expands year by year, making it a concert that all generations can enjoy. This will be the 8th time the event is held in Tokyo. Alongside familiar concert regulars like Osamu Kitayama, Kohnosuke Sakazaki, Michiko Shimizu, Jiro Sugita, Kumiko, Kosetsu Minami, and Ryoko Moriyama, it has been decided that Naoto Kine from TM NETWORK and drag queen Dorian Lollobrigida will make their second appearances following their debuts in 2025. Masahiko Ueyanagi, a Nippon Broadcasting personality, will serve as the MC. It was in 1967 that The Folk Crusaders released their independently produced album "Harenchi," which included "Imujin River" and "Kaettekita Yopparai." Introduced by a Kyoto radio station ("Imujin River") and a Kobe radio station ("Kaettekita Yopparai"), the songs gained popularity, eventually becoming unprecedented hits fueled by the late-night broadcasting boom of the time. It has now been 60 years since then. Osamu Kitayama will soon turn 80 this year. Please look forward to this year's "Ano Subarashii Concert," where many artists who were profoundly influenced by Kitayama and The Folk Crusaders in their subsequent lives will gather. Event Name: Ano Subarashii Uta wo Mou Ichido Concert 2026 Tokyo Date and Time: Friday, September 18, 2026 / Doors Open 16:00 / Start 17:00 Venue: Tokyo International Forum Hall A (Immediate access from JR/Metro Yurakucho Station) Cast: Osamu Kitayama / Naoto Kine...