Holly Jolly X'masu

Welcome to episode 121 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about Yasuko Agawa’s 1990 album, “Come In Christmas.”

I hope you enjoyed learning about and listening to Yasuko Agawa. This album was a really pleasant surprise, and it’s one I’ve listened to multiple times since getting it.

I’m still trying to back on track, but I do plan on getting out one more episode before the end of the month, so join me next time when I talk about the 1997 compilation, “Winter Gift Pops.” It’s a fun album 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 120 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about Yuzoh Kayama’s 1983 album, “White Christmas.”

I hope you enjoyed Yuzoh Kayama’s “White Christmas.” He’s been a massive star in Japan since the 60s. One difficulty I had writing this episode was the fact that there’s such a wealth of information about him. I did my best to cover the highlights, though. I’ll get to his music from the 60s eventually.

I’ll do my best to get caught up before October. I have a couple great albums lined up for the rest of this month. First up is Yasuko Agawa’s “Come In Christmas” from 1990. It’s a wonderful vocal jazz album. After that is the 1997 compilation, “Winter Gift Pops.” It’s one I’ve been looking forward to covering, 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 119 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about a selection of Christmas singles from the 1980s.

I hope you enjoyed this collection of songs from 1984. I was hoping to get a couple other 1984-themed episodes out this month, but between my daughters’ school and sports starting back, a severe lack of sleep, and a dozen other crises popping up throughout the month, I was lucky to get this episode out. As usual, I’ll be spending the next few weeks trying to get back on schedule. In the meantime, enjoy the covers and included artwork from this episode’s singles.

1. Tokyo Hot Club Band – A Thorn In Your Eyes

2. Miki Asakura – Hero & Heroine

3. The Checkers – Heartbroken By Julia

4. Momoko Kikuchi – Love Letter On The Snow

5. Yoko Oginome – December Memory

6. Ikue Sakakibara – Lover

7. Kunio Muramasu – X’mas Rock

8. Meiko Nakahara – Meiko’s Special Party Versions

9. Salon Music – Spending Silent Night

Join me next time for Yuzoh Kayama’s 1983 album, “White Christmas.” I’m hoping to have it out the first week of September. Then join me later in the month for a pair of great albums from the 90’s. Up first is Yasuko Agawa’s “Come In Christmas” from 1990. The join me on the 25th for the fantastic compilation, “Winter Gifts Pop” from 1997. They’re both great albums 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 118 of Holly Jolly X'masu! For my fifth annual Christmas in July episode, I’ll once again be covering a mix of tropical, summery, and out-of-season Christmas songs from a variety of artists.

I hope this episode added a little Christmas spirit to your summer. These episodes where I pull songs from a variety of records and CD’s are a lot of work, but they’re also a lot of fun. I cut down on the number of songs this time, mainly so I could stretch out the ones I have left into another two or three episodes. I wish I’d had the foresight to start that with my earlier episodes. Like usual, I’m posting the titles and album covers from this episode below.

1. Mayumi – Merry Christmas In Summer

2. Monday Michiru – Tahitian Xmas

3. Daisuke Kawakami – Summer Day Silhouette

4. Midori Kinouchi – Christmas A Month Late

5. Ayana Taketatsu – Every Day Merry Christmas

6. Tomoko Omoto – Christmas Under A Coconut Tree

7. Modern Choki Chokies – Santa Is Waiting In Town

8. Minoru Komorita – My Neighbor Is Santa Claus

9. Masayoshi Takanaka – Island Christmas Wish

Don’t forget, August is 80s month, so join me next time for a selection of singles and stray tracks from the 1980s. I have a couple slots left, so if you have any 1980s J-X’mas songs you want to hear, let me know. Then join me on the 25th for Yuzoh Kayama’s 1983 album, “White Christmas.” They should both be a lot of fun, so be sure to tune in.

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 117 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the Christmas music from the obscure Group Sounds band, Takehisa Kono and the Highways.

I hope you enjoyed the Highways’ Christmas music. One of the things I enjoy most about collecting Japanese Christmas music is that there’s such a wealth of it to discover. The sonojournals and flexi-discs add another entire layer to it. Almost none of the music that was exclusively released on flexi-disc ever made it to vinyl or CD, and there is very little reliable documentation about them. It’s always exciting when I find something new. I have plenty of other flexi-discs to cover including some of the scarcest and most sought-after flexis.

Be sure to listen in on the 25th for my 5th annual Christmas in July special. I have some really great tropical and 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 116 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the 1970 album, “X’mas Golden Hits,” by the Candle-Light Orchestra and the Singers Three.

I hope you enjoyed “X’mas Golden Hits” as much as I do. While some of the albums labeled “Now Sound” can put you to sleep, this is one I can listen to over and over again. It’s loaded with fun arrangements, and the Singers Three never disappoint.

Join me back here next time for the Christmas music from the obscure Group Sounds band, Takehisa Kono and the Highways. In my opinion, they’re one of the better GS bands out there, despite only being found almost exclusively on flexi-discs. Then join me on the 25th for my fifth annual Christmas in July special. I’ll be covering some great tropical and summery Christmas tunes that 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 115 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the 1962 compilation, “Young Christmas.”

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I hope you enjoyed “Young Christmas.” It’s one of my favorite albums, not just because of the music, but also because of how scarce it is, and how lucky I was to get such an affordable copy. When I started researching this, I didn’t realize this would turn into a True Crime episode, at least in part. There was a lot more I could have added to Katsumi Shigeru’s story, but after multiple cuts and edits, I still had to adjust the tempo on that part of the episode to get it to fit within the running time of the song.

I lost a fair amount of sleep, but I’m glad I was able to get this out before the end of the month. I’m still a little behind schedule, but I’m going to try to get a few things done this week so that I’m not scrambling at the last minute with my Christmas In July episodes. If things work out, I might add another episode to my July schedule.

That said, join me back here next month for at least two really fun episodes. Up first is the 1970 album, “X’mas Golden Hits” by the Candle-Light Orchestra and the Singers Three. It has a great New Sound vibe, and if you liked Kayo Ishu’s “Scat Christmas,” you’re sure to enjoy this one. Then join me on the 25th for my fifth annual Christmas In July special. I’ll cover a selection of tropical and summery Christmas songs. It’s always an enjoyable episode and you won’t want to miss 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 114 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the 1963 album, “Merry Christmas Everyone – Folk Dance Party,” produced by Teruaki Kawamura and the Japan Recreation Association.

I hope you enjoyed “Merry Christmas Everyone.” Despite the objections to it and the song’s problematic history, I’ve always been fascinated with Japan’s relationship to “Turkey In The Straw.” I’ve had a few people tell me I should avoid it altogether, but as I stated in the episode, it’s something you really can’t avoid if you’re collecting Japanese Christmas music. It was on one of the very first Japanese Christmas albums I bought, so I’ve known about its history for almost as long as I’ve been collecting. I knew I’d be covering it eventually, and considering how the Japan Recreation Association, Winfield Niblo, square dancing, and “Turkey In The Straw” are all tied to one another, I figured this was the best episode for broaching the topic. Racism and discrimination are always wrong, but history is never cut and dried, and the fact that the song helped bring about positive cultural and social changes in Japan is an important, or at least interesting footnote in any discussion about it.

Join me back here next time for the 1962 compilation, “Young Christmas.” It’s one of the more difficult albums to find. It features some of the most popular young artists of the time, and it’s a real treat 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 113 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this special mini-episode, I talk about the 1957 Christmas single from Akihiro Miwa.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Akihiro Miwa and listening to his music. His “Jingle Bells” is one of my favorites. Like I said in the episode, I was only able to scratch the surface about all he’s been through and accomplished over the years, so be sure to Google him if you want to learn more about him.

Join me back here next time when I talk about Teruaki Kawamura’s 1963 album, “Merry Christmas Everyone.” It’s a fun, Christmas-themed folk dance album released by the Japan Recreation Association. Then join me on the 25th for one of the most sought-after Christmas compilations of the 1960s, “Young Christmas.” It features some great performances by a bunch of young, rising stars. It’s a wonderful record, and one you don’t want to miss.

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 112 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this episode, I talk about the Tokyo Cuban Boys’ 1966 album, “Christmas Dance Party.”

This is a wonderful album. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do. For a popular, prolific band with a career spanning nine decades, you’d think I’d have been able to find a little more biographical information about them. Their Wikipedia entry is short and repetitive, while their profile on their official website is mostly just a list of dates. I will talk about them a bit more when I cover Chiemi Eri, but most of that will be about her relationship with one of the band members and it’s not entirely relevant to the rest of the band.

Join me back here next week for a mini-episode about singer, actor and activist, Akihiro Miwa. Then join me later in the month for Teruaki Kawamura’s “Merry Christmas Everyone – Folk Dance Party.” It’s a fun album that doesn’t show up very often. And listen in again on the 25th when I cover the 1962 compilation, “Young Christmas.” It’s one of the more sought-after records and one that, at one point, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to afford. They’re loaded with some great music 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!