Irohanihoheto

"Irohanihoheto" (いろはにほへと), also known by its French title "Les Couleurs Chantent" ("The Colors Sing"),[1] is a song by Japanese musician Ringo Sheena. It was initially released digitally on April 30, 2013, and on May 27 released as one of the A-sides of her 14th single, along with the song "Kodoku no Akatsuki".[2][3] The release date was the 15th anniversary of the release of Sheena's debut single "Kōfukuron" in 1998. The song was used as the theme song for the drama Kamo, Kyōto e Iku.: Shinise Ryokan no Okami Nikki.

For the Heian Period poem, see Iroha.
"Irohanihoheto"
A pixilised image of a red apple on a black background. White text listing the title and the artist' name features in the centre, written vertically.
Digital download cover for "Irohanihoheto" as a single track.
Single by Ringo Sheena
from the album Hi Izuru Tokoro
ReleasedApril 30, 2013 (2013-04-30)
Recorded2013
GenrePop
Length3:19
LabelEMI Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Ringo Sheena
Producer(s)Ringo Sheena
Ringo Sheena singles chronology
"Jiyū e Michizure"
(2012)		 "Irohanihoheto"
(2013)		 "Kodoku no Akatsuki"
(2013)

Background and development

In early 2012, Sheena's band Tokyo Jihen disbanded, and released a string of releases, including the extended play Color Bars, the live compilation album Tokyo Collection, the B-side collection Shin'ya Waku, and performed their farewell tour, Bon Voyage. On May 16, 2012, Sheena released her first post-Tokyo Jihen solo work, the digital single "Jiyū e Michizure." This song acted as the theme song for the TBS drama Ataru, starring Masahiro Nakai.

It was later revealed that Sheena was heavily pregnant with her second child during the single's release. As she did not feel it was appropriate to link single promotions with the birth of a child, she waited until her Tōtaikai concerts in November to reveal this.[4]

Writing and production

Sheena worked together with producer and guitarist Yukio Nagoshi on the song, as well as "Kodoku no Akatsuki". Sheena had previously worked with Nagoshi during her Ringo Expo concerts in 2008, and on the songs "Zero Chiten Kara," "Togatta Teguchi" and "Yokyō" on her solo album Sanmon Gossip (2009).[5][6] Her previous Tokyo Jihen bandmate Ichiyo Izawa played the harpsichord on "Irohanihoheto." Bassist Hitoshi Watanabe had previously worked with Sheena as a member of Bōtoku Vitamin, one of the bands who performed on her album Utaite Myōri: Sono Ichi (2002). Drummer Noriyasu Kawamura previously worked with Sheena on her debut album Muzai Moratorium (1999).[7]

"Irohanihoheto" is the first line of the Heian era Iroha poem, a poem which includes each kana syllable once. Sheena wrote the song after reading the script for Kamo, Kyōto e Iku.: Shinise Ryokan no Okami Nikki, the Fuji Television drama series she was asked to write a theme song for. She wanted to express the philosophy of being a mother.[8]

Promotion and release

"Irohanihoheto" was used as the theme song for the Fuji Television drama Kamo, Kyōto e Iku.: Shinise Ryokan no Okami Nikki.[8] As such, it was used during the broadcast of the drama, as well as in promotional works such as commercials for the drama. During Sheena's Tōtaikai concerts in November 2013, Sheena performed "Irohanihoheto" live for the first time.[9]

During the initial digital release, the song was given the French title "Couleurs Perfum" before being retitled "Les Couleurs Chantent".[10]

Music video

The Yuichi Kodama-directed music video was released on May 9, 2013.[11][12] It features Sheena walking through a bamboo forest, wearing a light purple kimono. As she walks by, she walks past a procession of people wearing fox masks and traditional clothing. The video ends as she reaches a sunny spot in the forest, donning on her umbrella as rain begins to pour.

The video was nominated at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards Japan for the Best Female Video award.[13]

Critical reception

Critical reception to the single was positive. OK Music reviewers felt "Irohanihoheto" had a catchy "1970s kayōkyoku-like melody"[14] CDJournal reviewers felt that the song's rhythm and "air of impurity" resembled her 1998 single "Kabukichō no Joō", however the harpsichord and sitar gave the song an "oriental color".[15] Billboard Japan reviewer Haruna Takekawa felt the song had a strong image of Kyoto, matching the drama. She believed the song was written about the "strength and beauty of women, and the impermanence of humanity."[16] Rockin' On reviewer Daisuke Koyanagi felt that the song had a "simple kayōkyoku structure" that was completely different to her strong aesthetic sense in previous releases, and instead believed it was the song, not the arrangement, that was prominent. He theorised it was an attempt to go back to basics, and believed the song's introduction was intentionally similar to "Kabukichō no Joō".[17]

Track listings

All music is composed by Ringo Sheena

Digital download
No.TitleLyricsArrangerLength
1."Irohanihoheto"Ringo SheenaR. Sheena3:19
Total length:3:19

All music is composed by Ringo Sheena

Full-length single
No.TitleLyricsArrangerLength
1."Irohanihoheto"R. SheenaR. Sheena3:19
2."Kodoku no Akatsuki"Aya WatanabeR. Sheena3:04
Total length:6:24

Personnel

Personnel details were sourced from "Irohanihoheto/Kodoku no Akatsuki"'s liner notes booklet.[18]

Performers and musicians

  • Masato Abe – cello
  • Great Eida – concertmaster
  • Hirohito Furugawara – viola
  • Shigeki Ippon – contrabass
  • Akane Irie – violin
  • Ichiyo Izawa – harpsichord
  • Yuri Kaji – viola
  • Ayano Kasahara – cello
  • Tsukasa Kasuya – violin
  • Noriyasu Kawamura – drums
  • Nagisa Kiriyama – violin
  • Takashi Konno – contrabass
  • Ayumu Koshikawa – violin
  • Minoru Kuwata – violin
  • Erika Makioka – cello
  • Yoshihiko Maeda – cello
  • Kioko Miki – violin
  • Shōko Miki – viola
  • Mariko Muranaka – cello
  • Yukio Nagoshi – guitars, electric sitar
  • Yuki Nanjo – violin
  • Tatsuo Ogura – violin
  • Sachie Ōnuma – viola
  • Takayuki Oshikane – violin
  • Neko Saito – strings and percussion arrangement, conducting
  • Teruhiko Saitō – contrabass
  • Ringo Sheena – vocals, chorus, songwriting
  • Midori Takada – percussion
  • Kōjirō Takizawa – violin
  • Takashi Taninaka – contrabass
  • Seigen Tokuzawa – cello
  • Chizuko Tsunoda – violin
  • Leina Ushiyama – violin
  • Amiko Watabe – viola
  • Hitoshi Watanabe – bass
  • Yuji Yamada – viola
  • Daisuke Yamamoto – violin
  • Haruko Yano – violin
  • Tomoko Yokota – violin

Technical and production

  • Uni Inoue – recording engineer, mixing engineer
  • Shohei Kojima – assistant engineer
  • Kozo Miyamoto – assistant engineer
  • Shigeo Miyamoto – mastering engineer
  • Fumio Miyata – musician coordinator
  • Hiroshi Satō – assistant engineer
  • Yuji Tanaka – instrument technician

Chart rankings
Charts (2013) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[19] 1
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[20] 4
Japan Billboard yearly Japan Hot 100[21] 87
Japan Oricon weekly singles[22]
  • "Irohanihoheto/Kodoku no Akatsuki"
 8

Sales
Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[23]
  • "Irohanihoheto/Kodoku no Akatsuki"
 25,000

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalogue codes
Japan April 16, 2013 (2013-04-16)[2] Ringtone EMI Records Japan
April 30, 2013 (2013-04-30)[2] Cellphone download, PC download
May 27, 2013 (2013-05-27)[3][24] CD, rental CD, Full EP digital download TOCT-40420
Taiwan May 31, 2013 (2013-05-31)[25] CD Gold Typhoon I5321

References
  1. "Les Couleurs Chantent / La Solitude de l'aube / SHEENA RINGO". Kronekodow. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  2. "ドラマ主題歌「いろはにほへと」着うた(R)、デジタル先行配信開始！" (in Japanese). Universal. April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  3. "いろはにほへと/孤独のあかつき [Single, Maxi]". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  4. Sheena, Ringo (2014). 党大会　平成二十五年度神山町大会 [The Party Convention: 2013 Kamiyama Event] (Blu-ray) (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: EMI Records Japan. 念願の女の子を授かりまして、現在育児中です。ごめんなさい。 だけど、その時お報告申し上げなかったのは赤ちゃんのリリースと、椎名林檎最新シングルのリリースが、見事にバッティングしており、折角の真っ新な命を図らずも親の商売の宣伝に駆り出す恰好にしてしまうような事態を、危惧したためです。(I was gifted my hearts desire, a little girl who I am currently nursing. I'm very sorry. However, I didn't say anything at the time because my baby's birth and the release of my new single amazingly happened at the same time. I was worried about having a long-awaited brand new life unexpectedly tangled up with her parents' publicity for work.)
  5. Ringo Expo 08 (Media notes) (in Japanese). Ringo Sheena. Tokyo, Japan: Universal. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. Sanmon Gossip (Media notes) (in Japanese). Ringo Sheena. Tokyo, Japan: Universal. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. Muzai Moratorium (Media notes) (in Japanese). Ringo Sheena. Tokyo, Japan: Toshiba EMI. 1999.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. "椎名林檎、Wタイアップ・両A面シングル・リリース決定！" (in Japanese). Universal. April 1, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  9. 党大会 平成二十五年神山町大会 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  10. "Sheena Ringo Writes Theme Song for New Fuji TV Drama" (in Japanese). Kronekodow. April 1, 2004. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  11. "ドラマ主題歌の新作MV視聴開始！" (in Japanese). Universal. May 9, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  12. いろはにほへと (in Japanese). Space Shower. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  13. "「VMAJ」今年のMCはT.M.R.、道重さゆみ、w-inds" [TMR, Sayumi Michishige and w-inds. MCs at this years VMAJ] (in Japanese). Natalie. March 28, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  14. "椎名林檎 いろはにほへと/孤独のあかつき - Single" (in Japanese). OK Music. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  15. ミニ・レビュー (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  16. Haruna Takekawa. 椎名林檎 15周年記念日に待望の新曲をリリース [Ringo Sheena releases a long awaited new song on her 15th anniversary] (in Japanese). Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  17. Daisuke Koyanagi. 「スタイル」の有無が占うもの (in Japanese). Rockin' On. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  18. Irohanihoheto/Kodoku no Akatsuki (Media notes) (in Japanese). Ringo Sheena. Tokyo, Japan: Universal. 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. "Adult Contemporary Airplay 2013/06/10". Billboard (in Japanese). June 10, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  20. "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2013/06/10". Billboard (in Japanese). June 10, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  21. "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2013/01/01 付け". Billboard (in Japanese). 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  22. 「いろはにほへと／孤独のあかつき」 椎名林檎 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  23. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  24. いろはにほへと (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  25. 椎名林檎/ 色彩詠唱/孤獨的破曉 (in Chinese). G-Music. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
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