[Baton Relay Project] Along with some outrageous memories...

It has been three years since I came to the world of note.

For the first time, a project like this has come my way.

In short, it seems to be a project where you introduce your favorite songs and pass it on, so I searched through my memories and picked out four songs by era. ♬

And then... well, some outrageous memories came flooding back.

First, the elementary school chapter.

1. Shizuka Kudo - 'Arashi no Sugao'

When I was in the lower grades of elementary school, all the kids in the neighborhood loved Shizuka Kudo.

We admired everything about her—that mature vibe, her distinctive voice, and the way she spoke. We would sing this song, 'Arashi no Sugao,' at the top of our lungs on the way home from school.

And now, the problem... the outrageous memory that came back to me.

At the time, we (four girls) who were in love with Shizuka Kudo realized that a woman living in our neighborhood looked just like her.

And... well, this is where it gets childish...
This is where it gets childish, I suppose...

“That person must be the real Shizuka Kudo! She’s hiding the truth and living in a rural area like this!!”

We were convinced of it (laughs). We lived in Tottori Prefecture, which has the smallest population in Japan, and even within that, in a rural village along the mountains... there’s no way Shizuka Kudo would be there, right?

And what happened next is a super annoying story; we actually rang her doorbell and...

“You’re Shizuka Kudo, aren’t you? Please give us your autograph!!”

We barged in on her like that!!

Thinking about it now, it’s a truly terrible story. I feel so sorry for her...
Of course, I remember her denying it with all her might, saying, “I’m not Shizuka Kudo!” but I also recall us being incredibly pushy afterward, saying things like, “Please write ‘Shizuka Kudo’ on it!”... A child’s conviction is a scary thing...

Now, skipping over middle and high school, the university chapter.

2. hitomi - 'LOVE 2000'

This song is also famous because marathon runner Naoko Takahashi mentioned that she listened to it often when she won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.

I was a university student at the time, and I had started a softball team on my own, going to the field almost every day and giving it my all.

I would always play this song on the way to a match to fill myself with energy. For some reason, as I listened to it (and sang along), my strength would gradually well up, and I would find myself in a good state of mind and body.

This is a memorable song that I always sang whenever I went to karaoke with my teammates.

And now, the working adult chapter.

3. Sayuri Ishikawa - 'Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki'

You might wonder why all of a sudden...

I don't really know why myself, but it's a song I picked up while attending drinking parties during my time as a teacher. Before I knew it, I was able to sing it. Oh, I'm definitely not good at it, but I can sing it at full volume.

This song is guaranteed to liven things up when singing at a drinking party with people a bit older than me (laughs). It's a good song, so it feels great to sing it too♡

And now, the parenting chapter.

4. Arigatou no Hana (Okaasan to Issho)

This is a song that touched my heart while I was raising my children. I love the word 'thank you'.

By the way, the 'Okaasan to Issho' generation for my children was... Daisuke-oniisan and Takumi-oneesan.

I was always cheered up by Daisuke-oniisan's singing ability and his versatility in wearing any costume or headgear, and by Takumi-oneesan's incredible high notes and clear singing voice.

And, including this song, children's songs have such wonderful lyrics that they really strike a chord with a tired mother's heart.

Now, my own children sing this song at karaoke, and I feel so happy♡

So, I ended up writing a bit too much once I started on the episodes.

The organizers of this project are these people.
Thank you for such a fun project.

And, the person I want to pass the baton to is Chiaki Kanda.

Chiaki-chan is a former nursery teacher, a mom raising children close in age, and a writer. I think the articles she writes will become a bible for the parenting generation. They are full of ideas that make you think, 'I see! Let's try that!'♡

That said...
Chiaki-chan, I know this is a sudden request and you are busy, so if it's difficult, it seems it's okay to pass it back to Mieharu-san or Chainner-san.

I hope you can refer to Mieharu-san's article for the rules and such.

If it is convenient for you, please let me know what Chiaki-chan's favorite song is♡

This is my first time participating in a baton relay project. It was fun to be able to encounter unexpected memories. Thank you very much!

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