Ever wondered what Tokyo sounded like 55 years ago? While the visual differences are obvious, the aural differences are all the more interesting. All recorded in 1959, the sounds of Tokyo train staion, music of a Geisha, bonfire festival, a festival at a shrine, a street festival, fish market, children playing on the streets, an early Jazz house in Asakusa. Many of these sounds have come to symbolise the sound of the Showa period. Originally released in 1959 as an LP record this CD is compiled from the original LP. Comes with a booklet including an essay by Asato Izumi and interesting photos of Tokyo in the Showa period taken by Takeo Akiyama.
1. Tokyo Station - Tokyo Yokosuka Line at 3 pm in the afternoon 2. Shoshun, Sawagi, Kappore - performed by a group of Geisha in Shibaura 3. Torino-ichi Market - at Otori Shirine in Asakusa 4. Kome Arai, Yon-chome, Nekojarashi - Yori performance at Suehiro-Tei in Asakusa 5. The bell of Kaneiji Temple - ring at 6 in the morinig at Kaneiji Temple in Ueno 6. Bonfire in Rogoku - Tokyo's biggest bonfire festival by the Sumida river in July 7. Matsuri Bayashi - from Kagura 8. Tsukiji Uo Ichiba - Selling tens of thousand of tuna at 5:50 in the morining at Tsukiji Fish Market 9. Shinuchi Nagashi - Street music played with shamisen traditionally late at night, this is recorded in a studio 10. Uchiwa Daiko - Taiko music from the festival at Ikegami Honganji Temple 11. The Orthodox Church in Tokyo - Sunday sevice and bell sound 12. Takesu - performed by Ching-dong 13. Komuso Shakuhachi - performed by Komuso 14. Ginza Clock Tower - At 5 in the afternoon, busiest time in Ginza 15. Yasuki Bushi - from Asakusa Mokuba-Kan, jazzy version of Yasuki Bushi 16. Charumela from Noodle Stand - Music played by shawm like instrument at noodle stands on the streets 17. Hyoshigi - Night street patrols play Hyoshigi to remind residents to turn off the gas before ging to bed 18. Fire at Midnight in Ginza - Accidentaly meet the fire in Ginza while recording this album in 1958 19. Tennen no Bi - Performed by Ginta band hired by a circus on the street of Asakusa 20. Nawa to Asobi, Momotaro-san, Oni Gokko - Children playing on the streets 21. Ochanomizu Station - The station used by largest number of students in Tokyo 22. Ichiban Daiko - Played to begin Sumon games in Ryogoku comes with cheering by audience when Yokozuna entered 23. Pop Pop Boat on The River Sumida - It started around 1880 24. Oedo Nihonbashi, Sakura Sakura - Played by a pipe organ at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Ginza
