32 Facts About Eikichi Yazawa

Eikichi Yazawa is a Japanese singer-songwriter, and a prominent figure in Japanese popular music.

Eikichi Yazawa has been nicknamed as Ei-chan, Boss or The King of Rock.

Eikichi Yazawa was born in Hiroshima, on September 14,1949.

Eikichi Yazawa's father was a bicycle shop owner but died of radiation sickness when Eikichi was in the 2nd grade of elementary school.

Eikichi Yazawa's mother disappeared, leaving her husband and son behind when Eikichi was 3 years old.

Eikichi Yazawa was mainly raised by his paternal grandmother in poverty until he graduated high school.

Eikichi Yazawa started to learn the guitar, and on New Year's Day of 1968, he composed his first song, I Love You, OK.

In 1968, three weeks after he graduated from high school, Yazawa left Hiroshima by train to Tokyo.

In May 1975, Eikichi Yazawa flew to the US to start his solo career after signing with CBS Sony.

YAZAWA Around Japan Part-1, ended disastrously, as Eikichi Yazawa couldn't fill the venue in Sasebo city, Nagasaki, which only held 1,500 people.

Eikichi Yazawa made an oath to himself under the catchphrase of "Remember Sasebo" to become the biggest-selling rock artist in Japan.

Eikichi Yazawa continued to tour everywhere in Japan to show that Carol's former leader was now a solo artist.

Eikichi Yazawa ranked 1st of top-earning musicians by Japanese government, beating the Enka queen Hibari Misora.

In 1980, Eikichi Yazawa signed a contract with Warner Pioneer and moved to the West Coast of the United States.

Eikichi Yazawa tried to overcome the emptiness by conquering a new land.

Eikichi Yazawa moved to Los Angeles and started to find musicians to record his new album.

Eikichi Yazawa released the album Rising Sun for the Japanese market.

Eikichi Yazawa realized this and decided to sign with EMI Music Japan and headed back to his home country.

Eikichi Yazawa played 76 concerts this year, with the last one being his first at the Tokyo Dome.

In 1995,20 years after his solo debut, Eikichi Yazawa held the concert tour called Just Tonight, which included several stadium or dome concerts.

Eikichi Yazawa tried something new in 1996 by recording his completely new album live in front of his fans.

Eikichi Yazawa starred in the movie, Ojuken as a corporate-owned marathon runner.

In 1999 and 2000, Eikichi Yazawa held 3 concerts each year in the US These are the only tour that held outside of Japan.

In 2002,30th anniversary of his debut, Eikichi Yazawa tried a few new challenges.

In December 2005, Eikichi Yazawa ran a sold-out Japan tour of "live houses" as a part of his "back to roots" approach to his 30th anniversary as a solo artist, following the breakup of rock band Carol in 1975.

Eikichi Yazawa played jazz version of the songs in the Blue Note Tokyo, traditional jazz club.

On December 16,2007, Eikichi Yazawa achieved 100th concert at Nippon Budokan for the first time.

From 2013 to 2016, Eikichi Yazawa reduced the number of concerts on his annual tour.

Eikichi Yazawa mainly held the concerts in large cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya.

Eikichi Yazawa successfully came back on the live in Sendai, and the tour was concluded in Osaka-jo Hall.

Eikichi Yazawa planned the extra concerts of this tour in 2020 but canceled due to Coronavirus pandemic.

Eikichi Yazawa has been back on stage in the autumn of 2021.