This website is dedicated to the rock band group Fujifabric. I hope that through this site, as many people as possible will be able to discover their music and songs.
This site offers an English translation of all their lyrics. In the posts on the blog, brief insights, which give some back ground and explanation to the many reference made in the lyrics to Japanese traditions, culture and life.
Looking forward to feedback and comments! Enjoy!
Today, I would like to introduce Mr. Benjamin Wright, a fan of Fujifabric’s Masahiko Shimura who lives in Wales, UK.
Mr. Benjamin is an active journalist working as a political correspondent for the BBC, the British public broadcaster. Born in the birthplace of rock, the UK, he has loved music since his youth, listening to many British rock bands such as Manic Street Preachers. A few years ago, Benjamin encountered the music of Fujifabric. His first introduction was their 3rd album Teenager.
He describes it as an album filled with gem-like masterpieces.
In particular, he was overwhelmed by the power of the opening track, Pedal.
At a time when he was facing very difficult circumstances both personally and professionally, he says listening to Pedal in the morning gave him the strength to think, “I can do my best today!”
In the 6th broadcast of the internet radio show Fujifabric no Netoneto Iwasete, Shimura himself introduces the album Teenager and plays flashes of all the tracks. Listening to that, you get a sense of why Pedal was chosen as the first track on the album.
According to Shimura’s own explanation: “It feels like it gradually begins.”
He continued: “I was thinking about how it would work in a live performance. The arrangement, just a little.”
You can see the finished result on the Fuji Five Lakes Cultural Center Live DVD.
For the grand homecoming live, which carried the feeling that something extraordinary was about to happen, Pedal was chosen as the opening number. The sound of the keyboard signaling the beginning of the song, and the curtain slowly rising—it perfectly created the sense of a “curtain-raising” moment.
It’s a song that makes you feel as though you’re caught in an updraft, lifted into an indescribable state.
For those of us who understand Japanese, the lyrics add to that uplifting feeling. But why is it, I wonder, that this same exhilaration from Pedal reaches someone like Benjamin, who doesn’t understand Japanese?
Surely it is because the true power of something genuine can transcend language, carried through music and words to reach people all over the world.
Whenever he has the chance—especially on Shimura’s birthday—Benjamin regularly shares thoughts about Fujifabric and Shimura on Twitter (now X)
Since Masahiko was always moving forward and pushing ahead, I believe he might also have been looking toward expanding his musical activities to a global stage. In an interview for Music and Words, he even spoke about writing lyrics in English.
If he had known that he had a passionate fan in the UK, the birthplace of rock, he surely would have been delighted.
Today’s featured song is Aka-Kiiro no Kinmokusei (Red-Yellow Osmanthus). With the heat lasting so long this year, I wonder if the fragrant osmanthus will bloom later than usual.
先日の記事で、「若者のすべて」の数奇な運命を書いたのですが（Fujifabric International Fan Site ６月２３日付 記事）、運命に導かれた１ページがまた加わることとなりました。志村君がいなくなってから１６年間の間に、大躍進を遂げた曲です。一生懸命頑張っても、なかなかメジャーデビューすることが叶わないこの世界で、ご自身が不在の中、ここまでの大出世をすることは大変名誉なことだと思います。
Fujifabric’s “Wakamono no Subete” has been selected as the background music for a new McDonald’s Japan commercial!!
The song will be used for one season (three months), starting from July 11, 2025.
Within Japan, “Wakamono no Subete” will be played across various media platforms, including television and radio (both terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, cable, internet TV/radio), in-store videos, and many more.
A young man, who has just gotten his driver’s license, takes his mother and older sister for a ride to the McDonald’s drive-thru. The setting seems to be Nagasaki, Kyushu. The local dialect adds an extra layer of warmth to the scene. As the older sister playfully teases her younger brother, the mother quietly reflects on how much her child has grown.
The commercial doesn’t include the iconic fireworks part of the chorus from “Wakamono no Subete”, which means it avoids the strong association of the song with fireworks. Instead, it captures only the atmosphere of summer in a provincial town, which fits beautifully with the story of the ad. Shimura once said he wanted to create songs that “blend into the everyday moments of life,” and perhaps, with this, another one of his dreams has come true.
Back in high school, Shimura worked part-time at a McDonald’s in Fujiyoshida. Some fans may have even visited the location as a kind of pilgrimage.
There was a memorable moment on the band’s internet radio show, Netoneto Iwasete, in the segment hosted by Kanazawa called “Small Happiness”—a corner where the smaller the happiness, the more points you get. A fan once sent in, “There were two pickles in my cheeseburger,” and someone replied, “That’s normal. You’re lucky if there are three.”
Now, the fact that one of Shimura’s songs—written and composed by him—is being used in a McDonald’s corporate commercial and will be aired continuously for three months is truly an honor.
In a previous article on June 23 (Fujifabric International Fan Site), I wrote about the curious fate of “Wakamono no Subete”, and now, it seems, yet another fateful chapter has been added. In the 16 years since Shimura’s passing, this song has gone on to achieve tremendous success. In a world where even with great effort, many artists never get to debut, for his song to rise to such prominence in his absence is truly a remarkable accomplishment.
Mr. Katayose, who is the producer of the first Fujifabric's album, "Fujifabric", once told Shimura that he got goosebumps the first time he heard the song. Looking back now, it’s clear that Katayose’s instincts were absolutely right—surely everyone would agree. (From Akihito Katayose’s blog “Fujifabric 7,” dated July 16, 2010.)
Katayose’s honest portrayal of Shimura at the time—worried and uncertain—is heartbreaking. But as Katayose said, those fears turned out to be completely unfounded… Thinking about it now brings a tinge of sadness. I hope that, from up above, Shimura is watching this McDonald’s commercial featuring “Wakamono no Subete” with a smile.
I sincerely wish that every McDonald’s location in Yamanashi Prefecture would put up a sign saying: “This song is by Masahiko Shimura, a native of Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi.”
And today’s featured song, of course, is none other than “Wakamono no Subete.”
The commercial beautifully captures its mood, with Kanazawa’s quietly persistent piano and Shimura’s vocals weaving together in perfect harmony. I believe this has also become the best possible birthday present for Shimura-kun.
Shimura-kun, congratulations from us in Fujiyoshida !
This initiative marks its 28th broadcast and enters its 14th year.
At the time, Masato Taichō of “Rojiura no Bokutachi”—who was still one of the younger staff members at City Hall—proposed the idea as part of the “2012 Young Staff Project” (Heisei 24). Since then, it has become a tradition that, for one week before and after Masahiko Shimura’s birthday on July 10 and his memorial day on December 24, the usual chime sounds are replaced with songs by Fujifabric.
On his birthday, “Wakamono no Subete” (“All About the Youth”) plays,
and on his memorial day, “Akane-iro no Yūhi” (“The Sunset in Madder Red”) is broadcast through the disaster-prevention PA system across Fujiyoshida City.
This has now become a customary tribute.
The song “Wakamono no Subete” might be said to have followed a curious and fateful path.
After many twists and turns, it was unexpectedly chosen to be released as a single, coming out on the rather unseasonal date of November 7. While Shimura-kun was still active, the song did not have the opportunity to shine widely. However, beginning with Bank Band in 2010, it has since been covered by 17 different artists over the past 15 years—each time becoming a topic of conversation.
Moreover, what elevated this song from being simply a “good song” to a widely recognized “masterpiece” was its inclusion in the high school music textbook MOUSA 1 published by the Education Art Publishing Company in 2022. It was selected as a “vocal teaching material that colours the era” and “a representative song of the 2000s.” The selection was unanimous among the textbook review committee members.
In the 16 years since Shimura-kun’s passing, “Wakamono no Subete” has grown to be considered Fujifabric’s signature song—and continues to this day.
“The 5 p.m. chime somehow echoed in my heart today…”
On what would have been Shimura-kun’s 45th birthday, perhaps, as in previous years, the Yamanashi Nichinichi Shimbun will livestream the chime from Shimoyoshida Station.
To all fans—whether you can be in Fujiyoshida or not—please take a moment to listen to the chime on this special day.
And to Captain Masato and everyone at Fujiyoshida City Hall — thank you so much for launching and continuing such a wonderful initiative.
This year marks the 17th year since Shimura-kun’s passing, and there is nothing more heartwarming than to see that, even now, something related to him continues to live on and move forward.
Today’s featured song is “Wakamono no Subete.”
A track praised as “perfect” by professional musicians—it will surely continue to grow for years to come.
Greetings to you all. It has been quite some time since my last update, and I hope this message finds you well.
Today, I would like to take a moment to reflect on one of Fujifabric’s most beloved and iconic works—the so-called “Shikiban” (Four Seasons Collection).
Fujifabric made their major label debut on April 14, 2004, with the release of the Spring single "Sakura no Kisetsu" (Season of Cherry Blossoms), under Toshiba EMI (now Universal Music).
→ Fujifabric Official Discography
Following this debut, the band released singles that beautifully captured the essence of each season:
“Kagerou” (Heat Haze) – Summer Single, released on July 14, 2004
“Akakiiro no Kinmokusei” (Red-Yellow Osmanthus) – Autumn Single, released on September 25, 2004
“Ginga” (Galaxy) – Winter Single, released on February 2, 2005
Although no official product titled Shikiban was ever released, these four seasonal singles have come to be affectionately known by fans as the “Shikiban” or Four Seasons Collection.
At the time, a special promotional campaign was held: fans who collected one entry ticket from each of the four singles (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter) could send them in to enter a lottery. A total of 2,222 winners were selected to receive a very special limited edition CD.
This CD contained live recordings from an exclusive fan event titled “Shunkashūtō wo Matsuru” (A Festival of the Four Seasons), which took place on December 18, 2004, at Toshiba EMI Studio 3. All four seasonal songs were performed live, and the recording was given the title “Shikiban.”
As this special CD was never available for purchase, it has become an extremely rare and treasured item among longtime fans. I am sure there are those among you who still cherish your copy to this day.
Details of the campaign were also featured in Fujifabric’s official free newsletter, “Akafuji Tsūshin” (Red Fuji News), Issue No. 5, published in 2004.
Yamanashi Prefecture, where the band’s late frontman Shimura-kun was born and raised, is known for its stunning natural scenery and its clear seasonal transitions. It was perhaps only someone like Shimura-kun—growing up in Fujiyoshida City, surrounded by such beauty—who could have expressed the changing seasons with such depth and sensitivity.
At the same time, I believe it was the combination of his artistic sensibility and the environment that nurtured him which gave birth to this truly unique body of work. Without even one of those elements, Fujifabric’s music—particularly the Shikiban—might never have come into existence.
In my next post, I hope to revisit the Spring single, “Sakura no Kisetsu,” and write an updated 2025 version, reflecting on its significance from today’s perspective.
Announcement for the 64th Yamanashi Prefecture Choir Festival
The Yamanashi Prefecture Choir Festival brings together choir groups from across the prefecture to showcase a variety of songs. Now in its 64th year, this historic event is hosted by the Yamanashi Prefecture Choir Federation, co-hosted by the Prefectural Board of Education, and supported by organizations such as the Asahi Shimbun Kofu Bureau. It is a well-known choral festival in Yamanashi.
This year, the music club from Yoshida High School, the alma mater of Masahiko Shimura from Fujifabric, will perform two of the band's songs: “Wakamono no Subete” and “TEENAGER.” Additionally, the mixed choir “Minna de Utaeba” (Let’s All Sing Together), made up of volunteer singers, will perform “Akaneiro no Yūhi” (Sunset in Madder Red).
Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025 Opening Ceremony: 10:25 a.m. Venue:Miyako no Mori Uguisu Hall, Tsuru City Admission: Free of charge
The venue, Miyako no Mori Uguisu Hall, is located in Tsuru City, a town not far from Fujiyoshida.
Masahiko Shimura held a special affection for his hometown and often expressed his feelings for Fujiyoshida during his life. He also had a strong attachment to his alma mater. Some may remember the "Shimura Seats" from the Fujifabric Fuji-Q Concert held on July 17, 2010, where current students of his old school were invited as guests in honor of Shimura.
The students of Yoshida High School, who admire and respect Shimura, have performed his songs at various events in the past. This time, with performers and audience members gathered from all over Yamanashi, three Fujifabric songs will be reborn as choral pieces and resonate throughout the Gunnai region.
The mixed choir “Minna de Utaeba,” which will perform “Akaneiro no Yūhi,” is a special ensemble formed through public participation. We are very much looking forward to seeing how the singers, who have come from various parts of Yamanashi, will bring this beloved song—so important to both Shimura and Fujifabric fans—to life on stage.
Though it’s short notice with the event happening this Sunday, we warmly welcome any fans who are able to attend. Come to the Gunnai region to experience Fujifabric's music like you’ve never heard it before. You're sure to enjoy this unique performance of “Wakamono no Subete,” “TEENAGER,” and “Akaneiro no Yūhi”!
