Watarasebashi

"Watarasebashi" (渡良瀬橋（わたらせばし）, lit. "Watarase Bridge") is the 17th single by Japanese singer/songwriter Chisato Moritaka. Written by Moritaka and Hideo Saitō, the single was released alongside "Writer Shibō" by Warner Music Japan on January 25, 1993. The song was used as the theme song to the TX variety show Ii Tabi: Yume Kibun.[1]

"Watarasebashi"
Single by Chisato Moritaka
from the album Lucky 7
LanguageJapanese
English titleWatarase Bridge
A-side"Writer Shibō"
ReleasedJanuary 25, 1993 (1993-01-25)
Recorded1993
Genre
Length3:47
LabelWarner Music Japan
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Hideo Saitō
Chisato Moritaka singles chronology
"Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte mo"
(1992)		 "Watarasebashi" / "Writer Shibō"
(1993)		 "Watashi no Natsu"
(1993)
Music video
Watarasebashi on YouTube
Audio sample
"Watarasebashi"
  • file
  • help
Watarasebashi
Video by
Chisato Moritaka
ReleasedNovember 15, 2017 (2017-11-15)
Genre
LanguageJapanese
LabelWarner Music Japan
ProducerYukio Seto
Chisato Moritaka chronology
The Moritaka Tour 1991.8.22 at Shibuya Public Hall
(2017)		 Watarasebashi
(2017)		 Love Vol. 10
(2017)

Background

Moritaka is credited as a musician on the song for playing the drums, piano and recorder. "Watarasebashi" is composed in the key of C major and set to a tempo of 77 beats per minute.[2] Moritaka's vocals span from B3 to C5. Lyrically, the song tells the story of a woman reminiscing on a past love at the sight of a sunset. When writing the song, Moritaka scanned maps of Japan in search of bridges or rivers with a "beautiful" sounding name and found the Watarase River.[3] When she learned of the existence of the Watarase Bridge in Ashikaga, Tochigi, a city she had once visited while touring,[4] she decided to base the lyrics on the area.

Music video

The music video for "Watarasebashi" pays homage to The Beatles's "Let It Be" and features Moritaka performing the song on piano, playing the drums as well as performing the recorder solo.

Chart performance

"Watarasebashi" debuted at No. 9 on the Oricon Singles Chart with 72,000 units sold in the first week.[5] It fell out of the top twenty two weeks later,[6] but came back the next week at number 20 before dropping off again.[7] The single charted in the top 100 for fifteen weeks, selling a reported total of 310,000 copies during its run.[8] "Watarasebashi" ranked at number 96 on the year-end chart.[8]

Other versions

On November 25, 2009, Moritaka released a newly recorded version of the song as a double A-side single with "Ame".[9]

The original version was remastered and reissued in Ultimate High Quality CD (UHQCD) format on November 15, 2017 as part of the "Complete Box" (完全版BOX, Kanzenhan Bokkusu), which includes the remastered CD single, a 7-inch vinyl and a Blu-ray featuring the remastered music video and bonus footage from the making-of video to Moritaka's revisit to Ashikaga in 2012.[10]

Other media

"Watarasebashi" was released as an interactive CD-ROM by Oracion on December 20, 1995. The CD-ROM features the music video, interviews with Moritaka, VR photos of Ashikaga and five extra music videos.[11] It was re-released in the two-disc set Watarasebashi/La La Sunshine for the Sega Saturn on September 11, 1997.[12]

The song was included in the 2020 various artists album Egao no Uta ~ Minna no Kokoro ni Nokoru Suteki na Kyoku, Kokoro ni Sotto Yorisou Uta ~ (エガオのウタ～みんなのココロに残るステキな曲、ココロにそっと寄り添う歌～, Songs of Smiles ~ Wonderful Songs That Remain in Everyone's Heart, Songs That Gently Snuggle Up to Your Heart~).[13]

Legacy

In 2007, a stele was erected in Ashikaga in honor of Moritaka's contributions to the city.[14] The stele features a speaker that plays a portion of the song.[15] Since being mentioned in the song, the Yagumo Shrine (八雲神社) has become a popular sightseeing spot.[16] When the shrine burned down in a fire in December 2012, Moritaka raised funds to support its reconstruction,[17] which was completed in late 2017.[16]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Chisato Moritaka; all music is composed and arranged by Hideo Saitō.

1993 CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Watarasebashi" ((渡良瀬橋, lit. "Watarase Bridge"))3:47
2."Writer Shibō" (Raitā Shibō (ライター志望, lit. "Writer's Aspirations"))3:55
Total length:7:42
2017 Blu-ray Complete Box
Disc 1: Blu-ray
No.TitleLength
1."Watarasebashi (Original Music Video)" ((渡良瀬橋（オリジナルMUSIC VIDEO）)) 
2."Watarasebashi ("Making of" Video)" ((渡良瀬橋（MUSIC VIDEO）メイキング映像)) 
3."Watarasebashi (Music Video 2017 HD)" ((渡良瀬橋［MUSIC VIDEO 2017（HD）］)) 
4."Chisato Moritaka Official YouTube Video 'Watarasebashi and Me' (2012) Full Version (HD)" (Moritaka Chisato YūChūbu Eizō 'Watarasebashi to Watashi' (2012-nen) Kanzen-han (HD) (森高千里公式YouTube映像「渡良瀬橋と私」（2012年）完全版（HD）)) 
Disc 2: UHQCD
No.TitleLength
1."Watarasebashi [2017 Remaster]" ((渡良瀬橋【2017Remaster】))3:46
2."Watarasebashi (Chisato Moritaka 30th Anniversary Celebration Version)" (Moritaka Chisato Sanjū Shūnen Kinen Vājon (渡良瀬橋（森高千里30周年記念Version）))5:05
3."Watarasebashi (Original Karaoke) [2017 Remaster]" ((渡良瀬橋（オリジナル・カラオケ）【2017Remaster】))3:43
Total length:12:34
Disc 3: 7-inch EP
No.TitleLength
1."Watarasebashi [2017 Remaster]"3:46
2."Watarasebashi (Chisato Moritaka 30th Anniversary Celebration Version)"5:05
Total length:8:51

Charts
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Japan Weekly Singles (Oricon)[18] 9
Japan Monthly Singles (Oricon)[19] 16
Japan Yearly Singles (Oricon)[20] 96

Certification
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[21] Gold 310,000[8]

Personnel
  • Chisato Moritaka – vocals, drums, piano, recorder
  • Hideo Saitō – guitar, bass, tambourine, synthesizer

Aya Matsuura version
"Watarasebashi"
Single by Aya Matsuura
from the album Aya Matsuura Best 1
B-side"I Love You no Tsuzuki"
ReleasedOctober 20, 2004 (2004-10-20)
Recorded2004
Genre
Length3:47
LabelZetima
Songwriter(s)
Aya Matsuura singles chronology
"Your Song (Seishun Sensei)"
(2004)		 "Watarasebashi"
(2004)		 "Zutto Suki de Ii desu ka"
(2005)
Audio sample
"Watarasebashi"
  • file
  • help

"Watarasebashi" was recorded by Hello! Project soloist and one-time Moritaka labelmate Aya Matsuura. It was released as a single by Zetima on October 20, 2004. The music video features Matsuura performing the song on a footbridge, with two schoolchildren playing recorders during the instrumental section.

Chart performance

Matsuura's version of "Watarasebashi" debuted at number 6 on the Oricon Singles Chart with 29,000 units sold,[22] peaking higher than the original Moritaka version.[23] Her version charted on the Oricon Singles Chart for six weeks, selling a reported total of 48,000 copies during its run.[8]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ArrangementLength
1."Watarasebashi" (渡良瀬橋, "Watarase Bridge")
4:17
2."I Love You no Tsuzuki" (I LOVE YOUの続き, "The Continuation to I Love You")
  • Shōichirō Hirata
5:01
3."Watarasebashi" (Instrumental)
  • Saitō
  • Makaino
4:14
Total length:13:32

Charts
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Japan Weekly Singles (Oricon)[24] 6
Japan Monthly Singles (Oricon)[8] 22

Sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ) N/A 48,000[8]

Other cover versions
  • Enka singer Sanae Jōnouchi included a cover of the song as B-side to her 1993 single "Yowasete yo Kon'ya Dake", which is also a cover of a Moritaka song.
  • Gen Takayama recorded a cover of the song for his 1993 album Kokoro Kōrasete, his first album in eleven years.
  • Chaka covered the song for her 1999 album I Found Love.
  • Maomi Yuki covered the song for her 2003 EP Real My Heart.
  • Maki Goto recorded her version of the song for her 2005 album 3rd Station.
  • Kyogo Kawaguchi recorded a cover of the song for his 2007 cover album Kimi wo Suki Datta Ano Koro.
  • ManaKana recorded a cover of the song for their third cover album Futari Uta 3 in 2010.
  • The Japanese music duo Kasarinchu covered the song, in collaboration with Shin Kōno, for the 2013 album Sū-chan Mai-chan Sawako-san.
  • Minami Kizuki recorded a cover of the song for her first cover album Sakuranagashi in 2015.

References
  1. "｢渡良瀬橋／ライター志望｣(CD)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  2. "楽譜: 渡良瀬橋 / 森高 千里 : ピアノ（ソロ） / 初級". Print Gakufu. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  3. "ドラマーとしても凄かった森高千里 一流アーティストも絶賛！". Excite. February 6, 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  4. "森高千里『渡良瀬橋』　その誕生秘話と公衆電話撤去回避の経緯". News Post Seven. March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  5. "オリコン 1993.2.8". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  6. "オリコン 1993.2.22". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  7. "オリコン 1993.3.1". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  8. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju']. Oricon. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  9. "｢雨／渡良瀬橋｣(CD)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  10. "森高千里の代表曲「渡良瀬橋」完全版にBlu-ray、アナログも". Natalie. August 28, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  11. "｢渡良瀬橋　WATARASEBASHI｣(CD-ROM/Hybrid/PiPPiN)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  12. "｢渡良瀬橋／ララ サンシャイン｣(セガサターン)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  13. "エガオのウタ～みんなのココロに残るステキな曲、ココロにそっと寄り添う歌～". Universal Music Japan. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  14. "森高千里　『渡良瀬橋』MVの高画質映像を発掘公開". News Post Seven. July 14, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  15. Moritaka, Chisato (May 25, 2012). 渡良瀬橋 『歌碑』. YouTube. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  16. "「渡良瀬橋」あの神社が復活へ　森高さんも募金呼びかけ". Asahi Shimbun. December 7, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  17. "足利・八雲神社：「渡良瀬橋」に登場　新社殿が落成式". Mainichi Shimbun. December 9, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  18. "渡良瀬橋 森高千里". Oricon. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  19. "オリコン(oricon)「1993年02月」の月間シングルCDランキング". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  20. "オリコン 2004年TOP100". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  21. ゴールドディスク認定 [Gold Disc Certifications] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. February 1993. Retrieved March 30, 2018. Select 1993年2月 on the drop-down menu
  22. "オリコン 2004.11.1". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  23. "森高を超えた!松浦亜弥が6位に!". Oricon. October 26, 2004. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  24. "渡良瀬橋 松浦亜弥". Oricon. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
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