Hachiro Kasuga, born Minoru Watabe, was a Japanese enka singer. He has been dubbed the first enka singer.
Having seen the stage of Ichiro Fujiyama, he attempted to become a popular singer. After he graduated from the Toyo Music School, he joined the Imperial Japanese Army in 1944, and returned from Taiwan in 1945. He joined Shinjuku Moulin Rouge in 1947 and then King Records in 1949.
In 1952, Kasuga made his debut with the song Akai lamp no Sh? Ressha, which at first got into the news in Nagoya....
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