Apr 17, 2020 (Japan Today) - As countries around the world attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus, nations have been closing their borders, shutting down entire cities, and asking citizens to stay home.
While these extreme social distancing measures tend to create an enhanced sense of physical solitude, people are taking heart in the extraordinary community spirit joining everyone together at this time of shared crisis, especially in the online world.
Here to put a smile on our faces today is a group of Japanese artists in New York, who have created an uplifting video with a message of hope and encouragement for everyone doing it tough right now. The video features Japanese actors, filmmakers, dancers, singers and musicians all coming together from the solitude of their homes to sing the Japanese song “Ue o Muite Aruko." Better known as “Sukiyaki†in the Western world, the chart-topping hit was first recorded by Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto in 1961, and went on to become one of the world’s best-selling singles of all time.
The song still resonates with people today, especially in times of crisis, and now is the perfect time for the hit to re-emerge and lift everyone’s spirits as it has for decades. With lyrics like “But tonight I’m all alone†and “Beyond the clouds, there is joyâ€, this rendition will bring a tear to your eye and make you smile at the same time.
