Key Points
- Singer Sara Akino, raised in Odate, Akita, shares the emotional story of how the sudden passing of her father led her to choose a career in music over a conventional path.
- Before moving to Tokyo, Akino spent a year traveling across Japan as a backpacker with a ukulele, a journey that shaped her perspective on human connection and resilience.
- Despite her professional success in Tokyo, Akino remains deeply committed to her hometown, frequently returning for local festivals and acting as an unofficial ambassador for Odate’s culture.
Full Transcript (English)
Host (Kaoru Osawa): People of Odate, and people of the world, hello! Welcome to Odate Times. We are broadcasting from Odate Studio Hachista. Our guest today is singer Sara Akino. Welcome!
Guest (Sara Akino): Hello! Thank you for having me. I’m so happy to be here.
Host: Thank you for coming. I noticed your outfit matches the Hachista background perfectly today.
Sara Akino: It’s a bit embarrassing! I didn’t plan it this way, but my mother suggested I wear this today, and here we are.
Host: It looks great. Now, you perform in Odate and many other places, but could you introduce yourself to our audience again?
Sara Akino: I’m Sara Akino. I’m a singer. Nice to meet you. I was actually born in Tokyo, but my family moved to Odate when I was five. I grew up here, went to high school here, and stayed until I was about 18.
Host: So Odate is really where you were raised. Have you been singing since you were a child?
Sara Akino: My father played the piano and my mother sang. They ran a piano bar called “Akino Club,” so music was always part of my daily life. I watched adults enjoying music and drinks from the corner of the bar. I started singing seriously in the 5th grade when I joined the Odate Junior Chorus. That was my first experience performing in front of people.
Host: Did you always plan to become a professional singer?
Sara Akino: Not at all. In high school, I joined the tea ceremony club and the dance club. I was planning to go to university and get a regular job. But everything changed during my junior year when my father, who was a pianist, passed away suddenly. It was the first time I experienced the death of someone close to me. It made me think deeply about how I wanted to live my life.
Host: That must have been a massive turning point.
Sara Akino: My mother suggested I sing at his funeral. I had been practicing “Ave Maria” in music class at school—my father used to cry whenever I sang it at home because he loved the melody. So, I sang it at the funeral. Despite the grief and the nerves, my voice felt like it was soaring. In that moment, I felt a connection with my father and realized that I wanted to live through music. From that point on, I told everyone I wasn’t going to university; I was going to be a singer.
Host: Your voice has a quality that feels like it cleanses the soul. I felt that when I heard you at the Daimonji Festival. It’s more than just being moved; it’s a very pure feeling.
Sara Akino: Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Host: After high school, what did you do?
Sara Akino: I worked a regular job in Odate for about ten months while performing at events on weekends. During that time, I met travelers and backpackers passing through Odate. Their stories of the road were so powerful and grounded. I realized I wanted to experience the world like that. So at 19, I quit my job, packed a 30-liter backpack with a tent, a sleeping bag, and a ukulele, and started walking.
Host: You just started walking from Odate?
Sara Akino: Yes! I walked through Akita and then to Hokkaido. It was incredibly tough. I remember crying near the Namahage Museum because my body was so itchy from not being able to bathe properly. But I met amazing people. In Hokkaido, a couple hosted me for a week. They couldn’t have children and told me that meeting me was like a gift from God. We stayed in touch, and years later, they actually traveled from Hokkaido to Odate to see my dinner show. It was such a tearful reunion.
Host: That’s a beautiful story. So how did you end up in Tokyo?
Sara Akino: After traveling and spending some time in Okinawa, I moved back to Odate briefly. Then, at 23, I auditioned for a stage production in Tokyo and got the part. The agency liked my singing and created a special “Sara Akino” category for me. I’ve been based there ever since, performing on stage and releasing music.
Host: You are very busy in Tokyo, so why do you come back to Odate so often for festivals like the Kiritanpo Festival?
Sara Akino: Because I love Odate! People here often say there’s nothing to do, but because I came from Tokyo as a child, I’ve always seen the beauty here—the mountains, the sky, the kindness of the people. I carry Akita dog keychains in Tokyo and tell everyone that Hachiko was an Akita dog from my hometown. I want to be a person who adds value to Odate just by being from here.
Host: You really are an ambassador for us. Do you have any upcoming performances?
Sara Akino: Yes! I’ll be performing at the Kiritanpo Festival on October 11th at 2:30 PM. Also, on November 8th, I’m hosting a special Chapel Concert at the Midori no Makiba Church in Odate. I’ll be performing with pianist Daisuke Matsunaga. We wrote a song together called “Life is Living You,” and I hope it brings comfort to everyone who attends.
Host: It sounds wonderful. Sara Akino is a true talent who hasn’t forgotten her roots. Please support her and come see her perform. Sara, thank you so much for joining us today.
Sara Akino: Thank you so much! I’ll give it my all!
