Hikashu - Ningen No Kao (1988)

Hikashu - Ningen No Kao

1. Ningen No Kao
2. Zo Azarashi
3. Nannimo Nai Otoko
4. Tengoku O Nozokitai
5. Cryptobiosis
6. Sate No Nukumori
7. Hotoke No Deguchi
8. Hi-Ai-Ai Tou
9. Detarame Na Yubi
10. Neko Ni Roman
11. Shaka
12. Indian Ga Otozureru
13. Shikisai Wa Inishie
14. Kore Wa Boku Ja Nai

lyrics - Makigami
music - Mitama (1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 13), Nomoto (2, 4), Inoue (5, 14), Makigami (11), Sakaide (12), Hikashu (7)

Hikashu:
Makigami Koichi - vocal, cornet, toys
Mitama Masamichi - guitar, vocal on 9, euphonium on 14
Inoue Makoto - synthesizer, piano
Sakaide Masami - bass
Nomoto Kazuhiro - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, guitar, harmonica
Taniguchi Masaru - drums, toys

Produced by Hikashu

Originally released in 1988 on Nihon Crown Records
The remastered edition released on December 23, 2010 on Bridge Inc.


"Ningen No Kao" ["Human Faces"] is the representative work of Hikashu in the latter part of 1980s. It contains a lot of important tunes and concert favorites among the fans still today.

The four years had passed since the last album, Mizu Ni Nagashite ["Forget and Forgive"], and in the meantime, although not having a chance for recording in studio, the band performed regularly and wrote lots of new songs.

It is also the first original album with Nomoto Kazuhiro and Taniguchi Masaru as a regular member. Both started supporting Hikashu in 1983 and became full member in 1985.

Nomoto was still early 20s when he joined the band. Started to play electric guitar in high school, later in college he had an interest in improvising, switched to saxophone and played jazz. Soon after the graduation, he had an opportunity to participate a recording session with Hikashu through acquaintance and started supporting them in live concert. He quitted the band in 2002 and passed away next year.

Taniguchi was also still in 20s when he joined Hikashu, but he already an established musician then. He had been playing drums professionally since early teens. Being quite experienced both in live and studio, he contributed the band greatly. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1989.


Titles in English:

1. Human Faces
2. Elephant Seals
3. The Man of Emptiness
4. Want to Glimpse the Heaven
5. Cryptobiosis
6. The Warmness of Sate
7. The Exit of Buddha
8. Hi-Ai-Ai Island
9. The Erratic Fingers
10. The Cat and Romanticism
11. Shaka
12. Here Came the Indian
13. The Colors Are Past
14. This Is Not Me


"Ningen No Kao" is quite a lively and energetic album. And the remastering by Ono Seigen is very effective - you can hear the sounds you have never heard in the previous editions. An essential Hikashu stuff which no fan should be without.

Available worldwide via HMV Japan


Related Entry:
Tanikawa Shuntaro on "Ningen No Kao"