Source: (C) PR Times Inc. / (C) City of Kagoshima

Bushy-Browed Boys Perform Quirky Dance In Kagoshima City’s New Promo Video

The boys of the Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School Men's Rhythmic Gymnastics team have already earned a reputation at competitions for typically being the most entertaining and humorous entry, not only for their excellent gymnastic abilities but also for incorporating popular music and pop culture references into their choreography.

This time, Kagoshima City decided to put the boys' entertaining antics to good use in a unique promotional video for a special touristic campaign this year, the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration. For their campaign, Kagoshima has tied up with "Segodon," NHK's yearly epic Taiga drama series, which this year relates the life and times of the influential samurai, Meiji era bureaucrat and Satsuma rebellion leader Saigo Takamori, whose bushy-browed face is one of the most recognized among Japan's historical figures.

This is not the first time we have seen interesting promotional dance videos designed to attract tourists to various locations. For example, we have seen the Sagemon Girls for Yanagawa in Fukuoka Prefecture, the Ginzan Boys for the Ikuno Silver Mine in Hyogo Prefecture and Jiji-Pop for Kochi Prefecture.

Source: (C) PR Times

In case you were wondering, since 2018 is the Year of the Dog, one of the boys has donned a dog suit, completed with mask and ears, to assist in showing off the attractions of Kagoshima City during the video.

Source: (C) PR Times

Source: (C) PR Times

Source: (C) PR Times

Source: (C) PR Times

And now for the video! To make it easier for you, we've included the lyrics below with English translations. Enjoy!

Song Title:
維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City

Text on screen:
明治維新150年
150 years since the Meiji Restoration

自分の銅像にびっくり仰天
(jibun no dozo ni bikkuri gyouten)
Surprised at my own statue
本物みないでつくったの？
(honmono minaide tukutta no?)
Did you make it without looking at the real thing?
大きな観覧車にもびっくり仰天
(ookina kanransha ni bikkuri gyouten)
Surprised at a big ferris wheel
こんな鹿児島みたことない
(konna Kagoshima mita koto nai)
I’ve never seen such a Kagoshima before

なつかしいなあの道この道
(natsukashii na ano michi kono michi)
Feeling nostalgic for this road and that
みんなこのへんで生まれ育った
(minna kono hen de umaresodatta)
Everyone was born around these parts
昔は歩いて通った道
(mukashi aruite kayotta michi)
The roads I used to travel on...
バスに電車にこりゃ楽ちん
(Basu ni densha ni korya rakuchin)
...now have buses and trains; how easy it is!

維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
西郷どんも知らない KAGOSHIMA
(Segodon mo shiranai KAGOSHIMA)
Even Segodon doesn’t know this Kagoshima
維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
維新のふるさと KAGOSHIMA
(ishin no furusato KAGOSHIMA)
The home of the Restoration, KAGOSHIMA
心躍る KAGOSHIMA
(kokoro odoru KAGOSHIMA)
It makes your heart leap, KAGOSHIMA

明治維新のあとあちこちに
(meiji ishin no ato achi kochi ni)
Vestiges of the Meiji Restoration here and there
まさか世界遺産になってるなんて
(masaka sekai isan ni natteru nante)
Who knew they would become world heritage sites
新しい見どころもあちこちに
(atarashii midokoro mo achi kochi ni)
New attractions here and there
イルカが川を泳いでる？
(iruka ga kawa wo oyoideru?)
Dolphins are swimming in a river?

今も人気の大好物　（犬：かるかん）
(ima mo ninki no daikoubutsu [karukan])
My favorite foods still popular today (karukan)
とんこつといってもラーメンじゃない（とんこつ）
(tonkotsu to ittemo ramen ja nai [tonkotsu])
When we say tonkotsu we’re not talking about ramen (tonkotsu)
[Note: tonkotsu refers to pork chops in Kagoshima]
新しいおいしさに大感動　（しろくま）
(atarashii oishisa ni daikandou [shirokuma])
New tasty foods are such a great thrill (shirokuma)
黒豚だけじゃなくて黒牛も？（黒豚　黒牛）
(kuorbuta dake ja nakute kuroushi mo? [kurobuta / kuroushi])
Not only black Berkshire pork but black beef too? (black Berkshire pork / black beef)

維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
西郷どんも知らない KAGOSHIMA
(Segodon mo shiranai KAGOSHIMA)
Even Segodon doesn’t know this Kagoshima
維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
維新のふるさと KAGOSHIMA
(ishin no furusato KAGOSHIMA)
The home of the Restoration, KAGOSHIMA
心躍る KAGOSHIMA
(kokoro odoru KAGOSHIMA)
It makes your heart leap, KAGOSHIMA

やっぱり最高鹿児島の温泉
(yappari saikou Kagoshima no onsen)
Kagoshima hot springs are really great
からだもこころも癒される
(karada mo kokoro mo iyasareru)
They’ll soothe your body and soul
長ーい足湯も初体験
(nagaai ashiyu mo hatsu taiken)
First time trying a looong foot bath
長さはなんと１００ｍ？
(nagasa wa nanto hyaku meetoru?)
Can you believe its length is 100 meters?

歴史を知るなら維新ふるさと館
(rekishi wo shiru nara ishin furusato kan)
To learn about history, go to the Museum of the Meiji Restoration
展示内容意外とハイテク
(tenji naiyou igai to haiteku)
The exhibits are surprisingly high tech
一年限定大河ドラマ館
(ichinen gentei taiga dorama kan)
The one-year limited Segodon Epic Drama Museum
今年の大河は俺が主役⁉
This year, I’m the star of the show!?

維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
西郷どんも知らない KAGOSHIMA
(Segodon mo shiranai KAGOSHIMA)
Even Segodon doesn’t know this Kagoshima
維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
維新のふるさと KAGOSHIMA
(ishin no furusato KAGOSHIMA)
The home of the Restoration, KAGOSHIMA
維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
西郷どんも知らない KAGOSHIMA
(Segodon mo shiranai KAGOSHIMA)
Even Segodon doesn’t know this Kagoshima
維新！ Dancin’！鹿児島市
(ishin dancin’ kagoshima-shi)
Restoration! Dancin’! Kagoshima City
維新のふるさと KAGOSHIMA
(ishin no furusato KAGOSHIMA)
The home of the Restoration, KAGOSHIMA
心躍る KAGOSHIMA
(kokoro odoru KAGOSHIMA)
It makes your heart leap, KAGOSHIMA

Text on screen:
こんなカゴシマ、あったんだ。
So, this too is Kagoshima…

You can get all the details of Kagoshima's special tourism campaign on their website available in multiple languages. Kagoshima City certainly looks like an attractive place to visit!

By - Ben K.