Ihojin (Japanese: 異邦人) (English: "Stranger""Ms. Sayuri Kume as Goodwill Ambassador of JBS". JBS News International. Volume 3. October 2007. or "Foreigner")Lisa Vogt. Lisa's Wanderings Around Japan/ Otsuki: Look around and you'll find Momotaro everywhere. The Asahi Shimbun. 5 July 2022. is a songIhojin. Music Liverary. (Sony Music Labels Legacy Plus). written and composed by Saki Kubota, and first performed by her. The song was first released as a single on 1 October 1979.CBS/Sony catalogue number 06SH636 That recording sold more than 1.4 million copies(1984) 3 実践国語教育大系 277 and reached number 1 in the Japanese singles chart."Japan" in "Hits of the World". Billboard. 22 December 1979. p 71.Cash Box. 2 February 1980. p 37. The song was used in the "Silk Road" television commercial for Sanyo.(1995) 73 文藝春秋 (Bungei Shunjū) 400思う「1980～82年のヒット曲」ランキングTOP21 ! 第1位は「異邦人」". ITmedia.1979 television commercial for the Sanyo colour television model calledくっきりタテ7.
The version released on 12/7/2006 was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in May 2019.ダウンロード認定. RIAJ. See table "月次認定作品 認定年月：2019年5月" which is found under "2019年5月" .
A cover versionVermillion Records catalogue number BMCV-5004 of the song by Tak Matsumoto, featuring Zard, reached number 3 in the Oricon Singles Chart in 2003.Tak Matsumoto featuring Zard: 異邦人. Oricon entertainment site. Oricon.
TV Tokyo included the song in a collection of one hundred songs that are so well known that anyone could recognise them in three seconds.3秒聴けば誰でもわかる名曲ベスト100. TV Tokyo. 8 January 2024. 3秒聴けば誰でもわかる名曲ベスト100. TV Tokyo. 10 January and 18 July 2022. See the television programme. In 2022, it was among the most popular 1970s Japanese songs on Spotify.今年海外でもっとも再生された日本の楽曲は？Spotifyが2022年振り返るランキング発表. Natalie. 7 December 2022.
The song is in the new music genre.吉井和哉、生き急ぐ. rockin'on. 8/12/2015.
Lyrics The lyrics of the song refer to children playing in an open space adjacent to the railway tracks, as seen by a passenger from the window of a railway train travelling on the Chuo Line.久保田早紀のヒット曲『異邦人』のルーツを中央線沿線に発見した. Agora. 27 September 2016.久保田早紀「異邦人」異国の歌ではなかった？名曲の切ない歌詞の意味を考察！. UtaTen.140万枚売れた大ヒット曲 舞台はシルクロードではなく東京の原っぱだった. Sponichi Annex. 5 February 2019.異邦人 今は教会がステージ (2003) 朝日新聞縮刷版 (Asahi Shimbun shukusatsuban). 8 December 2003. The lyrics of "Ihojin" include the motif of time travel that previously appeared in the Shinji Harada song "Taimu Toraberu" (Japanese: タイム・トラベル) (1978).「月の沙漠」の系譜学 : 流行歌とアラビア表象 (2009) 大衆文化 (Popular Culture), vol 2, p 59, at p 68, note 8. Departmental Bulletin Paper (WEKO2).
Saki Kubota
The single released by Saki Kubota was a hit song.久保田早紀から久米小百合へ 大ヒット曲「異邦人」と歩んだ38年といま. The Page. (Yahoo! Japan). 12 December 2017.
Weekly charts: The single reached number 1 in The Best Ten chart,武田鉄矢の昭和は輝いていた【"異邦人"の久保田早紀と"雨バラ"の湯原昌幸】. TV Tokyo. Broadcast 16 August 2024. the Oricon Singles Chart,シングル売上TOP2作品 in "久保田早紀". Oricon News. the Music Labo singles chart, and the Cash Box of Japan 45s chart. The single spent three consecutive weeks at the top of The Best Ten chart.スターダムへの戸惑いと苦悩......「久保田早紀」は引退、音楽伝道師の道へ. 女性自身 (Josei Jishin). 3 February 2018. 「異邦人」から40年...久保田早紀はなぜ音楽宣教師・久米小百合になったのか. デイリースポーツ (Daily Sports). 14 January 2019. The single spent 12 consecutive weeks in The Best Ten. The single spent seven consecutive weeks at the top of the Oricon chart,1980年代を謳歌！『異邦人』からイカ天まで「俺たちの一発屋」名曲・青春プレーバック. 週刊女性Prime. 14 February 2022. and spent 25 weeks in the Oricon chart. The single was the first debut song to reach number 1 on The Best Ten chart.ザ・ベストテン(1979年12月27日放送). TBS.
Monthly charts: The single was number 1 in the Oricon monthly singles chart for December 1979Oricon monthly chart, December 1979 and January 1980.【1980年1月】大都会/クリスタル・キング 解散の思い出に出たポプコンから運命変わる. Sponichi Annex. 24 January 2012.
Annual charts: The single was number 2 in the Oricon annual singles chart for 1980.5月11日は「異邦人」久保田早紀の誕生日. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 5 May 2018.
Decade charts: The single was number 10 in the Oricon 1970s singles chart, with sales of 1,445,000.シングル主流の70年代、高度経済成長時代の後に見え始めた新トレンド. Oricon News. 31 May 2006.
The recording of the song released as a single in 1979 is included in the album Yumegatari. The album Saudade, released in 1980, included a new acoustic version of the song recorded in Lisbon in Portugal.サウダーデ【Blu-spec CD2】. Sony Music.久保田早紀は「異邦人」だけじゃない！異国路線にケジメを付けたアルバム「サウダーデ」. Re:minder. 7 June 2023.(1999) 44 地理 48
The 1979 single was released on a 7-inch 45rpm vinyl record on the CBS/Sony label. The subtitle of the song "Ihojin" is "Shiruku Rōdo No Tēma" (Japanese: シルクロードのテーマ) which means "Silk Road Theme". The duration of "Ihojin" is 3 minutes and 41 seconds. The song "Yumehiko" (Japanese: 夢飛行)CBS/Sony catalogue number 06SH636. Front and back cover of the sleeve. (English: "Dream Flight")The Nikkei Financial Daily (日経金融新聞). 11 and 24 April 2002. pp 1 & 4. is on the B side of the single. The duration of "Yumehiko" is 4 minutes and 11 seconds. The song "Ihojin" was arranged by Mitsuo Hagita武田鉄矢の昭和は輝いていた【黄金期のポップス歌謡曲の料理人・萩田光雄】. TV Tokyo.19 April 2024.斬新な味付け、ハッとするイントロ 作編曲家・萩田光雄の作品群5枚組みCDで発売. Asahi Shimbun Digital. 2 December 2021.ヒット曲の料理人 萩田光雄、アレンジャーの功績はもっともっと評価されていい. Re:minder. 16 June 2020.萩田光雄『音の魔術師/作編曲家・萩田光雄の世界』筒美京平が信頼を置いた編曲家が語る歌謡曲の時代とアイドル音楽. Mikiki. 8 February 2022. and produced by Masatoshi Sakai.酒井政利さん死去 百恵さんや郷ひろみさんの楽曲生む. Asahi Shimbun Digital. 19 July 2021.
Saki Kubota's backing band included Satoshi Takebe.武部聡志氏 シティーポップ公演をプロデュース「構想半年です」中川晃教、森崎ウィンら出演. Nikkan Sports. 12 November 2025.
The first appearance of Saki Kubota on The Best Ten was on 13 December 1979.「大統領暗殺裁判 16日間の真実」軍法裁判と全斗煥の野望を暴いた衝撃作. Nikkan Gendai. 22 August 2025.久保田早紀の名曲「異邦人」あの日 運命を背負って生まれた歌. Re:minder. 10 December 2020.
The song uses the lament bass as a bridge passage.Ikuko Katano, "For Musical-Rhetorical Figures as Expressional Means of Thought & Affection: mainly Lamento-Bass Motiv" (思想や情感の表出手段としての音楽修辞学的音型より ：悲しみのバスモチーフを中心に) (2014) 宮崎国際大学教育学部紀要 『教育科学論集』 創刊号 (Bulletin of the Faculty of Education, Miyazaki International University, Educational Science Review) 46 at 55
Makaino said the arrangement is full of exoticism ("ikoku jōcho", Japanese: 異国情緒, the mood of a foreign country).Ying Xiong. Representing Empire: Japanese Colonial Literature in Taiwan and Manchuria. Brill. 2014. pp 73 & 74.
An animated music video was created by Harune Sato and Kohei Saito from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 2021.サブスク時代に則した温故知新とは？ 『MUSIC Liverary』が目指すアーティストプロモーションの新たな形. Cocotame. 10 October 2025. The video includes three dimensional art.藝大修了生による『異邦人 - Gedai Animation - 東京藝術大学. Department of Animation of the Graduate School of Film and New Media at Tokyo University of the Arts.
The song is included in the soundtrack of Mirai no Omoide: Last Christmas (1992).Epic/Sony Records catalogue number ESCA 5602.
There are karaoke versions of both the Yumegatari version, and the (Portuguese recording) Saudade version, of "Ihojin" on the album Golden Best Saki Kubota.GOLDEN☆BEST/久保田早紀. Oricon. "Ihojin" reached number 10 in the Joysound karaoke rankings for Shōwa era songs in the first half of 2024.「中森明菜」や「中島みゆき」の人気曲に世代間で大きな差が！ 平成生まれのカラオケ愛好家らと、人気の昭和曲ランキングを考察. "Daily Shincho" from Shinchosha. 1 December 2024. The song has appeared in the Joysound karaoke annual rankings by age group,JOYSOUND 2015年のカラオケ年代別ランキングを発表、総合1位は秦 基博「ひまわりの約束」. Musicman. 18 December 2015.JOYSOUND 2014年のカラオケ年代別ランキングを発表、アナ雪が各世代で支持. Musicman. 22 December 2014.JOYSOUND、年代別の2013年カラオケ年間ランキングを発表！ アニソン世代やボカロ世代など年代別の特徴が明らかに. Akiba Souken. 20 December 2013. and in an NTV karaoke survey ranking by age group.ヒルナンデス!. NTV. 25 April 2011. In 2024, it reached number 14 in the Joysound karaoke ranking for Shōwa era songs sung by Japanese people in their 10s and 20s,【JOYSOUND】「若者に歌われる昭和曲」ランキングTOP20！ 第1位は「タッチ（岩崎良美）」【2024年最新調査結果】. ITmedia. 7 January 2025.今も歌われる"昭和"のカラオケ曲ランキング、JOYSOUNDが発表 1位はアニメ主題歌 ネット発リバイバルヒット曲も存在感. ITmedia. 17 December 2024. and number 12 for people born in the Heisei era.
According to ITmedia, in 2024, "Ihojin" was the most popular song from 1980 to 1982 amongst Japanese people in their 50s and 60s, in their 60s,【60代が選ぶ】「1980～82年のヒット曲」の中で最高の1曲ランキングTOP23！ 第1位は「赤いスイートピー」と「異邦人」【2024年最新調査結果】. ITmedia. 31 January 2024. in their 50s,【50代が選ぶ】最高だと思う「1980～82年のヒット曲」ランキングTOP21！ 第1位は「異邦人」【2024年最新調査結果】. ITmedia. 20 September 2024. and in their 40s and 50s.【40～50代に聞いた】最高だと思う「1980～82年のヒット曲」ランキングTOP26！ 第1位は「異邦人（久保田早紀）」【2024年最新調査結果】. ITmedia. 22 October 2024. It was the fourth most popular for people in their 30s and 40s,【30～40代に聞いた】最高だと思う「1980～1982年のヒット曲」ランキングTOP32！ 第1位は「赤いスイートピー」【2024年最新調査結果】. ITmedia. 26 June 2024. and also ranked highly for women.【女性が選ぶ】最高だと思う「1980～82年のヒット曲」ランキングTOP20！ 第1位は「赤いスイートピー」【2024年最新調査結果】. ITmedia. 21 August 2024. According to the Sankei Shimbun, it was the eighth most popular song amongst folk, rock and pop (fōku, rokku and poppusu) songs from the Shōwa era.読者2000人が選んだ昭和の名曲—フォーク・ロック・ポップス部門ベスト50を発表. Sankei Shimbun. 10 October 2024. It was the sixth most popular among women, and the tenth most popular among men.四畳半フォークか、ニューミュージックか 読者が選んだ昭和の名曲、好み分かれた男女別発表. Sankei Shimbun. 19 October 2024. According to TV Asahi, it was the most popular song amongst breakthrough songs of the Shōwa era.国民の生投票で今夜決定！"今年最も愛された昭和の名曲"グランプリが発表. テレ朝POST, from TV Asahi. 24 December 2024. According to a 2019 survey, it is the 22nd best song.いい音爆音アワー vol.100「いい音爆音アワーが選ぶ史上最もナイスな100曲」発表♪. BARKS. 20 March 2019. In 2025, it was top of the Asahi Shimbun's "be ranking" of 1980s songs.（be RANKING！！）好きな80年代ヒット曲は？. be. 17 May 2025. Preview.
Akina Nakamori, speaking of the song "Sand Beige (Sabaku e)" (1985), said she asked to be given a song with the kind of exotic mood (ikoku jōcho) possessed by "Ihojin".中森明菜 香取慎吾とのレコーディングを振り返る「慎吾さんがすごく合わせてくださったので...」. マイナビニュース. 5 May 2025. From 中森明菜 香取慎吾とのレコーディングを振り返る「慎吾さんがすごく合わせてくださったので...」, Tokyofm+ of Tokyo FM. The song "Ihojin" was praised by Yoko Minamino.南野陽子 衝撃を受けた80年代ソング明かす「どこも無駄がない。全部が素敵な曲」. Sponichi Annex. 19 June 2025. Aming's song "Matsu wa" has been compared to "Ihojin".『待つわ』大ヒットの女子大生デュオ・あみん、紅白出場会見を欠席した驚きの理由「私たちは芸能界に入ったわけじゃない」. Shueisha Online. 21 July 2025.
Cover versions Tak Matsumoto, featuring Zard
This single spent 16 weeks in the Oricon chart,シングル売上TOP6作品. Oricon News. and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in August 2003.ゴールドディスク認定. RIAJ. See table "月次認定作品 認定年月：2003年8月" which is found under "2003年8月".
The song on the B side is a cover version of Yuming's "Ame No Machi Wo" (Japanese: 雨の街を) by Tak Matsumoto, featuring Akiko Matsuda. The song "Ihojin" was included in the Tak Matsumoto album The Hit Parade.
Other As of 2021, "Ihojin" was the joint 6th most frequently covered Shōwa era pop song (昭和ポップス), with 68 cover versions, according to TBS.「昭和ポップス」と「平成ポップス」の差 （カバー回数ランキング編）. TBS. 19 January 2021.