From the reissues project “J-DIGS reissues,” which delivers cutting-edge works from the Nippon Columbia catalogue to the world, we reissue five legendary Japanese rock titles that are popular and have a cult following on analog records.
This time, the book will be released by Blues Creation, The Devil and the Eleven Children (1971), a historic masterpiece that marked the dawn of hard rock in Japan. Segawa Hiroshi’s solo album “Pierro” (1972) is a pursuit of country and Southern rock in Japanese.
Yamauchi Tetsu’s first solo album, “TETSU” (1972), was recorded in Japan while working as a British band and a freelance member. Shortly after the disbandment of the Flower Travelling Band, guitarist Ishima Hideki released the only solo album, One Day (1973).
Tamaki Hiroki’s Poem of Existence (1980) created a psychedelic and spiritual musical picture scroll using multiple vocals and synthesizers. All five titles feature a gate fold (double jacket) jacket, and new liner notes are featured in Japanese and English.
“Piero,” “TETSU,” and “One Day” will be remastered by Kubota Makoto, and “The Devil and the Eleven Children” will be released on Clear Deep Blue Vinyl.
Six masterpieces of Japanese jazz titles will also be released from “J-DIGS reissues,” so be sure to check them out as well.
■J-DIGS reissues HP: https://columbia.jp/j-digs/reissues/
* “J-DIGS” is a project that conveys the appeal of Japan Columbia’s catalogue to the world.
[Product Information]
Released on November 1, 2025
Label: NIPPONOPHONE
Released and sold: Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd.
Blues Creation/The Devil and the Eleven Children (Clear Deep Blue Vinyl)
Blues Creation / Demon & Eleven Children
COJA-9556 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Shinichi
Original Release: CD-5029 (1971/8/25)
Heavy guitar sound roaring like it’s crawling across the ground
A historical masterpiece that awakens the dawn of hard rock in Japan
The second album by Blues Creation, a rock band led by guitarist Takeda Kazuo.
With its heavy guitar sound that gives off a strong influence from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, it is renowned as one of the greatest works of the early days of Japan’s hard rock.
The unique psychedelic feel created by the combination of British hard rock sounds and vocals sung in Japanese English is captivating rock fans all over the world.
Side A
1. Atomic Bombs Away
2. Mississippi Mountain Blues
3. Just I Was Born
4. Sorrow
Side B
1. One Summer Day
2. Brane Baster (Brain Pile Drive)
3. Sooner Or Later
4. Demon & Eleven Children
Takeda Kazuo (Guitar, Vocal) / Osawa Hiromi (Vocal) / Saeki Masashi (Bass) / Higuchi Akiyuki (Drums)
Segawa Hiroshi/Piero (+1) (Black Vinyl)
Hiroshi Segawa/ Pierrot
COJA-9557 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Shinichi Remastering: Kubota Makoto
Original release: JDX-7001 (1972/10/25)
Segawa Hiroshi’s solo album, pursuing country rock and Southern rock in Japanese
The secret treasure of Japan Rock, featuring members of the Flower Travelling Band, Samurai and PYG
As the GS boom was settling and the new rock was becoming more and more glamorous, most bands were oriented towards British rock, and Segawa Hiroshi was one of the few who sought to pursue country and Southern rock in Japanese.
One of the goals of this effort, the album Piero, was a lineup that represents Japan’s new rock formations, including Ishima Hideki from Flower Travelling Band, Kamitsuki Jun, Samurai Tetsu, Harada Yuomi, and Ohno Katsuo from PYG.
The single “Kimi ga Ita Shiroku Room” was released the year after “Pierro,” and was reissued with a remastering by Kubota Makoto.
Side A
1. I feel this way
2. A fun Sunday
3. Why were you born?
4. That shouldn’t be good
5. Long night
6. Blister chat
7. The White Room where you were
Side B
1. Clown
2. Bloom!! Grandpa
3. Time passes – Goodbye Baby
4. Stirred Goldfish
Segawa Hiroshi (Vocal, Guitar) / Ishima Hideki (Guitar) / Harada Hiroomi (Drums) / Nomura Mitsuro (Drums) / Kamitsuki Jun (Drums) / Yamauchi Tetsu (Bass) / Ohno Katsuo (Keyboards)
Yamauchi Tetsu/TETSU (Black Vinyl)
Tetsu Yamauchi / Tetsu
COJA-9558 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Shinichi Remastering: Kubota Makoto
Original release: JDX-7004 (1972/10/25)
Thick groove and sharp guitar sound
Yamauchi Tetsu’s first solo album, recorded in Japan while working as a freelance member.
This is the first solo album recorded by Yamauchi Tetsu, who became a bassist for the British band and freelance band after working as Mickey Curtis and Samurai, when he returned to Japan temporarily in 1972.
This is a photo full of attention to hear, including “Wiki Wiki,” which features intense edgy guitars, “First Time,” “How To Cook,” and “Orange Dog,” and “Alexander Stone,” “Why,” and “Baby Blue,” which shines with Eleanor’s unnuclear vocals.
Reissue with remastering by Kubota Makoto.
Side A
1. Wiki Wiki
2. Alexander Stone
3. First Time
4. Why
5. Dad & Mom
Side B
1. Who Would I be In The World Babe
2. How to Cook
3. Baby Blue
4. Orange Dog
5. Sun Down
Composed and arranged by Tetsu
Yamauchi Tetsu (Bass, Guitar, Vocal) / Eleanor Barooshian (Vocal) / Narita Ken (Vocal) / Pipi Shibata (Guitar) / Ohno Katsuo (Keyboards) / Harada Hiro (Drums, Percussions) / Tsunoda Hiro (Drums, Percussions) / Charlie (Percussions)
Ishima Hideki/One Day (Black Vinyl)
Hideki Ishima / One Day
COJA-9559 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Shinichi Remastering: Kubota Makoto
Original release: JDX-7010 (1973/5/25)
Ishima Hideki’s only solo album released shortly after the disbandment of the Flower Travelling Band
A solitary piece that intersects psychedelic, edgy guitar with delicate SSW glow.
This is the only solo album released by Ishima Hideki (Hideki), a guitarist for the Flower Travelling Band, in 1973, just after the band disbanded.
The floating guitar between stones, which later worked as a sitar player, shines everywhere, and this is a solitary piece that combines the charm of psychedelic rock, acid folk, and an introspective singer-songwriter work.
This is an important work in Japanese rock in the 1970s, featuring a number of outstanding musicians such as Wada George (ds), a fellow member of the Flower Travelling Band, Chito Kawachi (ds), and Shinohara Nobuhiko (key), who both form Trans Ams, and Ohno Katsuo (key) of PYG.
Reissue with remastering by Kubota Makoto.
Side A
1. We’re Just Tryin’ My Way
2. Artificial Flowers (Instrumental)
3. Lady Bird
Side B
1. Nightmare
2. Unbalance (Instrumental)
3. Depending By The Time
4. Trash Blues
Ishima Hideki (Vocal, Guitar, Bass) / Wada George (Drums, Conga, Wataiko) / Chito Kawachi (Drums, Tambourine, Gonga) / Shinohara Nobuhiko (Piano, Organ, Chorus, Vibraphone) / Ohno Katsuo (Synthesizer, Organ, Bottle Neck Guitar) / Muraoka Takeshi (Sax) / Ohno Masumi (Chorus) / Narita Ken (Chorus)
Tamaki Hiroki/Poetry of Being (Black Vinyl)
Hiroki Tamaki / Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
COJA-9560 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Shibasaki Yuji
Original release: AX-7281 (1980/9/25)
A psychedelic spiritual trip guided by multiple vocals and synthesizers
A musical picture book of ecstasy depicting the world of harmony on a celestial scale
A magnificent musical picture scroll drawn by violinist, composer and arranger Tamaki Hiroki, inspired by the lectures of Indian religious philosopher Bakwan Sri Rajnisi.
This mysterious and harmonious music is woven together by a synthesizer by Anzai Fumitaka (in charge of the music of “Urusei Yatsura” by Tamaki himself, layered multiple vocals.
It includes progressive rock-like approaches such as “Mahamudler’s Poem” and “Meditation”, as well as “The River” and “Beautiful Song”, which were selected as “Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980” (Time Capsule) and have been re-reviewed as hidden masterpieces of acid folk.
Side A
1. River
2. Sky
3. The Songs of Mahamudra
Side B
1. Beautiful Song
2. Love
3. Meditation
4. Sea
Tamaki Hiroki (Vocals, Violin, Mandolin, A.Piano, Strings Ensemble, Oberheim, Vocoder) / Shimamura Eiji (Drums) / Tokashiki Yuichi (Drums) / Okazawa Akira (Bass) / Takamizu Kenji (Bass) / Watanabe Takeshi (Bass) / Yajima Ken (E.Guitar) / Yoshino Fujimaru (E.Guitar) / Fuefuki Toshiaki (A.Guitar) / Tani Koichi (A.Guitar) / Segami Yonosuke (Percussion) / Anzai Fumitaka (A&E.Piano, Synthesizer) / Yamakawa Keiko (Harp)
[Simultaneous release]
J-DIGS reissues: Japanese Jazz
Inagaki Jiro and Soul Media/Head Rock (Clear Red Vinyl)
Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media / Head Rock
COJY-9551 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Yusuke (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)
Original Release: XMS-10028 (12/1970)
Side A
1. THE VAMP
2. TWENTY ONE
3. SPOONFUL
Side B
1. BACK TO RACK
2. HIGH JACK
3. THE GROUND FOR PEACE
4. HEAD ROCK
Inagaki Jiro (ts) Fushimi Tetsuo (tp) Kawasaki Ryo (g) Imada Katsu (org) Arakawa Yasuo (b) Tabata Sadaichi (ds)
Recorded at Tokyo Studio Center 6, 7 Aug. 1970.
Inagaki Jiro and Soul Media/Female Friends (Clear Purple Vinyl)
Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media / Wandering Birds
COJY-9552 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Yusuke (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)
Original Release: NCB-7013 (1971/12/25)
Side A
1. WANDERING BIRDS ~ INTERLUDE
2. AFTER NOON
3. PARAJIKA
Side B
1. DO IT!
2. ON THE GRASS
3. After a hundred years
4. WANDERING BIRDS
Inagaki Jiro (ts, ss, fl) / Matsuki Tsunehide (g) / Mizutani Koo (g) / Yanagida Hiro (key, p) / Takebe Hideaki (b) / Tanaka Seiji (ds) / Sammy (vo) / Sawada Yasuji (vo) / Sato Yoshihiko (moog) / New Chamber Music Association (strings)
Suzuki Hiromasa/High Flying (Clear Pink Vinyl)
Hiromasa Suzuki / High-Flying
COJY-9553 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Yusuke (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)
Original Release: SQ-7001 (1976/8/25)
Side A
1. HIGH-FLYING
2. SCREWDRIVER
3. SCRAMBLE
Side B
1. BETWEEN O&M
2. SMASH
3. STRAIGHT FLASH
4. OUT OF FOCUS
Suzuki Hiromasa: Written and arranged, pf, epf, synth, keyboards
Inagaki Jiro: tenor & soprano sax, flute
Fukamachi Jun: synth, keyboards / Sugimoto Yoshishi: guitar / Yoshino Fujimaru: guitar
Takanaka Masayoshi: guitar / Okazawa Akira: bass / Takamizu Kenji: bass / Murakami Shuichi: drums
Larry Sunaga: latin percussions / Iju Kayoko: vocal
Produced by Inagaki Jiro
Recordings: 1976/2/4/7, 4/9, 4/17, 4/22 at Nippon Columbia Studio 2
Moriyama Takeo/Smile (Clear Vinyl)
Takeo Moriyama / Smile
COJY-9554 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Yusuke (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)
Original release: YF-7013 (1981/3/25)
Side A
1. Exchange
2. Watarase
Side B
1. Steps
2. Smile
3. Goodbye
Moriyama Takeo Quartet
Moriyama Takeo (ds)
Kuniyasu Yoshio (ts,ss)
Itabashi Fumio (p)
Mochizuki Hideaki (b)
Guest: Matsukaze Koichi (as, ts, fl)
Recording: November 10th-12th, 1980
Suzuki Hiroshi/Cat (Clear Yellow Vinyl)
Hiroshi Suzuki / Cat
COJY-9555 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Ogawa Yusuke (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)
Original Release: SP-7006 (2/25/1976)
Side A
1. SHRIMP DANCE
2. KURO TO SHIRO
Side B
1. WALK TALL
2. CAT
3. ROMANCE
Suzuki Hiroshi (tb)
Muraoka Ken (sax)
Suzuki Hiromasa (key)
Inaba Kunimitsu (b)
Ishikawa Akira (ds)
Recorded at Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo 8-10 Oct. 1975.
Sekitoo Shigeo/The Wonderful Electone The Word (Clear Green Vinyl)
Shigeo Sekito / Special Sound Series Vol.2 The Word
COJY-9550 ¥4,840 (¥4,400 excluding tax)
Commentary: Chee Shimizu
Original release: GS-7012 (1975/1/25)
Side A
1. Carly and Carol
2. Happiness
3. Masquerade
4. Sweet whispers
5. Blue shadow
6. Yesterday
Side B
1. The Word I
2. The Word II
3. Blue Lady with Red Rose
4. Funny
5. Blue Star
6.Share the Joy (From “Lost Horizon”)
Label: NIPPONOPHONE
Released and sold: Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd.
