Sakura Sake

"Sakura Sake" (サクラ咲ケ, Cherry Blossoms, Bloom) is a single by Japanese boy band Arashi. It was released on 22 March 2005 through J Storm as the first single from their fifth studio album One (2005). The song was written by Takeshi Aida, Sho Sakurai, and Shin Tanimoto. "Sakura Sake" was released in two editions: Regular Edition and Limited Edition. The single peaked at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling 115,000 copies in its first week. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in March 2005 for shipments of 100,000 units.

"Sakura Sake"
Single by Arashi
from the album One
B-side"Te Tsunagō"
Released23 March 2005 (2005-03-23)
Genre
Length17:48
LabelJ Storm
Songwriter(s)
Arashi singles chronology
"Hitomi no Naka no Galaxy/Hero"
(2004)		 "Sakura Sake"
(2005)		 "Wish"
(2005)

Composition

"Sakura Sake" was written by Takeshi Aida, Sho Sakurai, and Shin Tanimoto, and arranged by Tomoki Ishizuka. Aida and Tanimoto previously co-wrote Arashi's ninth single "Pikanchi" (2002). "Sakura Sake" is a positive rock[1] and pop punk[2] song with supportive lyrics.[3] The lyrics contain imagery of cherry blossoms and Spring.[2] The coupling song "Te Tsunagō" is a ballad and was written by Eiichirō Taruki and Akira.[1]

Release and promotion

"Sakura Sake" was released on 22 March 2005 in two editions: Regular Edition which included the karaoke versions of all tracks; and the limited edition which contained a DVD with the music video of the single. "Sakura Sake" was used as an image song for the university admission cram school Johnan Academic Preparatory Institute (ja), which featured Arashi member Sho Sakurai as the spokesperson and promoter.[4] Arashi performed the song for the first time on television on Ongaku Senshi Music Fighter (ja) on 25 March 2005.[5] The following day, they performed on Count Down TV[6] On 1 April 2005, Arashi performed the song on Music Station's 3-Hour Spring Special.[6][7]

Reception

"Sakura Sake" received generally positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Alexey Eremenko, who wrote Arashi's biography on the website, selected the track as some of their best work.[8] A mixed review came from a writer at CD Journal, who enjoyed the chorus in "Sakura Sake" but disliked "Te Tsunagō", which they thought was "nothing but a foolish love song".[9] A writer at JMD, however, found the song "heartwarming".[1] "Sakura Sake" has been voted into Oricon's Top 10 Sakura Songs Ranking every year since 2006.[10] On 3 May 2013, "Sakura Sake" topped Music Station's Best 25 Spring Support Songs poll.[11]

Commercially, the single was a success. It debuted at number-one on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling 115,000 copies in its first week of release.[12] The release spent 15 weeks on the Top 200.[13] It was the group's third consecutive, and tenth overall number-one single in Japan. By the end of 2005, it had sold over 172,000 units in Japan, making it the 55th highest-selling single of that year.[14] In March 2005, the single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for shipments of 100,000 units.[15] In 2012, the song entered the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 54 on the date ending 23 January 2012.[16]

Track listing
Regular edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Sakura Sake" (サクラ咲ケ, "Cherry Blossoms, Bloom")
Shin TanimotoTomoki Ishizuka4:21
2."Te Tsunagō" (手つなごぉ, "Let's Hold Hands")Eiichirō TarukiAkiraAkira4:33
3."Sakura Sake" (instrumental)
  • Aida
  • Sakurai
TanimotoIshizuka4:21
4."Te Tsunagō" (instrumental)TarukiAkiraAkira4:33
Total length:17:48
Limited edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Sakura Sake"
  • Aida
  • Sakurai
TanimotoIshizuka4:21
2."Te Tsunagō"TarukiAkiraAkira4:33
Total length:8:54
Limited edition – DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Sakura Sake" (music video) 

Charts and certifications

References
  1. 嵐/サクラ咲ケ＜通常盤＞ (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  2. 嵐の卒業ソング・入学ソング・人気曲ランキング【2018】. Rag Studio (in Japanese). Rag International Music. 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. "ARASHI / ARASHI 5×10 All the BEST! 1999-2009 [2CD]" (in Japanese). CD Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  4. サクラ咲ケ（ＤＶＤ付初回生産限定盤） (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  5. 音楽戦士 MUSIC FIGHTER 2005年 (in Japanese). musictvprogram.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  6. 嵐のTV出演情報 (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  7. 出演者ラインアップ 2005.04.01.FRI (in Japanese). TV Asahi. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  8. "Arashi Song Highlights". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  9. 嵐 / サクラ咲ケ (in Japanese). CD Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  10. 卒業＆桜ソングランキング 2013『色あせない名曲から近年の人気曲まで！ 恒例企画の今年の順位は……』 (in Japanese). Oricon. 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  11. "Music Station 2-Hour Special 2013". Music Station (in Japanese). 3 May 2013. TV Asahi. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  12. 嵐が3作連続通算10作目の首位獲得! (in Japanese). Oricon. 29 March 2005.
  13. サクラ咲ケ(通常盤) (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  14. シングル 年間ランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 20 December 2005. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  15. ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2005年3月. RIAJ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 29 April 2005. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
  16. "Sakura Sake". Billboard Japan. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  17. 年間 シングルランキング 2005年度. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  18. オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree'] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
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