ハクブンゴウ(Hakubungou )『交差点(Kousaten)EP』 Advance Listening

Last Updated on 2026-03-02 by a-indie

🌐 Hakubungou, whom we interviewed before, will have their 『Kousaten EP』 released on the BELONG Media and A-indie YouTube channel to mark its 10th anniversary ✨

This EP, originally released in September 2015, had been unavailable to listen to online for a long time due to various circumstances.

Now, at the artist’s own request, it’s making a comeback after nearly 10 years! Additionally, the lyrics for 『Kousaten EP』 are being made public for the very first time, posted in the YouTube description.

These five lo-fi folk tracks blend the poetic word choices reminiscent of はっぴいえんど — the legendary Japanese band that featured Haruomi Hosono — with hip-hop-derived loop beats. Make sure to check them out during the early listening period. (yabori)

『Kousaten EP』 Playlist

1. 嘘並べ (Uso Narabe)

2. 夜更けにダンス (Yofuke ni Dance)

3. 有能 (Yuunou)

4. ラマーのように (Lamar no yooni)

5. まっさら (Massara)

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Who Is Hakubungou?

A mystery solo artist based in Okinawa. In September 2015, they released the home-recorded EP 『Kousaten EP』, followed by the CD 『Kare ga iu ni wa』 on P-VINE in June 2016.

Their songwriting is rooted in folk but distinctively blends hip-hop beat loops with Showa-era Japanese lyricism.

After that, they stepped away from commercial activity and expanded their musical interests into Ryukyuan classical sanshin and hip-hop beat production.

In 2026, marking the 10th anniversary of both 『Kousaten EP』 and 『Kare ga iu ni wa』, Hakubungou is making a comeback — with new songs and live performances potentially on the horizon.

About 『Kousaten EP』

This EP was made using only a 2,000-yen acoustic guitar bought at a secondhand shop, a 10,000-yen microphone, and an old computer with no internet connection. Even now, its lo-fi warmth stands out in a way that feels entirely its own.

Showa-era word choices reminiscent of はっぴいえんど, lyrics that cast a gaze toward city life, and hip-hop-derived loop beats.

Together, these elements create a strange, unclassifiable texture unlike anything else out there.

Track four, “Lamar no yooni,” is the wild card — a club-music beat crashes in out of nowhere, deliberately leaving you wondering just who Hakubungou really is. It’s the EP’s most deliberately surprising moment.

Release Schedule

Early listening period: Friday, February 27, 2026 — Thursday, March 5, 2026

Release article and YouTube audio premiere: Monday, March 2, 2026

『Kousaten EP』 interview article: Thursday, March 5, 2026

Hakubungou — Artist Profile

A solo artist from Okinawa. The name is derived from the Japanese word “bungou” (meaning a great literary figure), rearranged into a Chinese-style pronunciation. In 2015, they released the home-recorded EP 『Kousaten EP』, followed by the CD 『Kare ga iu ni wa』 on P-VINE in 2016.

After that, professional commitments led them away from commercial music activity, though they continued studying Ryukyuan classical sanshin and producing hip-hop beats. In 2026, they are relaunching to mark the 10th anniversary.

With Japanese folk and Okinawan music as their two pillars, Hakubungou continues searching for what feels like the right answer for melody in the Japanese language.

Hakubungou — Releases

『Kousaten EP』

Release: September 20, 2015
Tracks:
1. 嘘並べ (Uso Narabe)
2. 夜更けにダンス (Yofuke ni Dance)
3. 有能 (Yuunou)
4. ラマーのように (Lamar no yooni)
5. まっさら (Massara)
Watch on YouTube

『Kare ga iu ni wa』

Release: June 2, 2016
Catalog: PCD-4636
Tracks:
1. 嘘並べ (Uso Narabe)
2. 寝台列車 (Shindai Ressha)
3. 走り出すのさ (Hashiridasu no sa)
4. あの日 (Ano Hi)
View on Amazon

Hakubungou 『Kousaten EP』
Release: September 20, 2015
Tracks:
1. 嘘並べ (Uso Narabe)
2. 夜更けにダンス (Yofuke ni Dance)
3. 有能 (Yuunou)
4. ラマーのように (Lamar no yooni)
5. まっさら (Massara)
—
Hakubungou 『Kare ga iu ni wa』
Release: June 2, 2016
Catalog: PCD-4636
Tracks:
1. 嘘並べ (Uso Narabe)
2. 寝台列車 (Shindai Ressha)
3. 走り出すのさ (Hashiridasu no sa)
4. あの日 (Ano Hi)
https://amzn.to/4tAnSfw