Chu Kosaka (小坂忠, 1948 to 2022) was a founding figure of Japanese rock in the 1970s, before becoming a gospel singer and then a pastor after a personal event he experienced as a miracle. In 1978, he founded Miktam Records, Japan's first gospel label, and left a lasting mark on Japanese Christian music.
Born on July 8, 1948, in Nerima, Tokyo, and raised in Shiki, in Saitama Prefecture, Masayuki Kosaka, known as Chu Kosaka, began his music career in 1966 with the group The Floral. In 1969, he co-founded the psychedelic rock group Apryl Fool with Haruomi Hosono and Takashi Matsumoto, a key milestone in the history of Japanese rock. His solo album "Horo" (1975), recorded with the musicians of the Tin Pan Alley collective, is now regarded as a landmark of Japanese pop music.
In 1976, his daughter's recovery from severe burns overwhelmed him and led him to the Christian faith. He then redirected his entire career toward gospel music: in 1978, he founded Miktam Records, Japan's very first gospel label, before being ordained as a pastor in 1991 at Akitsu Gospel Church. He produced more than fifty gospel albums until his death on April 29, 2022, at the age of 73, after several years of battling cancer.
- Hometown
- Nerima, Tokyo, Japan (raised in Shiki, Saitama)
- Style
- Japanese rock and folk (1966 to 1976), then gospel and worship
- Active since
- 1966 (music career), 1978 (gospel music)
- Good to know
- Founder of Japan's first gospel label, Miktam Records (1978); his official YouTube channel is an auto-generated "Topic" channel built from his audio catalog, since he never ran an active personal channel
How did Chu Kosaka get started?
Chu Kosaka made his debut in 1966 with the group The Floral, signed to Nippon Columbia. Lineup changes led him, in 1969, to co-found the psychedelic rock group Apryl Fool with Haruomi Hosono and Takashi Matsumoto. He then turned down an invitation to join the cult group Happy End in order to focus on the Japanese production of the musical Hair.
His first solo album, "Arigatou," was released in 1971. Four years later, "Horo" (1975), recorded with the Tin Pan Alley musicians including Hosono, established itself as one of the founding records of 1970s Japanese pop, blending rock, folk, and Western influences.
What makes Chu Kosaka unique?
In 1976, his daughter recovered from severe burns under circumstances he interpreted as a miracle: this event led him to the Christian faith and radically changed the course of his career. Two years later, in 1978, he founded Miktam Records, the first label devoted to gospel music in Japan, a country where Christians make up around 1% of the population. He became a pastor in 1991 at Akitsu Gospel Church and devoted the rest of his career to worship, all while retaining the respect of the Japanese rock world for his earlier work. Diagnosed with several cancers starting in 2014, he kept performing on stage until his final months.
Where should you start with Chu Kosaka?
For his rock legacy, the album "Horo" (1975) remains the essential entry point. For his gospel side, the album "Nobody Knows" (2013), the fruit of sixteen years of work, is often cited as his crowning achievement in that field. His official audio channel also features many traditional Japanese hymns that he re-recorded throughout his career.
songs
確かに主は来られる
A traditional Japanese hymn (the title literally means the Lord will surely return), re-recorded by Chu Kosaka on his official audio catalog.
賛美と栄光を
A hymn of praise and glory, one of the many classic hymns Kosaka recorded for the Japanese church.
勝利の主イエス
A hymn about victory in Jesus, taken from the same body of traditional hymns recorded by the artist.
Discography
- 2013Nobody Knows· Original gospel album, the culmination of sixteen years of work
- 2005Miracle
- 2004KI-MI-HA-SU-BA-RA-SHI-I
- 2000Wasuremono wa Arimasen ne
- 1997peace3
- 1991MESSAGE
- 1975Horo· Non-gospel album, considered a classic of 1970s Japanese pop
- 1971Arigatou· First solo album, before his conversion
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chu Kosaka?
Chu Kosaka (小坂忠, 1948 to 2022) was a founding figure of Japanese rock and pop in the 1970s who later became a gospel singer and then a pastor. In 1978 he founded Japan's first gospel label, Miktam Records.
Did Chu Kosaka sing in Japanese?
Yes, nearly his entire catalog, from his 1970s rock work to his gospel albums, is in Japanese.
What is Chu Kosaka's best-known work?
In Japanese rock, the album "Horo" (1975) remains his reference work. In gospel, the album "Nobody Knows" (2013) is often cited as his most accomplished work.
Was Chu Kosaka a Christian?
Yes. He converted in 1976 after his daughter recovered from severe burns, an event he interpreted as a miracle, before becoming a pastor in 1991.
Is Chu Kosaka still alive?
No. He died on April 29, 2022, at age 73, after continuing to perform on stage for several years while battling cancer.
Why is Chu Kosaka important for Christian music in Japan?
In 1978 he founded Miktam Records, Japan's very first label devoted to gospel, and spent more than four decades building up Christian music in a country where Christians remain a small minority.