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This is the only song by a Japanese artist to hit #1 in the US.

The lyrics are in Japanese - They're about sadness and isolation. The song's Japanese title is "Ue O Muite Aruko," which means "I look up when I walk." "Sukiyaki" is a kind of Japanese stew and has nothing to do with the song. That title was chosen for American release because it was short and easy to say.

This became an international hit when an English Record Company executive heard it in Japan. He renamed it "Sukiyaki," after a Japanese food he enjoyed, and had an artist on his label record it.

This became a hit in the US when a disk jockey in Washington state heard the British version, and started playing the original by Sakamoto. The title remained "Sukiyaki," even though it had nothing to do with the song. Marsha Cunningham explains:
"In 1961-2 I was a high school student at The American School In Japan, living in Zushi, Japan. My dad was a pilot for Japan Airlines. While enjoying a Japanese movie staring Kyu Sakamoto, I heard the most unbelievably beautiful song. I purchased the record at a local shop and brought it back to the states the next year when I attended a girl's boarding school in Sierra Madre, CA. I played it in the dormitory frequently; everyone liked it. One girl took my record home with her on the weekend so her dad could play it on his radio station, and the rest is history!" (thanks, Marsha - Los Angeles, CA)

Learn more about how this song came to America and what it's like to be an American in Japan in Song Images.

Sakamoto was one of 520 people who died in a Japan Airlines crash in 1985. He was 43.

In 1981, A Taste Of Honey took this to #3 in the US with a version featuring English lyrics written by their bass player/vocalist Janice Marie Johnson. She didn't translate the song literally, but kept the mood of the song with lyrics about a love that was taken away.

In 1963, country singer Clyde Beavers arranged to have an official of the Japanese embassy (J.S. Shima) translate the lyrics into English. Although Beavers' "Sukiyaki" did not chart, A Taste of Honey turned the "official" English version into a #3 hit in 1981. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL)

R&B group 4 P.M. (For Positive Music) covered this in 1995 with the same English lyrics that A Taste Of Honey used. Their version went to #8 in the US.

Comments:

If the song were to be renamed, I think Sake would be more appropriate than Sukiyaki as the song is about a jilted lover. A jilted person would logically drown his sorrow by drinking sake !
- Adrian, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

This song was written in 1961 for the recital of Hachidai Nakamura, the pianist and composer of this song. So, nobody could have heard this song before then. The song by a female singer that Bob from Baltimore and Francis from Ottawa remember hearing must have been a different song. This song was featured on the TV program called in Japanese "Yume de Aimashou" (Let's Meet in Dreams) in October and November, 1961. Shizuo, Tokyo, Japan
- SHIZUO, TOKYO, Japan

This song came out when I was 6 years old. It has been my favorite song for 46 years. It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.
- ken, brighton, MI

One of the most beautiful but sad songs ever.
- Brenda, Calgary, AB

The plane crash in 1985 may or may not have been a soviet shoot down - we will never really know will we.
- BILL, Originally Toledo, OH

Sorry to blow the whole myth about the plane being shot down by the Russians, but if you check the facts, the plane suffered a rear bulkhead failure that resulted from prior, on the ground accident, that weakened the airframe. The crew lost all ability to control the descent, which took about 40 minutes to hit the ground. Many of the passengers had time to write final farewells to the families before the crash. A sad end to all, but the Russians had nothing to do with it.
- John, Roseville, CA

does anyone know if this song was used for a TVshow during the 60's?
- bob, charleston, SC

I also seem to remember an earlier version from the 50s sung in Japanese by a female. Anyone have any knowledge of this version and how I could get a copy?
- Francis, Ottawa, ON

This is the song that was #1 on the charts the day I got married, June 15, 1963. Kyu Sakamoto was born the same year as my husband and I was born a year later so we were contemporaries of Sakamoto. Recently, before leaning these facts I developed an intense interest in Jpop-Jrock music, especially the Japanese Artists Gackt and Hyde (I like Rain also but he is Korean)All three of these singers have much more beautiful voices than Kyu Sakamoto, not to say that his rendition of the song wasn't a good one. Especially Gackt's voice is phenominal, beautiful. I see no reason why one of these Asian Artists or some other one could not have a #1 hit worldwide. And why didn't that idiot rename it Sayonara rather than Sukiyaki", it was a crime to give such a beautiful ballad that stupid name.
- Trudy, Livermore, CA

Sakamoto died in the 1985 crash of Japan Airlines flight 123 when part of the tail section came apart. Korean Air flight 007 was shot down by a Soviet fighter on Sept 1, 1983.
- Mike, LaFayette, GA

It's hard to believe but when this song was on the charts John F. Kennedy was President. It's true that Kyu Sakamoto died with over 500 other innocent people when their Japan Airlines jet was blown out of the sky by a Russian fighter pilot who launched an air to air missle at the civilian airliner. The Russian says he thought it was an American spy plane. What was left of the aircraft and passengers went down in the South China Sea. Since the JAL aircraft was above 32,00 ft. when hit there were no survivors. It wasn't just a plane crash. It was totally unnecessary act of agression. RIP
- Bill, Dallas, TX

My hobby is music of the sixties. In the summer of 1963 I heard a beautiful song in a language I had never heard before. This was Sukiyaki or Ue wo muite arukou, sung by Kyu Sakamoto. Hearing this song, to me, was the ultimate musical experience. At that time I was still attending school, and after saving my pocket-money for a long time I bought a Linguaphone-course to learn Japanese to be able to understand the lyrics of Sukiyaki. After finishing school I graduated in Japanese Language and Culture at Leiden University. I have always wanted to tell Kyu Sakamoto personally how much his song meant to me, but unfortunately he died in a plane-crash. Although I have heard many beautiful Japanese songs ever since, this song will always be very important to me. I own two single issues with different flipsides; Ano ko no namae wa nanten kana and Tankobushi, and from Japan I obtained a special issue of Sukiyaki and a Memory Album with the greatest hits of Kyu Sakamoto, issued after his tragic death. In the sixties Kyu Sakamoto issued a new version of the song with a Doo whop choir added to it, but I think this version is too westernized and it has lost the magic of the original song. Mieke, The Netherlands.
- mieke, Leiden, Netherlands

The lyrics sung by A Taste Of Honey are NOT the literal interpretation of this hit, as lots of listeners think they are. THESE are: Ue o muite arukoo I look up when I walk Namida ga kobore nai yoo ni So the tears won't fall Omoidasu haru no hi Remembering those happy spring days Hitoribotchi no yoru But tonight I'm all alone Ue o muite arukoo I look up when I walk Nijinda hoshi o kazoete Counting the stars with tearful eyes Omoidasu natsu no hi Remembering those happy summer days Hitoribotchi no yoru But tonight I'm all alone Shiawase wa kumo no ue ni Happiness lies beyond the clouds Shiawase wa sora no ue ni Happiness lies above the sky Ue o muite arukoo I look up when I walk Namida ga kobore nai yoo ni So the tears won't fall Nakinagara aruku Though my heart is filled with sorrow Hitoribotchi no yoru For tonight I'm all alone (whistling) Omoidasu aki no hi Remembering those happy autumn days Hitoribotchi no yoru But tonight I'm all alone Kanashimi wa hoshi no kage ni Sadness hides in the shadow of the stars Kanashimi wa tsuki no kage ni Sadness lurks in the shadow of the moon Ue o muite arukoo I look up when I walk Namida ga kobore nai yoo ni So the tears won't fall Nakinagara aruku Though my heart is filled with sorrow Hitoribotchi no yoru For tonight I'm all alone (whistling)
- Leya Qwest, Anchorage, AK

I remember looking up info about this artist years ago only to discover his sad fate in that plane crash. Also, upon learning that the song was about someone looking up when they walk I thought it was about a person happy in life. But perhaps not...
- James, Vidalia, GA

I've always resented this song being called "Sukiyaki". Did they think we could only relate to a Japanese song if they slapped a familiar word on it? It would be like recording a love ballad in English for the Japanese market and calling it "Cheeseburger"!
- Frank, Westminster, SC

I first heard this song in Sasebo Japan in the spring of 1952. I was in the Navy on an ammo ship during the Korean Conflict and Sasebo was our home port.We would be in Sasebo from Korea every 30 days for about 2 weeks at a time to load up. The song, which I heard many times after, was on a record and was sung in Japanese by a young girl, who's voice I fell in love with. Don't know her name but she had a beautiful voice. Bawlmer Bob
- BOB, BALTIMORE, MD

At the End of the version by A Taste Of Honey, if you listen very carefully, you can here the lead singer softly whisper, "Sayonara!"
- Annabelle, Eugene, OR

The 4PM release was NOT this song. They used the tune, but not a real translation of the words, which are far more haunting and wistful. The close translation can be found online (search for "I look up when I walk"). Lyrics were by Rokosuke Ei.
- Keith, SLC, UT

I thought this song maybe about a guy who got turned down, or broke up with his g/f. Japanese people are very shy and maybe didnt want people to see him cry. if he looks up he wont hurt when the tears fall (its just annoying when the tears run into your ears)
- Danielle, Spruce Grove, Canada