# Begin (band)

Begin (ビギン, Bigin, IPA:, stylized as BEGIN) is a Japanese pop rock group from Ishigaki Island in the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Their sound contains many elements of traditional Okinawan music, and prominently features the sanshin.

## History

The members of Begin – Eishō Higa (比嘉栄昇) (sanshin, vocals), Masaru Shimabukuro (島袋優) (guitar), and Hitoshi Uechi (上地等) (piano) – are all from Ishigaki Island. They have been friends since elementary school. They also attended the same senior high school but upon graduation all intended to go their separate ways. One day, Eishō gathered the members together again and they began to focus on music. On December 5, 1988, they sang at a friend's wedding, calling themselves "Begin" for the first time. Soon they began to become famous. As of 13 November 2006 they have released 22 singles, 24 albums and 8 DVDs. Perhaps their most famous song is "Nada Sōsō", a collaboration between Begin and Ryōko Moriyama. Begin has had at least one song appear on the NHK program Minna no Uta. They are also the performers of the "Ichariba Ohana" and "Izayoi Yoi", the opening and first ending themes of the Disney-produced anime series Stitch!.

## Selected songs

* "Blue Snow" (1990)
* "Koishikute" (恋しくて, 1990)
* "Sora ni hoshi ga aru yōni" (空に星があるように, 1997, 2000)
* "Nada Sōsō" (涙そうそう, 2000)
* "Akari" (灯り, 2001)
* "Shimanchu nu Takara" (島人ぬ宝, 2002)
* "Sanshin no hana" (三線の花, 2006)
* "Egao no manma" (笑顔のまんま, 2009)

## Discography
### Singles

| # | Release Date | Title | Highest Oricon chart rank | Comments |
| 1st | 1990–3–21 | Koishikute (恋しくて) | 4th | |
| 2nd | 1990-12-01 | Blue Snow | 25th | |
| 3rd | 1991-11-10 | YOU / Kore ga Hajimari Dakara (YOU/これがはじまりだから) | 82nd | |
| 4th | 1992-10-25 | Afureru Namida (あふれる涙) | | |
| 5th | 1993–2–25 | Sayonara, Soshite Arigatou (さよなら、そしてありがとう) | | |
| 6th | 1993–7–25 | Dareka ga Kimi wo Yobu Koe ga (誰かが君を呼ぶ声が) | | |
| 7th | 1993-11-01 | Hana-mochi Hito (花待ち人) | | |
| 8th | 1994–7–25 | OKINAWAN SHOUT | | |
| 9th | 1995–3–25 | Kimi dake wo Tsurete (君だけをつれて) | | |
| 10th | 1996–7–06 | Koe no Omamori kudasai (声のおまもりください) | 36th | |
| 11th | 1997–5–21 | Birthday Song | | |
| 12th | 1997–9–03 | Sora ni Hoshi ga Aru you ni (空に星があるように) | | |
| 13th | 1997-11-21 | Ai ga Hashiru (愛が走る) | | |
| 14th | 1998–3–21 | Uchi e Kaerou (家へ帰ろう) | | |
| 15th | 1998–6–24 | Mirai no Kimi e (未来の君へ) | | |
| 16th | 1998–8–12 | Bouhatei de Mita Keshiki (防波堤で見た景色) | 99th | |
| 17th | 1999-10-21 | Ai wo Sutenaide (愛を捨てないで) | | |
| 18th | 2000–3–23 | Nada Sousou (涙そうそう) | 159th | First maxi single |
| 19th | 2000–5–31 | Sora ni Hoshi ga Aru you ni (空に星があるように) | 47th | Re-released as maxi single |
| 20th | 2000-10-18 | Kaze yo (風よ) | | |
| 21st | 2001-10-24 | Akari (灯り) | | |
| 22nd | 2002–2–27 | BOTORU Nihon to CHOKOREETO (ボトル二本とチョコレート) | | |
| 23rd | 2002–5–22 | Shimanchu nu Takara (島人ぬ宝) | 47th | |
| 24th | 2002–6–26 | Nada Sousou / Shimanchu nu Takara (涙そうそう／島人ぬ宝) | | Cassette Tape |
| 25th | 2003–2–20 | OJII Jiman no ORIONBIIRU (オジー自慢のオリオンビール) | | Maxi single, limited Okinawa only release |
| 26th | 2003–6–18 | Sono Toki Umareta Mono (その時生まれたもの) | 38th | |
| 27th | 2004–2–25 | Itsumademo / YUGAFU-jima (いつまでも／ユガフ島) | 49th | |
| 28th | 2004–8–11 | Chikai (誓い) | 37th | |
| 29th | 2004-12-16 | Kimi wo Miteiru (君を見ている) | 98th | |
| 30th | 2006-10-25 | Sanshin no Hana (三線の花/東京) | 20th | |
| 31st | 2007–2–07 | MIIFAIYUU (ミーファイユー) | 75th | |
| 32nd | 2007–7–25 | Koko kara Mirai e (ここから未来へ) | 115th | |
| 33rd | 2008–6–28 | Bokura no Kono Subarashiki Sekai (僕らのこの素晴らしき世界) | 99th | |
| 34th | 2008-10-22 | ICHARIBAO HANA (イチャリバオハナ) | 112th | |
| 35th | 2009–1–07 | Egao no Manma (笑顔のまんま) | 12th | |
| 36th | 2012–9–07 | Kokudou 508 Gousen (国道508号線) | 72nd | maxi single limited to Okinawa release |
| 37th | 2013–3–20 | Haru ni GONDORA (春にゴンドラ) | | |

### Albums

| # | Release date | Title | Highest Oricon chart rank | Comments |
| 1st | 1990–6–23 | Ongaku Ryodan (音楽旅団) | 7th | |
| 2nd | 1991–3–27 | GLIDER | | |
| 3rd | 1991-11-21 | Dokoka de Yume ga Kuchibue wo Fuku Yoru (どこかで夢が口笛を吹く夜) | 27th | |
| 4th | 1992-12-02 | THE ROOTS | 74th | |
| 5th | 1993–9–22 | MY HOME TOWN | | |
| 6th | 1994–9–01 | Chhaban Night | | |
| 7th | 1995–3–25 | FAN -LITTLE PIECES- | | First best-of album |
| 8th | 1995-10-25 | USED | | First self-produced album |
| 9th | 1996-10-23 | CM COMPILATION Twelve Steps | 46th | Best-of album |
| 10th | 1997–6–21 | Ongaku Ryodan II (音楽旅団II) | | |
| 11th | 1998–6–24 | Tokyo Ocean | | |
| 12th | 1999–3–25 | BALLADS | | Best-of ballad selection album |
| 13th | 2000–7–21 | BEGIN no Shimauta ~OMOTO TAKEO ~ (ビギンの島唄 〜オモトタケオ〜) | 97th | First best-of compilation of shima-uta songs |
| 14th | 2000–9–21 | BEGIN | | 10th anniversary commemorative album |
| 15th | 2001–2–21 | BEGIN BEST 1990–2000 | 52nd | Best-of album |
| 16th | 2002–3–21 | MUSIC FROM B.Y.G | | Live music recorded at B.Y.G. Live house |
| 17th | 2002–7–03 | BEGIN no Shimauta ~OMOTO TAKEO 2~ (ビギンの島唄 〜オモトタケオ2〜) | 33rd | 2nd best-of shimauta album |
| 18th | 2003–7–24 | BEGIN no Ichigo Ichie (ビギンの一五一会) | 7th | Self cover album |
| 19th | 2003–8–21 | BEGIN no Ichigo Ichie 58 Drive (ビギンの一五一会 58ドライブ) | 50th | Cover album of classic Japanese music |
| 20th | 2003–9–25 | BEGIN no Ichigo Ichie Drive in Starter (ビギンの一五一会 ドライブインシアター) | 70th | Cover album of Western music |
| 21st | 2004–7–14 | Ocean Line | 12th | 15th anniversary commemorative album |
| 22nd | 2004–7–14 | Reef Line | 91st | |
| 23rd | 2005–2–23 | BEGIN Single Daizenshuu (BEGIN シングル大全集) | 5th | 15th anniversary best-of album |
| 24th | 2005–2–23 | Forest Green | 243 | |
| 25th | 2007–3–07 | OKINAWAN FULL ORCHESTRA (オキナワン フール オーケストラ) | 39th | |
| 26th | 2008–3–26 | BEGIN Live Daizenshuu (BEGIN ライブ大全集) | 49th | |
| 27th | 2008–7–23 | BEGIN no Ichigo Ichie 2 (ビギンの一五一会2) | 55th | |
| 28th | 2009–8–05 | 3LDK | 33rd | |
| 29th | 2010–9–08 | BEGIN no Shimauta ~OMOTO TAKEO 3~ (ビギンの島唄 〜オモトタケオ3〜) | 25th | Third shimauta album |
| 30th | 2011–2–16 | BEGIN Single Daizenshuu Tokubetsukan (BEGINシングル大全集 特別盤) | 33rd | 20th anniversary best-of album |
| 31st | 2011–7–20 | BEGIN no Shimauta OMOTO TAKEO no ga Best (ビギンの島唄 オモトタケオのがベスト) | 40th | |
| 32nd | 2012-10-24 | Tropical Blues (トロピカルフーズ) | 54th | |