# Rinken Band

Rinken Band (りんけんバンド) is an Okinawan band that formed in 1977 and helped popularize their homeland's musical forms and traditional Okinawan music starting in 1985, when their first hit, "Arigatou", was released.
Rinken Band was founded by Rinken Teruya [ja], the son of well-known Okinawan folk music artist Rinsuke Teruya [ja]. The band fuses Okinawan folk music, pop, and celebratory eisā traditions to make ballads and dance tunes.
Rinken Band's most recent appearance in the United States was a concert in Oahu, Hawaii. They were featured at the annual Okinawan Festival of 2007.

## Members

Rinken Band members :
| Teruya Rinken | 照屋林賢 | sanshin | band leader |
| Tomoko Uehara | 上原知子 | vocals, drums, sanba, sanshin | joined in 1988 |
| Katsunori Inafuku | 稲福克典 | vocals, drums | joined in 1993 |
| Naoki Enobi | 栄野比尚樹 | vocals, drums | joined in 2002 |
| Kaoru Yonamine | 與那嶺薫 | vocals, drums | joined in 2006 |
| Akira Uehara | 上原顕 | bass guitar | joined in 1993 |
| Kiyohito Yamakawa | 山川清仁 | keyboards | joined in 1993 |
| Former members ||||
| Hayato Fujiki | 藤木勇人 | vocals | |
| Yoshimitsu Gakiya | 我喜屋良光 | vocals, finger whistle (指笛, yubi-bue) | |
| Yoshimi Kuwae | 桑江良美 | vocals, drums | |
| Toyoharu Ookawa | | vocals, drums | |
| Mitsuru Tamaki | 玉城満 | vocals | |
| Kazunari Uechi | 上地一成 | drums, percussion, vocals | |
| Masaaki Uechi | 上地正昭 | bass guitar, vocals | |
| Tsugumi Yonemori | 米盛つぐみ | keyboards, vocals | |

## Discography
### Audio CD

| Year | Title | (Okinawan) Japanese | Label | Notes |
| 1987 | Arigatou | ありがとう | Sony Records | |
| 1990 | Nankuru | なんくる | Wave | |
| 1991 | Rikka | リッカ | Sony Records | mini album (4 songs) |
| 1991 | Karahāi | カラハーイ | Sony Records | |
| 1992 | Ajimaa | アジマァ | Sony Records | |
| 1993 | Rinken Band | りんけんバンド | Sony Records | best selection |
| 1993 | Banji | バンジ | Sony Records | |
| 1994 | gon gon | ゴンゴン | Sony Records | |
| 1995 | Cheren | チェレン | Sony Records | |
| 1996 | A Star (Hitotsu bushi) | 一つ星 | Indies Maker | |
| 1997 | Nachi nu fa | 夏ぬ子 | Sony Records / Indies Maker | |
| 1998 | Mantin nu yorokobi | 満天ぬ喜び | Indies Maker | |
| 1998 | Party (Pārī) | パーリー | Sony Records / Tristar | |
| 1999 | Nifee (Nifē) | 謝 | Indies Maker | |
| 2000 | Qing-dahmi | Qing-dahmi (チンダミ) | Indies Maker / The Orchard | Rinken Band Best |
| 2001 | Orinasu hibi | 織りなす日々 | Indies Maker | |
| 2002 | Shima-jū shichi-gwachi | 島中七月 | Indies Maker | Rinken Band Eisā Special |
| 2003 | Eisā | EISA (エイサー) | Rent Rack Japan | |
| 2003 | Ajimaa no uta | あじまぁのウタ | Rent Rack Japan | |
| 2003 | Urizun – Rinken Band New Best | URIZUN～りんけんバンドニューベスト | Sony Records / Gt Music | best selection |
| 2008 | Golden Best – Rinken Band | GOLDEN☆BESTりんけんバンド | Sony Records / Phantom Sound & Vision | best selection |
| 2012 | Kugani michibushi | 黄金三星 | Rinken Records | |

### Video / DVD

| Year | Title | (Okinawan) Japanese | Label | Notes |
| 1992 | Njifa | ンジファ | Video Maker | 2006 release in DVD format |
| 1995 | Tink Tink Tink ... Primal Pulse | ティンクティンク | TC Entertainment | 2003 release in DVD format |
| 2004 | Pineapple Tours | パイナップルツアーズ | PDD (ピーディディ) | music for the film |
| 2004 | Ajimaa no uta, Tomoko Uehara, Tenshi no koe | あじまぁのウタ 上原知子 天使の声 | Rent Rack Japan | |
| 2008 | Rinken Band Karahāi Live 2007 Kanzen-ban | りんけんバンド カラハーイライブ2007完全版 | Video Maker | live concert footage from 2007 |

## Sources

* ↑ "りんけんバンド： RINKEN BAND Official Website". ajima inc. (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-07-26.
* ↑ Rinken Band in Hawaii - YouTube (01/28/2020)