Japanese singer wishes fans a Happy New Year with traditional version of Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen

Tradition meets the world of viral videos in a PPAP tribute that’s perfectly Japanese.

As the most important event on Japan’s annual calendar, the New Year’s holiday period is a time when the country’s traditions truly come to the fore. There’s the time-honoured act of eating special osechi meals, the custom of visiting shrines and temples to pay your respects, and a whole plethora of other important activities with centuries of cultural significance attached to them. One of the most common customs is the practice of sending nengajo New Year’s cards to family and friends, and while some choose to adorn their greetings with cute anime-style characters, others prefer to add a more traditional touch to their messages.

Japanese singer, actor and film producer Masashi Sada is one such person leaning towards the side of tradition over New Year’s, only he’s chosen to add a fruity, modern twist to the proceedings. Sada, who was one of the most popular male artists of the late 70s and early 80s, is now paying tribute to one of today’s most well-known singers, Piko Taro, who took the world by storm last year with his smash hit, “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen”. In Sada’s New Year’s clip to fans, he dishes up his very own version of PPAP, which comes with a generous dose of Japanese tradition.

Take a look at the short clip below:

Having already racked up more than a million views on YouTube, fans are loving Sada’s version of PPAP, which features a number of traditional Japanese elements, including a taiko, shamisen and side flute accompaniment.

▼ Everyone in the clip is decked out in Japanese outfits, while Sada wows us all with his traditional vocal stylings.

▼ At the end, the message “Shinshun” appears. This is a common New Year’s greeting that literally translates to “New Spring”.

Having released over 35 solo albums during his musical career, this is the first time for Sada to dip his toes into the viral video scene. Given Piko Taro’s love of collaborating with popular personalities, we can’t help but wonder if the two might be appearing together soon in a PPAP video of their own. Perhaps Piko Taro can be coaxed out of leopard print and into traditional dress? That’s something we’d definitely like to see!

Featured image: YouTube/さだまさしオフィシャルYouTubeチャンネル

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