'Begin' (ビギン) is a
Ryukyuan popular three-man pop group from
Ishigaki Island (石垣島),
Okinawa,
Japan. Their sound contains many elements of traditional Okinawan
folk music, and prominently features the
sanshin, an Okinawan three-stringed
banjo. Perhaps their most famous song is Nada Sousou. Begin has had at least one song appear on the
NHK program ''
Minna no Uta''.
Members:
★
Shimabukuro Masaru
★
Higa Eisho
★
Uechi Hitoshi
Early Career
The members of 'BEGIN' have been friends since elementary school. They also attended the same senior high school but upon graduation all intended to go their separate ways and pursue different goals. One day, Eisho gathered the members together again and they began to focus on music. On December 5th, 1988, they sang at a friend's wedding, calling themselves “BEGIN” for the first time. Soon they began to become famous as ‘BEGIN’. To date they have released 22 singles, 24 albums and 8 DVDs. (November 13, 2006)