To shoot a film,
Hisaya Morishige (1913–2009), a Japanese actor and
comedian, stayed in
Rausu Town in the Shiretoko Peninsula and wrote this song in 1960. It was first sung by Morishige himself before the town people of Rausu on his last day there. The words of the song were later changed with its new title, "
Okhotsk Boat Song". It was for the fishermen who could not return to
Kunashiri Island because the
Soviet Union moved and occupied this and other
Kuril Islands in the Okhotsk Sea, two weeks after Japan's surrender of August 15, 1945. It was sung by Morishige himself and
Chieko Baisho. The lyrics of the song were further changed with its newer title, "Shiretoko Love Song". This version sung by
Tokiko Kato became extremely popular, and
single record was a
million seller in Japan. She won the singer award of the
13th Japan Record Awards of 1971. Shiretoko still continues to be one of the songs most often sung in Japan's
karaoke now. ==Lyrics==