BEGIN

Begin (ビギン) is a popular Japanese 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, a collaboration between BEGIN and Moriyama Ryouko. Begin has had at least one song appear on the NHK program Minna no Uta. They are also the performers of the opening ("Ichariba Ohana") and ending ("Izayoi Yoi") songs of the Disney-produced anime series Stitch!.

The members of Begin - Shimabukuro Masaru (島袋優, guitar, born 23.09.1968), Higa Eisho (比嘉栄昇, vocals, born 15.07.1968) and Uechi Hitoshi (上地等, piano, born 23.06.1968) - are all of native Okinawan ancestry. 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 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".

They are signed to Imperial Records.

(Source: AniDB)