{{Short description|Traditional Okinawan music band}} {{Multiple issues| {{Expand Japanese|topic=cult|りんけんバンド|date=May 2018}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2021}} {{update|date=May 2018}} }} {{Nihongo|'''Rinken Band'''|りんけんバンド}} is an Okinawan band that formed in 1977<ref>{{Cite web |title=りんけんバンド： RINKEN BAND Official Website |url=http://www.rinken.gr.jp/index.html/artist/rinkenband/index.html |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=ajima inc. |language=ja-JP}}</ref> 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 {{ill|Rinken Teruya|ja|照屋林賢}}, the son of well-known Okinawan folk music artist {{ill|Rinsuke Teruya|ja|照屋林助}}. The band fuses Okinawan folk music, pop, and celebratory eisā traditions to make ballads and dance tunes.{{citation needed|date=December 2025}}
Rinken Band's most recent appearance in the United States was a concert in Oahu, Hawaii.<ref>[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s_si3mH5iBc Rinken Band in Hawaii] - YouTube (01/28/2020)</ref>{{When|date=February 2011}} They were featured at the annual Okinawan Festival of 2007.{{citation needed|date=December 2025}}
==Members== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="background-color:DodgerBlue;" colspan="4" align="center"| Rinken Band members |- | width="150" | Teruya Rinken || width="100" | 照屋林賢 || width="250" align="center"| sanshin || width="150" | band leader |- | Tomoko Uehara || 上原知子 || align="center"| vocals, drums, sanba, sanshin || joined in 1988 |- | Katsunori Inafuku || 稲福克典 || align="center"| vocals, drums || joined in 1993 |- | Naoki Enobi || 栄野比尚樹 || align="center"| vocals, drums || joined in 2002 |- | Kaoru Yonamine || 與那嶺薫 || align="center"| vocals, drums || joined in 2006 |- | Akira Uehara || 上原顕 || align="center"| bass guitar || joined in 1993 |- | Kiyohito Yamakawa || 山川清仁 || align="center"| keyboards || joined in 1993 |- ! style="background-color:DodgerBlue;" colspan="4" align="center"| Former members |- | Hayato Fujiki || 藤木勇人 || align="center"| vocals || |- | Yoshimitsu Gakiya || 我喜屋良光 || align="center"| vocals, {{Nihongo|finger whistle|指笛|yubi-bue}} || |- | Yoshimi Kuwae || 桑江良美 || align="center"| vocals, drums || |- | Toyoharu Ookawa || || align="center"| vocals, drums || |- | Mitsuru Tamaki || 玉城満 || align="center"| vocals || |- | Kazunari Uechi || 上地一成 || align="center"| drums, percussion, vocals || |- | Masaaki Uechi || 上地正昭 || align="center"| bass guitar, vocals || |- | Tsugumi Yonemori || 米盛つぐみ || align="center"| keyboards, vocals || |}
==Discography== ===Audio CD=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="background-color:Gold;" width="50" align="center"| Year ! style="background-color:Gold;" | Title ! style="background-color:Gold;" | (Okinawan) Japanese ! style="background-color:Gold;" | Label ! style="background-color:Gold;" | Notes |- | align="center"|1987 || ''Arigatou'' || ありがとう | Sony Records || |- | align="center"|1990 || ''Nankuru'' || なんくる | Wave || |- | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="center"|1991 || ''Rikka'' || リッカ | Sony Records || mini album (4 songs) |- | ''Karahāi'' || カラハーイ | Sony Records || |- | align="center"|1992 || ''Ajimaa'' || アジマァ | Sony Records || |- | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="center"|1993 || ''Rinken Band'' || りんけんバンド | Sony Records || best selection |- | ''Banji'' || バンジ | Sony Records || |- | align="center"|1994 || ''gon gon'' || ゴンゴン | Sony Records || |- | align="center"|1995 || ''Cheren'' || チェレン | Sony Records || |- | align="center"|1996 || ''A Star'' (Hitotsu bushi) || 一つ星 | Indies Maker || |- | align="center"|1997 || ''Nachi nu fa'' || 夏ぬ子 | Sony Records / Indies Maker || |- | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="center"|1998 || ''Mantin nu yorokobi'' || 満天ぬ喜び | Indies Maker || |- | ''Party'' (Pārī) || パーリー | Sony Records / Tristar || |- | align="center"|1999 || ''Nifee'' (Nifē) || 謝 | Indies Maker || |- | align="center"|2000 || ''Qing-dahmi'' || Qing-dahmi (チンダミ) | Indies Maker / The Orchard || Rinken Band Best |- | align="center"|2001 || ''Orinasu hibi'' || 織りなす日々 | Indies Maker || |- | align="center"|2002 || ''Shima-jū shichi-gwachi'' || 島中七月 | Indies Maker || Rinken Band Eisā Special |- | rowspan="3" valign="top" align="center"|2003 || ''Eisā'' || EISA (エイサー) | Rent Rack Japan || |- | ''Ajimaa no uta'' || あじまぁのウタ | Rent Rack Japan || |- | ''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 |- | align="center"|2008 || ''Golden Best – Rinken Band'' || GOLDEN☆BESTりんけんバンド | Sony Records / Phantom Sound & Vision || best selection |- | align="center"|2012 || ''Kugani michibushi'' || 黄金三星 | Rinken Records || |}
===Video / DVD=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="background-color:Red;" width="50" align="center"| Year ! style="background-color:Red;" | Title ! style="background-color:Red;" | (Okinawan) Japanese ! style="background-color:Red;" | Label ! style="background-color:Red;" | Notes |- | align="center"|1992 || ''Njifa'' || ンジファ | Video Maker || 2006 release in DVD format |- | align="center"|1995 || ''Tink Tink Tink ... Primal Pulse'' || ティンクティンク | TC Entertainment || 2003 release in DVD format |- | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="center"|2004 || ''Pineapple Tours'' || パイナップルツアーズ | PDD (ピーディディ) || music for the film |- | ''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 || |- | align="center"|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== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.rinken.gr.jp/entertainment/rinkenband/index.html Rinken Band website] {{in lang|ja}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11juY7pryo4 YouTube: Rinken Band ''"Arigatou"'']
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Category:Japanese rock music groups Category:Musical groups from Okinawa Prefecture Category:Musical groups established in 1977 Category:1977 establishments in Japan
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