Finger 5
Japanese pop group from Okinawa, teen idols of the 1970s.
Finger 5 (フィンガー5, Fingā Faibu) was a Japanese pop group formed in 1967 in Okinawa, initially composed of the three Tamamoto brothers Kazuo, Mitsuo, and Masao, who performed as All Brothers. After winning a local talent contest, the group moved to Tokyo, where they struggled before adding siblings Akira and Taeko in early 1972 and renaming themselves Finger Five. They achieved major success in the 1970s with hits such as "Kojin Jugyo (Private Lessons)" and "Koi no Dial 6700 (Love Call 6700)," becoming teen idols known for catchy songs about school life and puppy love.
- origin
- Okinawa, Japan
- years_active
- 1967–1978 (with later reunions)
- genre
- Japanese pop
- notable_hit
- "Koi no Dial 6700" (Love Dial 6700)
- former_members
- Kazuo Tamamoto, Mitsuo Tamamoto, Masao Tamamoto, Akira Tamamoto, Taeko Tamamoto, Minoru Gushiken, Hiroshi Yasu
Lore & Background
The group began in 1967 as All Brothers, with three Tamamoto brothers performing at their father's bar in Okinawa. After winning a local talent contest, they relocated to Tokyo, where the eldest brother Kazuo was only 14. They struggled in the Tokyo area, often playing at venues catering to US military personnel, as they had done in Okinawa. In 1970, they signed with King Records as the Baby Brothers, but their three releases did not sell well. In early 1972, Akira and Taeko joined, and the group became Finger Five. Later that year, they debuted on the Philips label with First Album, and in 1973 scored a huge hit with "Kojin Jugyo (Private Lessons)," which sold almost a million and a half copies. Follow-up singles "Koi no Dial 6700" and "Gakuen Tengoku" were also major hits. The group attained superstar status, becoming regulars on the TV show Ginza NOW and making three movies in 1974: Hello Finger Five, Chonoryoku Dayo! Zenin Shugo, and Finger Five No Dai Boken. That year they also held a joint concert with Canada's De Franco Family.
Reader's Guide
Finger 5's significance lies in their role as a pioneering Japanese pop group that blended Okinawan roots with Motown-inspired sounds, performing cover versions of Jackson 5 hits and wearing matching outfits with choreographed dance routines. Their songs, primarily about school life and puppy love, resonated with a young fanbase, and they became regulars on television and in films. However, their stardom was brief: in 1975, Kazuo left the group, replaced by cousin Minoru Gushiken. Feeling overwhelmed by sudden fame, the group relocated to the United States for late 1975 and early 1976 to approach their craft more seriously and evolve beyond being "idols." In their absence, public interest waned, and upon returning with more mature music, sales evaporated. The group disbanded in 1978, though members attempted comebacks under various names through the 1980s and 1990s. Their legacy endures through compilation albums and their influence on Japanese pop culture.
Did You Know?
- The group was partly inspired by the Partridge Family TV show.
- Their biggest hit "Koi no Dial 6700" sold almost a million and a half copies.
- In 1974, they held a joint concert with Canada's De Franco Family.
- After disbanding in 1978, members attempted comebacks as Fingers, Zapp, Finger Five, Finger Five Soul Band, and AM Fingers.
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