Laugh at Me (in the vast tea fields of Chiran)

"Waratte Kudasai" / Tooru Kobayashi
"Waratte Kudasai" (Laugh at Me) is a powerful new digital single by Tooru Kobayashi, a nomadic singer-songwriter traveling across Japan with his acoustic bass. Released as part of his ambitious 2026 project to unveil 30 consecutive singles, this track delivers a raw, deeply personal message about staying true to one's unvarnished emotions.
Recorded live in a single outdoor take amidst the vast tea fields of Chiran, Kagoshima, the song features only Kobayashi's expressive vocals and his custom acoustic bass, "Bagui" (crafted by Yairi Guitar). The recording captures the open air, natural resonance, and dynamic presence of the location, creating an authentic and vivid soundscape.
Lyrically, "Waratte Kudasai" confronts societal pressures that force people into silence or reduce complex human experiences into sanitized "inspiring stories." Opening with lines about refusing to leave quietly like a bird, Kobayashi embraces the messy, awkward, and desperate reality of wanting to leave a genuine mark on the world. Instead of pretending to be heroic or composed, he lays bare his flaws and vulnerability with the honest plea: "Laugh at me."
Combining the deep, warm tones of the Bagui bass with passionate vocal storytelling, "Waratte Kudasai" is an emotionally charged acoustic anthem for anyone striving to live authentically despite the pressure to conform.