Taizō Tanabe (real name Taizō Tanaka), born December 9 in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, is a Japanese enka and kayōkyoku singer who grew up surrounded by the natural beauty of the Kumano Kodo World Heritage site. Before pursuing music, he worked for ten years as a civil servant in his hometown before moving to Tokyo in 2003 to chase his dream. That same year, he appeared on NHK’s Nippon Yukai Kazoku Manemane Battle, and in 2004 he earned recognition by placing second in the Japan Amateur Song Festival and receiving awards at the Kansai Kayō Grand Prix. After honing his craft in theater and dinner shows alongside veteran performers, Tanabe made his professional debut in 2007 with the single "Koyoi mo Omoi-zake ~~Kyoto~~". His career advanced steadily with performances across Japan and collaborations in stage productions such as those of Makoto Matsui and shows with artists like Rumiko Koyanagi and Miyako Ōtsuki. He released "Kumano Kodō nite" in 2014 as a tribute to his hometown and contributed to theme songs and chorus work for other projects. In 2021, his single "Inishie no Hito" entered the Oricon chart at number seven, followed by "Otoko no Roman" in 2023, which debuted at number ten. Known for his versatile style, spanning enka, pop, and even hero songs, Tanabe also showcases his skills on drums and guitar. His latest single "Yasuragi Sakaba"(2025) continues his tradition of blending heartfelt storytelling with musical variety.