Jamiroquai, the world-famous band, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. It's a well-known story that their iconic song, 'Virtual Insanity,' was inspired by the underground shopping malls of Sapporo. However, in recent years, a theory about Sendai has also emerged, leaving the true origin unclear. We decided to investigate just how much truth there is to this urban legend.

Jamiroquai's third album, 'Travelling Without Moving'

'Virtual Insanity' is a song released in 1996 by the British band Jamiroquai, featured on their album 'Travelling Without Moving.' Known as one of the band's signature tracks, its music video is unforgettable, featuring frontman Jay Kay, in his large hat, dancing smoothly through a stark, featureless room. The song was a massive hit in Japan as well, helping to establish the acid jazz genre.

At the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, it was nominated in 10 categories and won four. To this day, the music video has over 250 million views on YouTube, making it undeniably one of the defining songs of its era.

Sapporo Underground Shopping Mall "Pole Town," connecting Odori and Susukino

So, where did this theory, still whispered about like an urban legend, that 'Virtual Insanity' was inspired by Sapporo's underground malls come from? Research shows that during an MC segment at their Tokyo Dome concert in 1999, about 25 years ago, Jay Kay said, "During our Sapporo concert a few years back, I was walking around the city and there were no people. I asked an old lady where everyone was, and she led me underground. There was a whole city down there, with tons of people." He then stated that 'Virtual Insanity' was a summary of that impression.

Entrances to the underground are everywhere in central Sapporo

Jamiroquai's Sapporo concert was in February 1995, and 'Virtual Insanity' was released in 1996, so the timing fits perfectly. Since there is video evidence of Jay Kay himself saying this, it's safe to assume that the claim that 'Virtual Insanity' was inspired by Sapporo's underground is largely true.

On the other hand, there is also a rumor that the song was inspired by Sendai, so let's look into that as well. On social media, I found information claiming this was written in the liner notes of the 20th-anniversary edition of 'Travelling Without Moving.'

I immediately bought the album and checked the contents, and indeed, there was a description that said, "Wallis and I had gone for a walk one afternoon in Sendai." The rest of the story was similar to the one told at the Tokyo Dome concert, but with Sendai as the setting instead of Sapporo.

Sapporo in winter. The underground is crucial for residents to escape the snow during their daily commute.

However, while there have been plans for an underground mall in Sendai since the 1960s, there has never been a large-scale one. It's possible he confused it with Sapporo, as both are snowy cities. While there are several cities in Japan with huge underground malls like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, the sight of a snow-covered city with no people on the streets seems to fit the scene in central Sapporo best.

Ekimae-dori Avenue, connecting Sapporo Station to Odori and Susukino. Directly beneath it is "Chi-Ka-Ho."

The liner notes state, "Everything was covered in snow, and there wasn't a soul in sight. I asked a passing old lady, 'Where is everybody?' and she pointed to a flight of stairs leading underground. When we went down, we found all the noise and all the color you'd see on a main street in Japan. It was insane."

Sapporo's underground malls were bustling back then, and in 2011, the Sapporo Ekimae-dori Underground Walkway, commonly known as "Chi-Ka-Ho," was completed, connecting to them. Every day, 50,000 to 80,000 people traverse Sapporo's underground.

"Chi-Ka-Ho" is a 520-meter underground space connecting Sapporo and Odori subway stations.

The song contrasts the underground with the surface, singing about a "virtual insanity" spreading across the world. It's possible that his comment about being inspired by Sapporo (or Sendai) was just fan service for his Japanese audience. Only Jay Kay himself knows the real story, but imagining the background by reading the liner notes and lyrics is one of the joys of music. Why not listen to this masterpiece again while picturing the underground scenery of Sapporo?

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