Nagino Maruyama (born September 26, 1999) is a Japanese classical pianist from Aichi Prefecture, Japan. She rose to…Nagino Maruyama (born September 26, 1999) is a Japanese classical pianist from Aichi Prefecture, Japan. She rose to international fame by becoming the youngest contestant ever when she participated in XVII International Chopin Piano Competition in 2015.
Masaki Satō (佐藤優樹, Satō Masaki) (born May 7, 1999, in Sapporo, Hokkaido) is a Japanese pop singer. She is a former…Masaki Satō (佐藤優樹, Satō Masaki) (born May 7, 1999, in Sapporo, Hokkaido) is a Japanese pop singer. She is a former tenth-generation member of the pop group Morning Musume.
Nobuyuki Tsujii (辻井 伸行, Tsujii Nobuyuki) (also known as Nobu Tsujii) is a Japanese pianist and composer. He was born…Nobuyuki Tsujii (辻井 伸行, Tsujii Nobuyuki) (also known as Nobu Tsujii) is a Japanese pianist and composer. He was born blind due to microphthalmia. Tsujii performs extensively, with a large number of conductors and orchestras, and has received critical acclaim for his unique techniques for learning music and performing with an orchestra while being unable to see.
Yui Makino (牧野 由依, Makino Yui; born 19 January 1986) is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer, and pianist. She is…Yui Makino (牧野 由依, Makino Yui; born 19 January 1986) is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer, and pianist. She is best known for her work in the anime Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle where she voices Sakura and some of the theme songs for the Aria anime series. She is associated with Amuse, Inc. One of her earliest voice acting performances was the character "Sister" in a short-anime movie Bavel no Hon when she was 10. She married singer Yutaro Miura in 2020.
Ikusaburo Yamazaki (山崎 育三郎, Yamazaki Ikusaburō; born January 18, 1986, in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actor and singer…Ikusaburo Yamazaki (山崎 育三郎, Yamazaki Ikusaburō; born January 18, 1986, in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actor and singer who is represented by Ken-On.
Yasunori Nishiki (西木 康智, Nishiki Yasunori; born July 10, 1985) is a Japanese composer, best known for his work on the…Yasunori Nishiki (西木 康智, Nishiki Yasunori; born July 10, 1985) is a Japanese composer, best known for his work on the Octopath Traveler video game series. He formerly worked for Konami and has produced soundtracks for video games and anime.
Emiri Miyamoto (宮本 笑里, Miyamoto Emiri) (born December 7, 1983), is a Japanese violinist. She is the second daughter of…Emiri Miyamoto (宮本 笑里, Miyamoto Emiri) (born December 7, 1983), is a Japanese violinist. She is the second daughter of retired oboe player Fumiaki Miyamoto.
Tatsuya Kato (加藤 達也, Katō Tatsuya; born July 28, 1980) is a Japanese anime composer and arranger. He is known for his…Tatsuya Kato (加藤 達也, Katō Tatsuya; born July 28, 1980) is a Japanese anime composer and arranger. He is known for his works on many anime series, including Future Diary, Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, Love Live! Sunshine!! and Free!. He is currently represented by the music production company APDREAM.
Yugo Kanno (菅野 祐悟, Kanno Yūgo; born June 5, 1977) is a Japanese composer and musician known for his work on many…Yugo Kanno (菅野 祐悟, Kanno Yūgo; born June 5, 1977) is a Japanese composer and musician known for his work on many television dramas, anime series, and movies.
Kosuke Yamashita (山下 康介, Yamashita Kōsuke; born February 17, 1974) is a Japanese composer and arranger from Hamamatsu…Kosuke Yamashita (山下 康介, Yamashita Kōsuke; born February 17, 1974) is a Japanese composer and arranger from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. Yamashita is best known for his work on Digimon Xros Wars, Xenosaga: The Animation, and the tokusatsu television series Mahou Sentai Magiranger, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, and Kamen Rider Gaim. He is a member of Project.R. Yamashita often collaborates with Nobuhiko Obayashi, as Yamashita met him soon after Yamashita graduated from the Tokyo College of Music. He is a board member of the Japanese Composer Arranger Association. Since April 2011, Yamashita has been a guest lecturer at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. In 2013, released the album A Classical in collaboration with J-pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki. It was the first classical music album to top the Oricon album chart.
Akihito Tokunaga (徳永 暁人, Tokunaga Akihito) (born 22 September 1971) is a Japanese musician, composer and arranger.…Akihito Tokunaga (徳永 暁人, Tokunaga Akihito) (born 22 September 1971) is a Japanese musician, composer and arranger. After making a name for himself working for Being Inc. in the 1990s, he has been signed to Giza Studio from 2000 until 2023. In 2004, Tokunaga formed the rock band doa. After departure from the agency in 2023, he has become freelancer musician under independent company Floodlight.
Naoki Satō (佐藤 直紀, Satō Naoki; born May 2, 1970 in Chiba, Japan) is a Japanese composer. He has provided the music for…Naoki Satō (佐藤 直紀, Satō Naoki; born May 2, 1970 in Chiba, Japan) is a Japanese composer. He has provided the music for several popular anime series and films, including the first five Pretty Cure series, X, Eureka Seven, Sword of the Stranger, Assassination Classroom, and Blood-C. He graduated from the Tokyo College of Music in 1993. At the 29th Japan Academy Prize in 2006, he won the Best Music prize for his work on the film Always Sanchōme no Yūhi (Always Sunset on Third Street). He also composed music for anime films such as Pretty Cure All Stars DX trilogy, Stand By Me Doraemon. In live-action dramas, he provided music and soundtracks for TV dramas Good Luck!! Water Boys, H2: Kimi to Ita Hibi and Ryōmaden. He provided the music for the Space Battleship Yamato film, as well as the Rurouni Kenshin and Parasyte live-action film series. For the 38th Japan Academy Prize in 2015, he was nominated in the Best Score category for his work in The Eternal Zero. While he did not win the award, The Eternal Zero won several awards including Best Picture, and Stand By Me Doraemon won for Best Animated Film. He composed the music for victory ceremonies at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Miyuki Matsushita (松下 美由紀, Matsushita Miyuki; born December 24, 1969) is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Arts…Miyuki Matsushita (松下 美由紀, Matsushita Miyuki; born December 24, 1969) is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Arts Vision. She was born in Saitama Prefecture.
Shoichiro Hokazono (外囿 祥一郎, Hokazono Shoichiro; born December 4, 1969) is a Japanese euphonium player and soloist. He…Shoichiro Hokazono (外囿 祥一郎, Hokazono Shoichiro; born December 4, 1969) is a Japanese euphonium player and soloist. He most notably played with the Central Band of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and plays on euphoniums made by Besson.
Mayumi Suzuki (すずきまゆみ, Suzuki Mayumi; born August 8, 1970) is a Japanese voice actress who graduated from the Tokyo…Mayumi Suzuki (すずきまゆみ, Suzuki Mayumi; born August 8, 1970) is a Japanese voice actress who graduated from the Tokyo College of Music as a vocalist. She is best known for dubbing over a number of Disney heroines.
Keisuke Shinohara (Japanese: 篠原 敬介, Hepburn: Shinohara Keisuke; 12 June 1959 – 17 August 2011) was a Japanese…Keisuke Shinohara (Japanese: 篠原 敬介, Hepburn: Shinohara Keisuke; 12 June 1959 – 17 August 2011) was a Japanese television and film composer. His work can be seen in such films as Arashi no Yoru ni and Piano no Mori. He died in 2011 at the age of 52.
Junichi Hirokami (広上 淳一, Hirokami Jun'ichi; born May 5, 1958) is a Japanese conductor. Born in Tokyo, Hirokami studied…Junichi Hirokami (広上 淳一, Hirokami Jun'ichi; born May 5, 1958) is a Japanese conductor. Born in Tokyo, Hirokami studied conducting, piano, musicology, and viola at the Tokyo College of Music. He won the first Kondrashin International Conducting Competition in Amsterdam in September 1984 at age 26. One of the judges of that competition, pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy, then engaged Hirokami to conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Japan with Ashkenazy in May 1985. From 1991-1996, he was Chief Conductor of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra. He served as Chief Conductor of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra from 1998 to 2000. He has also been the Principal Guest Conductor of both the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Hirokami became the music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra on June 1, 2006, with an initial contract for 3 years. During the orchestra's 2008 financial crisis, Hirokami strongly supported the musicians during a protracted contract dispute, which caused strained relations between Hirokami and the orchestra's board and management. On November 13, 2008, in a letter to the orchestra's musicians, Hirokami announced that the board of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra had dismissed him from his post, effective immediately. Since April 2008, he has served as Chief Conductor of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, with an initial contract of 3 years. Hirokami and his wife Yukari have a daughter, Kimiko. In 1973, pop singer Junko Sakurada's music inspired then 15-year-old Hirokami so that he started a fan club dedicated to her.
Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record…Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record producer, and business executive. Originally working for a funk band at a US military base, she formed the band ASOCA and won the EastWest '76 Best Keyboardist award, and she performed as a keyboardist for other musicians and bands. Working for CBS/Sony, she released several solo albums, either with the Mimie-Chan Super Band and its later iteration Izumi Kobayashi & Flying Mimi Band or solely with her own name. She also worked as a composer for Japanese media, including "Lum's Love Song" (the theme song for the Urusei Yatsura anime), and hosted TV Tokyo late-night show Rock in Japan. She later moved to London in 1985 and worked as a record producer and industry executive in Europe, serving as president of Cisco Records London.
Naomi Munakata (宗像 直美, Munakata Naomi; 31 May 1955 – 26 March 2020) was a Japanese-born Brazilian choral conductor and…Naomi Munakata (宗像 直美, Munakata Naomi; 31 May 1955 – 26 March 2020) was a Japanese-born Brazilian choral conductor and academic teacher based in the city of São Paulo. She was conductor of Coro da OSESP, the choir of the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, from 1995 to 2013, and then principal conductor of Coral Paulistano Mário de Andrade at the Municipal Theatre. She was among the choral conductors in South America who "have contributed to the strengthening and stimulation of choral music", according to The Cambridge Companion to Choral Music.
Mamoru Fujieda (藤枝 守, Fujieda Mamoru; born 1955) is a Japanese composer associated with the postminimalist movement of…Mamoru Fujieda (藤枝 守, Fujieda Mamoru; born 1955) is a Japanese composer associated with the postminimalist movement of contemporary classical music.
Shigekatsu Katsuta (勝田 薫且, Katsuta Shigekatsu; born October 12, 1950), known professionally as Takeshi Kaga (鹿賀 丈史…Shigekatsu Katsuta (勝田 薫且, Katsuta Shigekatsu; born October 12, 1950), known professionally as Takeshi Kaga (鹿賀 丈史, Kaga Takeshi), is a Japanese actor who is best known internationally for his portrayal of Chairman Kaga in the Japanese television show Iron Chef produced by Fuji TV.
Riyoko Ikeda (池田 理代子, Ikeda Riyoko; born December 18, 1947) is a Japanese manga artist and singer. She was one of the…Riyoko Ikeda (池田 理代子, Ikeda Riyoko; born December 18, 1947) is a Japanese manga artist and singer. She was one of the most popular mangaka in the 1970s, being best known for The Rose of Versailles.
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (黒柳 徹子, Kuroyanagi Tetsuko; born August 9, 1933) is a Japanese actress and television personality.…Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (黒柳 徹子, Kuroyanagi Tetsuko; born August 9, 1933) is a Japanese actress and television personality. She has hosted the television program Tetsuko's Room (徹子の部屋, Tetsuko no Heya) since 1975. She joined NHK Broadcasting Theatre Company as the first television actress in 1953. In 1954, she made her debut as the lead actress in the radio drama Yambō Nimbō Tombō. In 1976, TV Asahi's Tetsuko's Room started airing. This program was recognized by the Guinness World Records in 2011 for having the highest number of broadcasts by the same host. It has been airing on weekdays at noon every week, and as of 2023, it has surpassed 11,000 episodes in its 48th year. Her autobiographical book, Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window, which depicts her childhood, became a post-WW2 bestseller with over 8 million copies sold in Japan and 25 million copies worldwide. It has also been adapted into a television series twice. A World Wide Fund for Nature advisor and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, she is known for her charitable works, and is considered one of the first Japanese celebrities to achieve international recognition. In 2006, Donald Richie referred to Kuroyanagi in his book Japanese Portraits: Pictures of Different People as "the most popular and admired woman in Japan."
Keiko Tsushima (津島 恵子, Tsushima Keiko; 7 February 1926 – 1 August 2012) was a Japanese actress, whose real name was…Keiko Tsushima (津島 恵子, Tsushima Keiko; 7 February 1926 – 1 August 2012) was a Japanese actress, whose real name was Naoko Mori (森 直子, Mori Naoko). She was notable for her prominent role in Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film Seven Samurai. She also starred in Japanese television series such as Sakura and Kimi ga Jinsei no Toki. Born in Nagasaki Prefecture, she married Ichio Mori, then director of Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), in 1957. She died of stomach cancer on 1 August 2012 at a hospital in Chuo, Tokyo, aged 86.
Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎, Kasuga Hachirō; October 9, 1924 – October 22, 1991), born Minoru Watabe, was a Japanese enka…Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎, Kasuga Hachirō; October 9, 1924 – October 22, 1991), born Minoru Watabe, was a Japanese enka singer. He has been dubbed "the first enka singer". Having seen Ichiro Fujiyama on stage, he attempted to become a popular singer. After he graduated from the Toyo Music School, he was drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army in 1944, and returned from Taiwan in 1946. He joined Shinjuku Moulin Rouge in 1947 and then King Records in 1949. In 1952, Kasuga made his debut with the song "Akai lamp no Shū Ressha" (赤いランプの終列車, lit. "Last Train with Red Lamp"), which at first got into the news in Nagoya. His popularity soon became widespread. His 1954 song "Otomi-san" (お富さん, lit. "Miss Otomi") became more successful throughout Japan. This single sold 500,000 copies in a half year, and eventually sold more than one million copies. In 1955, he also released the single "Wakare no Ipponsugi" (別れの一本杉, lit. "Farewell One Cedar") which he musically sought. The song was composed by Toru Funamura. His music, which was later called enka, had much effect on subsequent popular music of Japan. He died on October 22, 1991, aged 67.
Noriko Awaya (Japanese: 淡谷 のり子, Hepburn: Awaya Noriko; August 12, 1907 – September 22, 1999) was a Japanese female…Noriko Awaya (Japanese: 淡谷 のり子, Hepburn: Awaya Noriko; August 12, 1907 – September 22, 1999) was a Japanese female soprano chanteuse and popular music (ryūkōka) singer. She was dubbed the "Queen of Blues" (ブルースの女王, Burūsu no Joō) in Japan.
Shigeo Yasui (安惠 重男, Yasui Shigeo; 15 January 1905 – 21 December 1985), better known by his stage name Kamatari…Shigeo Yasui (安惠 重男, Yasui Shigeo; 15 January 1905 – 21 December 1985), better known by his stage name Kamatari Fujiwara (藤原釜足, Fujiwara Kamatari) and also known during wartime as Keita Fujiwara (藤原 鶏太, Fujiwara Keita), was a Japanese stage and film actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1933 and 1984. In addition to regular appearances in the films of Akira Kurosawa, he worked for directors such as Mikio Naruse, Yasujirō Ozu, Heinosuke Gosho and others.
Mamoru Yamada (山田 守, Yamada Mamoru; 1894–1966) was a Japanese architect. He obtained an engineering degree from the…Mamoru Yamada (山田 守, Yamada Mamoru; 1894–1966) was a Japanese architect. He obtained an engineering degree from the Tokyo Imperial University school of architecture, and with other students formed the Japan Secession Group, the first promoters of modern architecture in Japan. Works included the 1926 Central Telegraph Office in Tokyo (destroyed). Later work included a number of structures associated with the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, including the Nippon Budokan (1964), Kyoto Tower (1964), as well as the Yamatokoriyama City Hall (1962)
Yuko Suzuhana (鈴華 ゆう子) (Japanese pronunciation: [sɨᵝzɨᵝha̠na̠ jɯ̟ꜜːko̞]) is a Japanese singer, Shigin master, Kenshibu…Yuko Suzuhana (鈴華 ゆう子) (Japanese pronunciation: [sɨᵝzɨᵝha̠na̠ jɯ̟ꜜːko̞]) is a Japanese singer, Shigin master, Kenshibu master, composer, pianist, radio presenter, and cultural ambassador best known as the leader of Wagakki Band.
Yoshino Takamori (鷹森 淑乃, Takamori Yoshino; born November 23, 1963) is a Japanese voice actress from Chiba Prefecture…Yoshino Takamori (鷹森 淑乃, Takamori Yoshino; born November 23, 1963) is a Japanese voice actress from Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
Sakiko Matsui (松井咲子, Matsui Sakiko; born December 10, 1990 in Warabi, Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese singer and…Sakiko Matsui (松井咲子, Matsui Sakiko; born December 10, 1990 in Warabi, Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese singer and pianist. She was a member of AKB48. Concurrently as a student specializing in piano at Tokyo College of Music, she has released a piano instrumental album Kokyū Suru Piano on October 3, 2012, which reached number 10 on Oricon's albums chart.
