Chiyoko Shimakura

Chiyoko Shimakura was a popular and well-loved personality within the Japanese entertainment business. She was born in Tokyo in 1938 and at the age of 16 won first prize in a talent competition hosted by Columbia Music which led to a recording deal and the release of her debut single 'Konoyo no Hana' a year later. She sang in the 'enka' style, a modern music genre which drew heavily on influences from traditional Japanese music and presented them in a modern easy-listening style. Her popularity can be gauged by her 35 appearances as the presenter of 'Kohaku Uta Gassen', the annual New Year's Eve music extravaganza which has been a feature of Japanese music culture since its first TV broadcast in 1953.

Chiyoko had endured a long battle with liver cancer before finally succumbing to the disease in November 2013 and leaving a significant void in Japanese popular entertainment.