12 Facts About Sayuri Ishikawa

Sayuri Ishikawa is a Japanese enka singer who made her professional debut in 1973.

Sayuri Ishikawa has released over 100 albums and more than 120 singles, of which a few were not enka, but rock and jazz music instead.

Sayuri Ishikawa appears in the Wim Wenders film "Perfect Days", which won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Sayuri Ishikawa grew up during enka's heyday and went with her mother and grandmother to see Chiyoko Shimakura's performance.

Sayuri Ishikawa won a singing contest in 1972 when she was only 14 years old and released her first single "Kakurenbo" the next year.

Sayuri Ishikawa finished her high school but didn't go to university, entering show business instead.

Sayuri Ishikawa's biggest hit, "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki", was released in 1977.

In 2010, Sayuri Ishikawa released a rare, non-enka single, Baby Baby, a duet with rock singer Tamio Okuda.

In 2015, Sayuri Ishikawa recorded "Chanto Iwanakya Aisanai", the ending theme of the Lupin the 3rd Part IV anime.

On May 20,2019, it was announced that Sayuri Ishikawa would be awarded the 2019 Spring Purple Ribbon Medal of Honours for her accomplishments.

Sayuri Ishikawa married Kenji Baba in 1981, but the couple divorced in 1989.

Sayuri Ishikawa missed the 34th edition in 1983 as she was heavily pregnant, though she did attend the show and appeared as a guest, cheering the red group.