11 Facts About Shizuka Kudo

Shizuka Kimura, known by her maiden name Shizuka Kudo, is a Japanese singer, actress and former idol, born in Hamura, Tokyo, Japan.

Shizuka Kudo was a member of Onyanko Club between May 1986 and September 1987 and went on to have a successful solo career with 11 number-one hits.

Shizuka Kudo later said that she hated the second single and that she joined the group "just to have fun".

Shizuka Kudo auditioned for the group in May 1986 during her first year in high school and became a member with number 38 assigned on 23 May The group gave a new approach to the idol formula with 52 members and three associate members as well as subgroups, such as Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi, Nyangilas and Ushirogami Hikaretai.

Also, Shizuka Kudo was featured as one of the four main vocals for Onyanko Club's eighth single "Katatsumuri Samba" released by Canyon Records on 21 May 1987.

Shizuka Kudo has said of her time in Onyanko Club that "it was a great experience, with good, bad and really dirty things", and that she tried not to draw too much attention to herself over senior Onyanko Club members who were more popular than her at that time.

Less than three weeks before Onyanko Club disbanded on 20 September 1987 with its two-day final concerts at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Shizuka Kudo launched her solo career with her first single "Kindan no Telepathy" released by Canyon Records on 31 August.

Shizuka Kudo eventually enjoyed a run of eight consecutive number-one singles in Japan between 1988 and 1990, eleven in total, and four number-one albums between 1988 and 1991.

Shizuka Kudo continued to release new music every year until 2000 with sporadic releases since then.

Shizuka Kudo appears on television in jidaigeki roles and creates her own jewelry sold in Japan.

Shizuka Kudo married Takuya Kimura of popular boy-band SMAP in 2000.