Famous People in Japan



Matsutoya Yumi

Date of Birth 19 January, 1954
Place of Birth Tokyo

Matsutoya Yumi is one of the greatest singers in Japan. She is not just a singer but a song writer.

She was born to a rich dry store owner and become intimate with music at ayoung age. She graduated from Tama University of the Arts where she studied music, and began to walk the way of music.

She debuted as a singer with a first her album "Hikokigumo" in 1973. Since then, she has made many albums, "Yuming Brand," "Pearl Pierce," "No-side," "Da Di Da," "Delight Slight Light Kiss," "Love Wars," "Heaven's Door," "Dawn Purple," and so on.

She married Matsutoya Masataka who had arranged her album in 1976.

She is a pioneer having opened up a new world of music by rich musical, witty songs. Her fans especially enjoy her bright stage settings and costumes which she is famous for. Since the Japanese era changed from Showa to Heisei in 1989, the total number of albums which she had sold in each succcesive year has been over two million . She acquired many prizes.

Here are some her prizes:

Japan Gold disc Grandprize "Diamond Dust-ga-Kienu Mamani", 1988

"The Door of Heaven", 1991

She also writes and composes her songs, and she is active as the songwriter under the name "Kureta Karuho."

References: Gendai Nihonjinmeiroku, 1994

Reported by: Kenji Tsuchimoto
Data verified by: Shinji Matsumoto
Date of Report: November 1995

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