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 annua...