Japanese jazz singer. A jazz vocalist representing the domestic jazz scene.
There are many Japanese jazz musicians who are recognized worldwide, but there may be surprisingly few people who can immediately name a representative Japanese jazz singer.
The history of jazz singers in Japan actually goes back to before World War II.
After the war, a string of hit songs based on jazz emerged, and many stars beloved by the public were born.
With that history in mind, this article spotlights Japanese jazz singers from a broad perspective!
From legendary superstars with a foundation in jazz to pure jazz vocalists, and even those unexpected artists who actually sang jazz—we’ll bring you a richly varied selection!
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- A male singer with exceptional vocal skills: a powerhouse performer who captivates with volume, technique, and expressiveness.
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- Recommended Japanese jazz bands — from classic legends to rising young groups
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A Japanese jazz singer. A jazz vocalist representing the domestic Japanese jazz scene (1–10)
Sioux City Suetību・kamayachi
Speaking of Japanese jazz singers, there’s Tee KAMAYATSU, who was active quite a long time ago.
He was one of the people who popularized jazz in postwar Japan and was the father of Hiroshi Kamayatsu.
Born in 1911 in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California, as a second-generation Japanese American, he came to Japan before the war and, after the war, founded the Japan Jazz School in 1950, the country’s first specialized jazz music school.
Having grown up in the United States, he reportedly spoke very little Japanese throughout his life.
Tokyo Boogie-WoogieKasaogi Shizuko
Shizuko Kasagi, known as the “Queen of Boogie,” is one of the most iconic singers of the postwar era.
Active on stage even before the war, she met composer Ryoichi Hattori—who had a profound impact on Japan’s jazz scene—and began launching her career as a jazz singer.
She became widely known to the general public after the war, when Tokyo Boogie-Woogie, composed by Hattori and released in 1947, became a massive hit.
As a song that symbolizes postwar Japan, it has remained a beloved classic to this day.
Kasagi’s performances—singing while dancing vigorously to a boogie rhythm—are said to vividly embody the liberated atmosphere of the postwar period.
She is a towering figure indispensable to understanding the history of Japanese jazz and the culture of that time!
I don’t know whyOida Toshio
There may not be many people who can effortlessly read the kanji in Toshio Oida’s name at a glance, but it’s pronounced “Oida.” Born in Berlin, Germany, Toshio Oida was one of the leading jazz singers representing postwar Japan, and he appeared on the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen for eight consecutive years starting in 1953.
Although there was a time when he was expelled from the entertainment world due to a scandal, he is remembered as a great figure of lasting importance in Japan’s cultural history—not only for receiving numerous prestigious music awards, such as the 2003 Japan Jazz Vocal Award and the Special Achievement Award at the 45th Japan Record Awards (both awarded posthumously), but also for being bestowed the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette, in 1995.
Influenced by Bing Crosby to begin singing jazz, Oida possessed a rich, sultry voice and a dapper style—flawlessly donning a bow tie and tuxedo—making him a presence and talent truly worthy of being called a leading figure in postwar Japanese jazz.
Japanese jazz singer. A leading jazz vocalist representing Japan’s domestic jazz scene (11–20)
Come on a My HouseEri Chiemi
Alongside Hibari Misora and Izumi Yukimura, who debuted around the same time, Chiemi Eri sparked a nationwide craze in Japan as one of the “Three Girls.” Born in 1937, Eri began performing at just 12 years old, touring occupation forces’ camps as a singer.
At 15, she made her official debut with Tennessee Waltz, an old American pop song.
Tennessee Waltz became a massive hit, followed by the success of Too Young, which is said to have helped ignite Japan’s jazz boom.
Eri’s career is so monumental that it essentially traces the history of Japanese entertainment itself, and it would be impossible to cover it all here.
In 1953, she made her U.S.
debut in the home of jazz, earning rave reviews on stage and receiving high acclaim as a jazz singer.
For those who want to explore her work, I recommend KING RE-JAZZ SWING: CHIEMI SINGS, curated by Asako Toki (former singer of Cymbals) and released in 2006, or Chiemi +Jazz, released in 2012!
You’d be so Nice to Come Home toKEIKO LEE
Originally from Handa City in Aichi Prefecture and a third-generation Korean resident in Japan, she first worked as a pianist but switched to being a vocalist at the encouragement of those around her.
Her husky, robust vocal tone, along with her instrumentalist’s agility with ad-libbing and free-flowing melodic embellishments, make her singing all the more compelling.
While retaining a jazz flavor, her albums that cover pop masterpieces like the Beatles and Japanese kayōkyoku—serving as a bridge between jazz and pop—are also very popular.
Let’s meet in Yurakucho.Furanku Nagai
He wasn’t a pure jazz singer, but Frank Nagai won great popularity with mood kayōkyoku richly infused with a jazz flavor, sung in a lustrous, resonant baritone.
With many hits such as “Yūrakuchō de Aimashō” and “Omae ni,” the veteran singer who appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen for 26 consecutive years had aimed to be a singer since childhood and began his career performing at American military clubs.
Although he mainly sang jazz at first, he didn’t find success.
On the advice of his senior and mentor-like figure Dick Mine, and after meeting composer Tadashi Yoshida, he set out as a singer of popular kayō songs.
He went on to achieve dazzling success, yet in concerts he would perform standards and English versions of his own songs, showing that even as a mood kayō singer, he continued to value his career as a jazz singer.
Mas que NadaYuki Saori
She began performing as a children’s song singer with her older sister, Shoko Yasuda, from a young age and made her solo debut in 1965.
Although she unfortunately didn’t score any hits at the time, she made a comeback under her current stage name in 1969, and the release of Dawn Scat became a massive hit, instantly making Saori Yuki a star.
Calling herself a “singer-song-comedian,” Yuki thrived across various fields, including acting and hosting TV programs.
In 2011, she released the album 1969 in collaboration with the American jazz group Pink Martini.
Despite singing most of the tracks in Japanese, the album became a worldwide hit—an extraordinary achievement.
While rooted in jazz, it’s also enjoyable as a kayōkyoku (Japanese pop) work, so be sure to give it a listen.