Akiko Futaba

Akiko Futaba (二葉 あき子) was a Japanese popular music (ryūkōka) singer. At of the end of World War II, she was one of the most popular female singers in Japan, competing with Hamako Watanabe and Noriko Awaya. In addition, she took part in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen, one of Japan's most famous annual musical television shows, ten times.

Biography
She was born in the city of Hiroshima, and raised in Miyoshi city, Hiroshima Prefecture. She graduated from the Tokyo Music School. Impressed by Takeo Masunaga (also known as Ichiro Fujiyama) at a performance held by the music school, she debuted in 1936. Her famous song "Furuki Hanazono" (古き花園) was released in 1939. On August 6, 1945, she narrowly avoided the atomic bombing of Hiroshima because she was riding a train traveling through a tunnel at the time of the explosion.

She ceased activity as a singer in 2003, and retired in Hiroshima Prefecture. She died in Hiroshima on August 16, 2011.

Discography

 * Ano Yume Kono Yume (あの夢この夢) : 1936
 * Otome Jūku (乙女十九) : 1937
 * Furuki Hanazono (古き花園) : 1939
 * Ano Hana Kono Hana (あの花この花) : 1940
 * Wakarete mo (別れても) : 1946
 * Otome Gokoro wa (乙女心は) : 1946
 * Francesca no Kane (フランチェスカの鐘) : 1948
 * Yume yo Mō Ichido (夢よもういちど) : 1949
 * Hoshi no Tameiki (星のためいき) : 1950