Ishikawa Sayuri (1958)

Other Name: 石川絹代 石川さゆり いしかわ さゆり Sayuri Ishikawa

Born: January, 30, 1958

Nationality: Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Height: 155 CM

Age: 66

Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Ishikawa Sayuri is a Japanese idol, enka singer, and actress. Her real name is Ishikawa Kinuyo. She was born in Akita Village, Kumamoto (now known as Minami Ward, Kumamoto). She graduated from Horikoshi High School. Her music label is Teichiku Entertainment, and her agency is Sayuri Ongakusha.

When she was in first grade, she was impressed by the singing of Shimakura Chiyoko (the "Goddess of Enka") and began to aspire to become a singer. She moved to Kanagawa when she was 10 and began taking singing lessons.

In 1972, during her summer vacation, she took the place of a friend that couldn't participate in the Fuji TV affiliate's "Chibikko Kayo Contest" and passed. She then began regularly appearing in Fuji TV's "Hikaru Umi" as the role of Oki Masaya's younger sister.

She would make her idol debut on March 25, 1973. However, she didn't gain much in the way of popularity due to being in the shadow of the "Trio of Three Flowers" (Mori Masako, Yamaguchi Momoe, and Sakurada Junko).

She got her big break in 1977 with "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyu Geshiki", a single cut from her album released the year before. She received numerous awards for the song and even appeared for the first time on "Kohaku Uta Gassen" with its 28th airing. Her singles afterwards "Notohanto", "Danryu", and "Jinchoge", among others, were all hits.

She continued being a successful singer as her singles in the 80s also became hits. Additionally, she remained active as an actress.

In 1981, she married her former manager, Baba Kenji. She gave birth to her eldest daughter, Saori, in 1984. She and Baba divorced in February of 1989.

Since her debut in the entertainment world, she had been signed with Horipro. In 1997, she left Horipro to establish her private office "Sayuri Ongakusho Co. LTD". Horipro, however, still owns the original rights to some of her early songs, including the hit "Tsugaru Kaikyo".

She had initially been a singer under the Nippon Columbia label. However, she was transferred from Columbia to Pony Canyon when PC opened their Enka Division, which operated from 1993 until it was closed in 1999. She was later transferred to Teichiku Entertainment in 2000 where she has remained since.