, known professionally as , is a Japanese folk singer-songwriter, actress, and writer. She recorded her first album Tobimasu in 1975. In 1991, she made her acting debut.
Biography In 1974, while attending high school, Yamasaki won the Grand Prix Prize at the "Join Us Folk Competition". During the contest, music producer Tomoi Hoshino scouted and recruited her into his agency, Imadoki. She made her debut in 1975 with the album Tobimasu, which was released under Pony Canyon records. During her debut, she received the nickname "a rival to Miyuki Nakajima", who similarly wrote dark lyrics about love. Yamasaki had moderate success with her career, with albums that sold over 50,000 copies.
During the 1980s, there was a decline in album sales coupled alongside a growing unpopularity of the folk genre of music. In 1985, Yamasaki transferred to Universal Music Japan. Following the release of her live album in 1986, Yamasaki went on a temporary hiatus. In 1994, Yamasaki's first cover album of the year received an award for the Best Planning album at the 36th Japan Music Awards. It was during the 1990s however, when Yamasaki's agency Imadoki went bankrupt. In 2002, Yamasaki made her major musical comeback with her single, "Yasashii Uta" which was released under the Tokuma Japan label. In the same year, she made her voice acting debut in the anime television series, Chibi Maruko-chan.
With the 2020s, Yamasaki's popularity has seen a rise online worldwide, with millions of views of her songs on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube.
Personal life Following the bankruptcy of her musical agency Imadoki in 1998, Yamasaki was left on the verge of homelessness, working part-time as a dishwasher to make a living. In 2001, she married guitarist and longtime collaborator Hiromi Yasuda. Their marriage lasted until 2020, when Yasuda died due to colorectal cancer.
Discography Albums Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Released: December 1, 1975 Label: Elec Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 36 Released: May 25, 1976 Label: Elec Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 46 Released: March 18, 1977 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 10 Released: June 10, 1978 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 14 Released: May 21, 1979 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: October 5, 1980 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: April 21, 1981 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: November 5, 1981 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: April 5, 1982 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: October 21, 1982 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: February 21, 1983 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: September 21, 1983 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: June 5, 1984 Label: Canyon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: May 25, 1985 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: November 25, 1985 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: June 1, 1986 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - SasugaReleased: February 23, 1990 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: April 25, 1990 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: May 21, 1992 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: May 24, 1995 Label: Victor Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: June 21, 1996 Label: Victor Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: March 7, 2012 Label: Teichiku Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: September 17, 2014 Label: Teichiku Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: September 21, 2016 Label: Teichiku Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: June 20, 2018 Label: Teichiku Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -
EPS + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Released: November 28, 2001 Label: Mew Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -
Cover albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Released: September 21, 1994 Label: Victor Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -
Self-cover albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Released: September 27, 1995 Label: Victor Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: November 4, 2009 Label: Nippon Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -
Live albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Released: November 10, 1977 Label: Canyon Records Formats: LP, digital download, streaming - Released: November 21, 1979 Label: Canyon Records Formats: LP, digital download, streaming - Released: November 25, 1986 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming - Released: December 18, 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -
Compilation albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Released: July 5, 1980 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, digital download, streaming - Released: February 5, 1984 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, digital download, streaming - Released: June 5, 1985 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: July 25, 1985 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: LP, CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: November 21, 1986 Label: Pony Formats: LP, CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Released: November 21, 1987 Label: Pony Formats: LP, CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - BestReleased: August 29, 1990 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - For your Good DaysReleased: November 21, 1992 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: November 21, 1996 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: December 24, 2001 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: August 21, 2002 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: March 1, 2006 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: May 24, 2006 Label: Tokuma Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: July 16, 2008 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Released: October 1, 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions Label Formats JPNPhysical1978"Nagareyoi Uta"（流れ酔い唄）97 Canyon CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1979"Jigoku Kokoro dake Aishite"（地獄「心だけ愛して」） - CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Lullaby Yokosuka"（ララバイ横須賀） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1980"Otoko no Whisky"（男のウ井スキー） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1981"Orie no Uta"（織江の唄） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1982"Gensou Ryokou"（幻想旅行） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1983"Ame ni Utaenai"（雨に唄えない） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1984"Kaze no Uta"（風の歌） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Machi yo"（町よ） CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1985"Tell a lie"（テル・ア・ライ） Universal Music Japan CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1990"Anou" CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Kibun wo Käte"（気分を変えて） CD, Cassette, digital download, streaming1992"Hotaru"（蛍） CD, digital download, streaming1994"Acacia no Ame ga Yamu Toki"（アカシアの雨がやむとき） Victor CD, digital download, streaming1995"Watashi ga Umareta Hi"（私が生まれた日） CD, digital download, streaming1997"Tadoritsuitara Itsumo Ame Furi"（たどりついたらいつも雨ふり） Zetima CD, digital download, streaming"Wasshoi Nippon"（わっしょいニッポン） CD, digital download, streaming"Tazunehito: Boukensha"（たずね人 -冒険者-） CD, digital download, streaming2002"Yasashii Uta"（やさしい歌）Tokuma Japan CD, digital download, streaming2004"Setsuna no Yume"（刹那の夢） CD, digital download, streaming2006"Tessen Komoriuta"（てっせん子守唄） CD, digital download, streaming2008"Beetle" Nippon Columbia CD, digital download, streaming2011"Anata no Koe"（あなたの声） Teichiku CD, digital download, streaming
Songwriting credits + List of non-studio album, song-writing credits that feature Hako Yamasaki Title Year Artist Album/Single "Shiroi Hana" 1978 Mirei Kitahara Sumie no Uta "Nosappu Misaki" 1981 Best Album "Dancing Doll" 1980 Miyuki Matsuda Dancing Doll "Chiisana Mondai" 1984 Agnes Chan Chiisana Mondai "Glass no Pinocchio" 1990 Nae Yuuki Glass no Pinocchio "Fuyu no Tokyo", "Nijiiro no Sekai Chizu" 1993 Shun "Art of Loving" Minami Saori Art of Loving "Daredare no Buki" 1995 Nae Yuuki Alamode "Hanabi" 2012 Sayuri Ishikawa X-Cross
References
External links
Hako Yamasaki on Oricon