Photo: Luis Jang Geum / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Yōko Nagayama

Yōko Nagayama was born January 13, 1968 (age 58). From Ota, Tokyo, Japan. Height 156 cm. Singer / actor. 209 credited works.

Japanese enka singer, former pop idol

Tokyo
singer
actor

Yōko Nagayama, born on January 13, 1968 in Ota, Tokyo, Japan, is a singer and actor. Yōko Nagayama is 58 years old as of 2026. Education on record includes Horikoshi High School. The listed height is 156 cm.

My Take

Yōko Nagayama, born in Ota, Tokyo in 1968, started out as a J-pop singer and is now known as an enka singer — and I don't think outsiders appreciate how strange that trajectory is. In Japan, moving from pop to enka isn't a genre tweak; it's closer to emigrating. The audience is different, the vocal technique is different, and enka rewards seniority and craft in a way that pop, which prizes youth, simply doesn't. She would have had an easier life staying where she was famous. Instead she effectively restarted at the bottom of a tradition-bound discipline where she was the newcomer despite already being a known name. She has also worked as an actress, and she still plays the shamisen her father gave her when she was ten. That kind of authority isn't given to anyone quickly. It's the sound of someone who spent decades earning the right to be taken seriously twice.

This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.

1. Profile

Name (English): Yōko Nagayama
Name (Japanese): 長山洋子
Reading: ながやまようこ
Born: January 13, 1968 (age 58)
Origin: Ota, Tokyo, Japan
Height: 156 cm
Occupation: singer / actor
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Capricorn / Monkey

2. Background

High school: Horikoshi High School

3. Relationships

Spouse: Married (2009 -)

4. Works & records

Works summary

Appearances: 209 (1984–2026)
By year (titles with a known year): 1984: 1, 1985: 7, 1986: 2, 1987: 6, 1988: 6, 1989: 4, 1990: 2, 1993: 9, 1994: 8, 1995: 13, 1996: 6, 1997: 9, 1998: 7, 1999: 4, 2000: 8, 2001: 4, 2002: 6, 2003: 6, 2004: 5, 2005: 8, 2006: 6, 2007: 15, 2008: 6, 2009: 11, 2010: 3, 2011: 3, 2012: 5, 2013: 3, 2014: 4, 2015: 3, 2016: 3, 2017: 2, 2018: 2, 2019: 2, 2020: 2, 2021: 2, 2022: 2, 2023: 3, 2024: 5, 2025: 2, 2026: 2, year unknown: 2
Debut work: シャボン

Filmography / notable works

Title
アイドル歌手時代
演歌歌手時代

5. Links

Official sitehttps://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/yoko/
Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dko%20Nagayama
Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E5%B1%B1%E6%B4%8B%E5%AD%90
Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1141798

6. About this entry

Frequently asked questions

When was Yōko Nagayama born?

Yōko Nagayama was born on January 13, 1968 and is 58 years old.

Where is Yōko Nagayama from?

Yōko Nagayama is from Ota, Tokyo, Japan.

What does Yōko Nagayama do?

Yōko Nagayama works as singer, actor.

How tall is Yōko Nagayama?

Yōko Nagayama is 156 cm tall.

Which high school did Yōko Nagayama attend?

Yōko Nagayama attended Horikoshi High School.

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