Hamako Watanabe, an Exotic Diva: The Trajectory of Hamako Watanabe - Showa 1930s-1970s

Hamako Watanabe, an Exotic Diva: The Trajectory of Hamako Watanabe - Showa 1930s-1970s
Hamako Watanabe (1910-1999; real name: Hamako Kato) was a singer active from the early Showa period to the postwar period who gained popularity for her exotic singing voice and stage appearance. Born in Yokohama, she graduated from Musashino Music School and worked as a music teacher before making her debut in 1933. She became famous for her Chinese-themed songs such as "Aikoku no Hana," "Shina no Yoru," and "Suzhou Yagyoku," and was called the "Queen of Chinese Melodies. During the war, she played the role of consoling soldiers, and after the war, she had hit songs such as "Night of Montenrupa" and made her first appearance on the Kohaku Uta Gassen in 1951. She continued to sing even after her internment, and continued to work energetically after returning to Japan. Her support for prisoners of war and cultural activities in the Philippines were also highly evaluated, and she received the Medal with Purple Ribbon and other medals. Her songs conveyed the yearning for foreign
lands and melancholy of travel, and reflected the dreams and shadows of the Showa era.