Jump to content

Akihiro Miwa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Akihiro Miwa
美輪 明宏
Miwa in 1955
Born
Akihiro Maruyama

(1935-05-15)May 15, 1935
Nagasaki, Japan
DiedJune 20, 2026(2026-06-20) (aged 91)
Other names
  • Shingo Maruyama
  • Akihiro Maruyama
Occupations

Akihiro Maruyama (丸山 明宏, Maruyama Akihiro; May 15, 1935 – June 20, 2026), better known by his stage name Akihiro Miwa (美輪 明宏, Miwa Akihiro), was a Japanese singer, actor, director, composer, author and drag queen.[1] He appeared in the productions of Shūji Terayama, Tenjō Sajiki, Kinji Fukasaku, Yukio Mishima, and was a voice actor in two Hayao Miyazaki films.

Early life

[edit]

Akihiro Maruyama was born in Nagasaki on May 15, 1935,[2][3] as one of ten siblings. His family operated a café and a restaurant.[4] He attended Sako National Elementary school.[5]

The epicenter of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki was 3.6 kilometers from Miwa's family's house.[6] Miwa was drawing when the atomic bomb went off and he experienced an intense flash of light. The blast shook his house and caused the windows to explode. The family maid evacuated Miwa and his brother, seeking cover at the nearby Daitokuji air raid shelter as they worried further bombs might be dropped. The entire family later evacuated to Tadewara-machi.[5] Following the explosion Miwa witnessed naked victims with their entire bodies covered in burns and people trapped under buildings.[5][7] Miwa suffered from radiation exposure and developed anemia.[5]

In junior high school Miwa's music teacher invited him to join a female soprano group.[1] Miwa moved to Tokyo in 1951 after graduating from junior high school.[2][3] He became a student at the National College of Music High School, but dropped out.[3] When Miwa returned to Nagasaki he was angry that his father abandoned relatives who were financially struggling and his father disowned him after an argument. Miwa started working as a bartender after losing his family allowance.[4]

Career

[edit]

Singing

[edit]
Photograph of Akihiro Miwa singing in drag
Miwa performing Mé Qué Mé Qué [fr]

At age 16, Miwa started his singing career at chanson cafes in Tokyo, becoming a resident singer at Ginpari in 1952.[2][8] By the age of 17 he was working in cabaret at gay bars.[1] He performed in the style of French singers Yvette Guilbert and Édith Piaf.[9] Miwa began crossing dressing in these shows and became known to the press as "the prettiest boy since Emperor Jimmu”.[10] Miwa's cover of the French chanson song "Mé Qué Mé Qué [fr]" became a hit in 1957.[2][4] He was noted for his entirely purple outfit.[2]

Miwa was well known for his most popular song, "Yoitomake no Uta" which was released in 1965.[2][11] Miwa later explained that the song was inspired by the mother of one of his classmates, who had an injured leg and worked on building sites. The phrase Yoitomake comes from the cry of "yoitto make", which roughly translates to "heave and wind it up" and it was often used as a chant on building sites.[12]

Theatre and acting

[edit]

On stage and film, Miwa appeared in the productions of Shūji Terayama, Tenjō Sajiki, and Yukio Mishima.[2] A stage adaptation of Mishima's Five Modern Noh Plays starring and directed by Miwa was performed in 1996, 1998, and 2002.[13]

Miwa was a voice actor for the Studio Ghibli films Princess Mononoke (1997) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004).[3][14] He was the narrator for the television series Hanako to Anne.[11]

From 2005 to 2010, he co-hosted the successful weekly television program Ōra no izumi (The spring of aura) alongside spiritual counsellor Hiroyuki Ehara and Tokio member Taichi Kokubun. While the show initially aired as late-night program, its popularity bumped it up to a primetime slot in 2007.[15]

Writing

[edit]

Miwa wrote columns and articles for multiple newspapers. From 2008 to 2011, he wrote a column for Sports Nippon.[3] In 2012 he began writing a life advice column in The Asahi Shimbun titled Nayami no Rutsubo (The Crucible of Troubles).[12][8]

Hibakusha advocacy

[edit]

Survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan were called Hibakusha. As a survivor of the bombing of Nagasaki, Miwa supported abolition of nuclear weapons. In 2021, he criticized the Japanese government over their refusal to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[7] In 2025, Miwa narrated Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash as the director, Junpei Matsumoto, wished to include the voice of a survivor in the film.[8]

Personal life

[edit]

Miwa came out as gay in the 1960s.[1] He was in a relationship with Yukio Mishima.[16] Mishima's friendship with Miwa inspired Mishima to write Onnagata (1957).[17]

Miwa was a follower of the Lotus Sutra. He changed his name from Maruyama to Miwa in 1972 after having an experience that he perceived as a divine message while reciting sutras.[4] In 2000, during an interview with Tanba Tetsurō, Miwa declared that he were the reincarnation of Amakusa Shirō.[4][10]

Miwa was hospitalized after suffering a mild stroke in 2019. He died on June 20, 2026.[2]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1968 Black Lizard Black Lizard [2]
1969 Black Rose Mansion Ryuko Fujio [18]
1971 Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets [19]
1983 Genma Wars: Har-Magedon Froy Voice actor [14]
1997 Princess Mononoke Moro Voice actor [14]
2004 Howl's Moving Castle Witch of the Waste Voice actor [20]
2005 Takeshis' [14]
2009 Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life Arceus Voice actor [20]
2025 Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash Narrator [8]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1980 Maeterlinck's Blue Bird Queen of the Night Voice actor [21][20]
2004 Ōra no Izumi Co-host [10]
2014 Hanako to Anne Narrator [11]

Books

[edit]
  • Purple Résumé (Japanese: 紫の履歴書, 1968)[citation needed]
  • Light for You - Akihiro Miwa’s “Heart and Beauty” Counselling (光をあなたに―美輪明宏の心麗相談, 1995)[22]
  • Life is Easy (生きるって簡単, 1996)[22]
  • Life Notebook (人生ノート, 1998)[23]
  • Heavenly Voice Beautiful Words (天声美語, 2000)[24][22]
  • To Live Strongly (強く生きるために, 2000)人生讃歌―愉しく自由に美しく、又のびやかに
  • Ah, The Law of Plus and Minus (ああ正負の法則, 2002)[25]
  • Stories of Love, Stories of Happiness (愛の話 幸福の話, 2002)[26]
  • Ping-Pong-Pan: A Conversation Between Two (ぴんぽんぱん ふたり話, 2003)[22][27]
  • How to Turn Hell into Heaven (地獄を極楽にする方法, 2003)[28]
  • Spirits Aren't Scary At All (霊ナァンテコワクナイヨー, 2004)[29]
  • A Hymn to Life - Joyful, Free, Beautiful, and Unrestricted (人生讃歌―愉しく自由に美しく、又のびやかに, 2004)[22]
  • The School of Life: Ultimate Guide (人生学校虎の巻, 2005)[30]
  • War and Peace: A Message of Love (戦争と平和 愛のメッセージ, 2005)[31]
  • Akihiro Miwa's Grand Encyclopedia of Style (美輪明宏のおしゃれ大図鑑, 2005)[32]
  • Musings on Social Reform (世なおしトークあれこれ, 2007)[33]
  • The School of Life: Ultimate Guide (Continued) (続・人生学校虎の巻, 2008)[34]
  • A Maiden's Classroom (乙女の教室, 2008)[22]
  • Language of flowers (花言葉, 2010)[22]
  • The Laws of Love and Beauty (愛と美の法則, 2009)[35]
  • Slicing Right Through Worries and Suffering! (悩みも苦しみもメッタ斬り！, 2011)[22]
  • For a Bright Tomorrow (明るい明日を, 2012)[36]
  • Life is Okay, Don't Worry (人生はドンマイドンマイ, 2013)[37]
  • Life Advice for Living with Greater Ease (楽に生きるための人生相談, 2015)[38]
  • Turn the Storm in Your Heart into a Blue Sky (心の嵐を青空に, 2016)[22]
  • Bargain Sale Love (愛の大売り出し, 2018)[39]
  • Life Advice for Living Peacefully (おだやかに生きるための人生相談, 2019)[40]
  • Keep Smiling. Let's Go With a Spring in Our Step (ほほえみを忘れずに。ルンルンでいきましょう, 2020)[41]
  • My Philosophy on Life: Don't Judge by Appearances (私の人生論 目に見えるものは見なさんな, 2024)[22]
  • Love Advice Corner (愛のモヤモヤ相談室, 2024)[22]
  • Words of Miwa (美輪ことば, 2024)[22]
  • This World Is a School of Life (この世は人生学校, 2025)[22]
  • To You, Living Through the Reiwa Era: Miwa-chama’s Talks on a Brilliant Future for the Next Generation 20 (令和を生きぬく貴方たちへ 未来世代が輝くミワちゃま語り２０, 2025)[22]
  • A Generous Dose of Happiness (幸せの大盤振る舞い, 2026)[42]
  • Advice for Living with a Smile (ほほえんで生きるための人生相談, 2026)[43]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 Baska, Maggie (February 16, 2023). "Akihiro Miwa: Meet the trailblazing Japanese drag queen who voiced a Studio Ghibli icon". PinkNews. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "美輪明宏さんが死去 91歳 「ヨイトマケの唄」「黒蜥蜴」". Mainichi Shimbun. June 26, 2026. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "美輪明宏さん死去 91歳 老衰のため 歌手、俳優として長年活躍 最期の言葉は「ありがとう」". Sports Nippon. June 28, 2026. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "美輪明宏、初体験の相手は「先輩の男子」". Weekly Asahi Geinō. December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ito, Satoshi (2009). "青い海と空に励まされた 美輪明宏さん （１９３５年生まれ）". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on July 1, 2026.
  6. ↑ Yamazaki, Akiko (November 18, 2024). "美輪明宏さん「責務あって生きている」 被団協ノーベル平和賞に思う". Mainichi Shimbun. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Ogata, Arina; Kurisu, Yuki (June 29, 2026). "Akihiro Miwa remembered in Nagasaki for A-bomb testimony, peace advocacy". Mainichi Shimbun. Archived from the original on July 8, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. June 29, 2026. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  9. ↑ Suter 2015, p. 150.
  10. 1 2 3 Suter 2015, p. 151.
  11. 1 2 3 Yamazaki, Erika (June 28, 2026). "Akihiro Miwa, iconic Japanese singer and actor, dies at 91". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "VOX POPULI: Akihiro Miwa taught Japan the magnificence of standing out | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on July 4, 2026. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  13. ↑ "プロフィール". Akihiro Miwa. Archived from the original on June 28, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 28, 2026). "Singer, Actor Akihiro Miwa Dies at 91". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026.
  15. ↑ Seaton, Philip A.; Yamamura, Takayoshi (February 2, 2018). Japanese Popular Culture and Contents Tourism. Routledge. p. 110.
  16. ↑ Jannarone 2015, p. 118.
  17. ↑ Stewart 1995, p. 185.
  18. ↑ Castro, Annabel. "Outside in: exile at home an algorithmic discrimination system". Artnodes – via Art & Architecture Source.
  19. ↑ "Marvels & Tales-Volume 27, Number 2, 2013". muse.jhu.edu. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Turner-Williams, Jaelani (June 29, 2026). "Akihiro Miwa, Singer and Studio Ghibli Voice Actor, Dies at 91". Complex. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Play Partly Inspired by Blue Bird Anime to Run in NYC". Anime News Network. July 20, 2026. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "著書 | 美輪明宏・公式サイト" (in Japanese). Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  23. ↑ "人生ノート". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  24. ↑ "『天声美語』既刊・関連作品一覧｜講談社". 講談社「おもしろくて、ためになる」を世界へ (in Japanese). Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  25. ↑ "ああ正負の法則". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  26. ↑ "愛の話 幸福の話／美輪 明宏 | 集英社 ― SHUEISHA ―". 集英社　―　SHUEISHA　―. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  27. ↑ "ぴんぽんぱん ふたり話／瀬戸内 寂聴／美輪 明宏 | 集英社 ― SHUEISHA ―". 集英社　―　SHUEISHA　―. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  28. ↑ "地獄を極楽にする方法 - 主婦と生活社". 主婦と生活社 -. September 30, 2003. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  29. ↑ "霊ナァンテコワクナイヨー". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  30. ↑ INSPIRO. "書籍". 家の光協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  31. ↑ 戦争と平和 愛のメッセージ／美輪 明宏｜人文・社会科学書 - 岩波書店 (in Japanese).
  32. ↑ "美輪明宏のおしゃれ大図鑑／美輪 明宏 | 集英社 ― SHUEISHA ―". 集英社　―　SHUEISHA　―. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  33. ↑ "世なおしトークあれこれ". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  34. ↑ INSPIRO. "書籍". 家の光協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  35. ↑ "愛と美の法則". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  36. ↑ "明るい明日を". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  37. ↑ INSPIRO. "書籍". 家の光協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  38. ↑ 朝日新聞出版 最新刊行物：書籍：楽に生きるための人生相談 (in Japanese).
  39. ↑ "愛の大売り出し". PARCO出版. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  40. ↑ 朝日新聞出版 最新刊行物：書籍：おだやかに生きるための人生相談 (in Japanese).
  41. ↑ INSPIRO. "書籍". 家の光協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  42. ↑ "幸せの大盤振る舞い -美輪明宏 著｜単行本｜中央公論新社". www.chuko.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  43. ↑ 朝日新聞出版 最新刊行物：書籍：ほほえんで生きるための人生相談 (in Japanese).

Works cited

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Akihiro_Miwa&oldid=1371722334"