Masao Koga

Who was Masao Koga?

Masao Koga was a Japanese composer and guitarist known for creating melodies, and a pioneer of Japanese popular music. He was regarded as a notable figure for establishing the genre enka, though Koga considered that he was a ryūkōka composer. He wrote numerous songs for Ichiro Fujiyama and Hibari Misora, and his work has been featured in various films, including Come See the Paradise, and Memoirs of a Geisha. He was the head of the "Japanese Society of Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers" from 1964 to 1978. A museum was built in Shibuya to honor his achievements, and visitors to the Koga Masao Museum of Music are able to view exhibits, and memorabilia featuring his work.