Miho Nakayama

With a petite frame and a warm, approachable look, Miho Nakayama became one of Japan's most beloved entertainers. She was Japanese, born in Saku, Nagano, on 1 March 1970. Her career spanned 1985 to 2024, beginning when she was around 15. She worked as an actress, gravure idol, and musician, earning the nickname Miporin. She also wrote song lyrics under the pseudonyms Mizuho Kitayama and Issaque, and her younger sister, Shinobu Nakayama, is also an actress and retired pop singer. Nakayama's presence in Japanese pop culture lasted nearly four decades. She passed away on Friday, 6 December 2024, at the age of 54. Her work remains remembered by many fans.