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Miho Nakayama
中山 美穂
Nakayama in September 2024
Born	(1970-03-01)1 March 1970 Saku, Nagano, Japan
Died	6 December 2024(2024-12-06) (aged 54) Tokyo, Japan
Other names	Miporin (ミポリン) Mizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂) Issaque (一咲)
Occupations	Singer lyricist actress
Years active	1985–2024
Agent	Big Apple
Height	158 cm (5 ft 2 in)
Spouse	Hitonari Tsuji ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2014)​
Children	1[1]
Relatives	Shinobu Nakayama (sister)
Musical career
Genres	J-pop kayōkyoku city pop dance-pop pop rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Works	Miho Nakayama discography
Labels	King Records
Formerly of	Toshiki Kadomatsu Wands Mayo Okamoto
Japanese name
Kanji	中山 美穂
Hiragana	なかやま みほ
Katakana	ナカヤマ ミホ
Transcriptions Romanization Nakayama Miho
Musical artist
Website	nakayamamiho.com

Miho Nakayama (中山 美穂,Nakayama Miho; 1 March 1970 – 6 December 2024) was a Japanese singer and actress. She made her debut in the 1985 dramaMaido Osawagase Shimasu, where her performance led to instant stardom. Nakayama released her debut single, "C", shortly after, and finished the year with her film debut in the blockbusterBe-Bop High School. She became one of the most popularidols during its "Golden Age" in the 1980s. NicknamedMiporin (ミポリン), Nakayama occasionally used the pseudonymsMizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂,Kitayama Mizuho) orIssaque (一咲,Issaku) when she wrote song lyrics.

After pivoting towards adance-oriented sound, she achieved five consecutive number one singles. Her best known songs from this period include "Waku Waku Sasete", "50/50", "Catch Me" and "You're My Only Shinin' Star". In the 1990s, she wrote lyrics and recorded ballads, resulting in several platinum singles and her biggest sales: "Tōi Machi no Doko ka de..." (1991), "Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto" (1992) withWands, and "Tada Nakitaku Naru no" (1994).

Nakayama received positive reviews for her lead roles inLove Letter (1995) andTokyo Weather (1997).

Nakayama was born on 1 March 1970, inSaku, Nagano.^[2] After her mother remarried, her family moved toKoganei, Tokyo, where Nakayama attended Koganei Municipal Junior High School.^[2]

After a talent scout discovered her inHarajuku, Nakayama debuted on 21 June 1985 with her single "C", and with her starring role in the filmBe-Bop High School.^[3] Throughout her career as a singer and actress, she recorded 22 studio albums and scored eight No. 1 singles onOricon charts, two of which sold over one million copies each. She also starred in a 1987Famicom Disk Systemadventure game produced byNintendo titledNakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School, in which she played a high school student who tries to conceal her actual identity.^[4]

By the 1990s, her artistry began to mature as she penned lyrics and recorded ballads, resulting in several platinum singles and her biggest sales: "Tōi Machi no Doko ka de..." (1991), "Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto" (1992) withWands, and "Tada Nakitaku Naru no" (1994). NicknamedMiporin (ミポリン), Nakayama occasionally used the pseudonymsMizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂,Kitayama Mizuho) orIssaque (一咲,Issaku) when she wrote song lyrics.^[5][3]

In 1995, directorShunji Iwai cast Nakayama in the starring dual roles of Hiroko Watanabe and Itsuki Fujii in the filmLove Letter. The film was a huge box-office success, and Nakayama won Best Actress awards for her role in the film at the 38thBlue Ribbon Awards,^[6] the 17thYokohama Film Festival^[7] and the 18thHochi Film Awards.^[8][3]

On 8 November 2021, Nakayama starred alongsideKing & Prince member Yuta Jinguji in the stage playAoi no Ue/Yoroboshi (『葵上』『弱法師』;Lady Aoi/Weak Lawyer) atThe Globe Tokyo. The play ran until December 5.^[9][10]

From 1985, she was represented by Big Apple Co., Ltd.^[11][12]

Nakayama was nominated for a Best ActressJapanese Academy Award in 1998 for her role inTokyo Biyori,^[13] and has appeared in numerous TV series includingLove Story (2001).^{[14][better source needed]}

Nakayama's younger sister isShinobu Nakayama, also an actress and retired pop singer.^[3] She also has a younger brother named Tomoaki.^[2]

Two years after her friendYasuko Endō died by suicide, Nakayama wrote the lyrics and composed the music for the song, "Long Distance to Heaven," that she performed during a 1988 concert tour. A requiem for Endō, the song commemorated Endō's cancelled debut single "In the Distance." It was included in her July 1988 albumMind Game, and mentioned in her 1991 essay collectionP.S. I Love You. Without specifying Endō's name, Nakayama wrote about her in her 2009 photo essay collectionNazenara Yasashii Machi ga Atta Kara.^[15]

In 2002, Nakayama married musicianHitonari Tsuji after an eight-month relationship. They moved toParis, where they had a son a year later.^[3] In 2014, Nakayama and Tsuji divorced, and Nakayama moved back to Japan, with Tsuji retaining custody of their son.^[1][2]

Nakayama was found dead in her house by her staff inEbisu,Shibuya,Tokyo on 6 December 2024 at the age of 54.^[16][17][18] Her Christmas show inOsaka had been scheduled for that day, but it had been canceled due to her declining health.^[19] According to investigators, Nakayama's colleague visited her house after finding out that she did not show up for work that day.^[20][21] Police later announced that they found no signs of foul play after conducting an autopsy, while agency Big Apple said in a statement that Nakayama died due to an accident while she was bathing.^[22] The agency added that they are considering the possibility of hosting a public life celebration for Nakayama.^[22] On 12 December, Nakayama's remains were cremated at a private funeral attended by her sister Shinobu.^[23]

A public memorial was held at theTokyo International Forum on 22 April 2025.^[24][25] A special tribute concert to commemorate Nakayama's 40th anniversary was held atNHK Hall on 18 June. The venue was originally planned by Nakayama as the penultimate show of her 2025 tour.^[26]

Studio albums

• C (1985)
• After School (1985)
• Summer Breeze (1986)
• Exotique (1986)
• One and Only (1987)
• Catch the Nite (1988)
• Mind Game (1988)
• Angel Hearts (1988)
• Hide 'n' Seek (1989)
• Merry Merry (1989)
• All for You (1990)
• Jeweluna (1990)
• Dé eaya (1991)
• Mellow (1992)
• Wagamama na Actress (1993)
• Pure White (1994)
• Mid Blue (1995)
• Deep Lip French (1996)
• Groovin' Blue (1997)
• Olive (1998)
• Manifesto (1999)
• Neuf Neuf (2019)

• Issho Kenmei Nakayama Miho Photo Collection (1985,Wani Books) - Photo CollectionIssho Kenmei Nakayama Miho Photo Collection. Wani Books. 1985.ISBN 9784847020247.
• Toumei de Iru Yo, Meippai Onna no Ko (1985, Wani Books) - Essay CollectionToumei de Iru Yo, Meippai Onna no Ko. Wani Books. 1985.ISBN 4847010310.
• Miho Ganbaru (1986, Shueisha) - Photo CollectionMiho Ganbaru. Shueisha. 1986.
• Docchi ni Suru no. (1989,Shueisha) - Photo CollectionDocchi ni Suru no. Shueisha. 1989.
• Ambivalence Nakayama Miho Shashinshu (1989, Wani Books) - Photo CollectionMysterious Book. Wani Books. 1901.
• SCENA miho nakayama pictorial (1991, Wani Books) - Photo CollectionAmbivalence Nakayama Miho Shashinshu. Wani Books. 1991.
• P.S. I LOVE YOU (1991, Nippon Hassou Shuppan andFusosha Publishing) - Essay CollectionP.S. I LOVE YOU.Fusosha Publishing. 1991.
• LETTERS in Love Letter (Nakayama Miho Photo Collection) (1995, Wani Books) - Photo CollectionLETTERS in Love Letter. Wani Books. 1995.
• Nakayama Miho in Eiga Tokyo Biyori (1997, Wani Books) - Photo CollectionNakayama Miho in Eiga Tokyo Biyori. Wani Books. 1997.
• Atashi to Watashi (1997,Gentosha) - NovelMiho Nakayama (1997).Atashi to Watashi.Gentosha.
• ANGEL (1998, Wani Books) - Photo CollectionANGEL.Wani Books. 1998.
• Nazenara Yasashii Machi ga Atta Kara (2009, Shueisha) - Photo Essay Collection^[30]

• Official website(in Japanese)
• Miho Nakayama atIMDb
• Miho Nakayama at theJapanese Movie Database(in Japanese)
• Miho Nakayama discography atMusicBrainz
• Miho Nakayama discography atDiscogs
• Miho Nakayama at Oricon
• Miho Nakayama at Idol.ne.jp

• 1970 births
• 2024 deaths
• People from Nagano Prefecture
• People from Koganei, Tokyo
• 20th-century Japanese actresses
• 21st-century Japanese actresses
• 20th-century Japanese women singers
• 21st-century Japanese women singers
• Japanese female idols
• Japanese women pop singers
• Japanese expatriates in France
• English-language singers from Japan
• King Records (Japan) artists
• Accidental deaths in Japan

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