Yasuha

Yasuha Ebina(海老名 泰葉, Ebina Yasuha; born January 17, 1961) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, tarento and producer. She is known for her debut song "Fly-Day Chinatown" (1981) which peaked at number sixty-nine on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Born to rakugo performer Hayashiya Sanpei I, she established her singing career in 1981. She hosted the variety television program Gogo wa MaruMaru Omoikkiri TV (1987–1988). In 1988, Ebina retired from the entertainment business after her marriage to rakugo performer Shūnpūtei Koasa. After publicly divorcing Koasa in 2007, Ebina returned to the entertainment industry, founding the production company Iron Candle.

Early life

Ebina was born on January 17, 1961, in Taitō, Tokyo, the second child of rakugo performer Hayashiya Sanpei I and novelist Kayoko Ebina. Her grandfather, Hayashiya Shōzō VII was also a rakugo performer, as well as her two brothers, Hayashiya Shōzō IX and Hayashiya Sanpei II. Her sister, Midori Ebina is a former actress. As a child, Ebina learned classical music, however, after failing to enter college of music, she began pursuing a career as a J-pop singer instead.

Career

Ebina began her tarento career in 1979, appearing in numerous television and radio programs such as the Japanese television variety shows Variety Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do (1979–1982) and Gogo wa MaruMaru Omoikkiri TV (1987–1988).

Ebina established her singing career in 1981 with the release of her debut single "Fly-Day Chinatown" via Polydor Records. The song was a moderate success, peaking at number sixty-nine on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and selling approximately 56,000 copies. As a singer, she has released seven studio albums and two compilation albums as of June 2020. She has also written a few songs for other artists, including Shohjo-Tai's hit "Motto Charleston" (1986), which reached number sixteen in Japan.

In June 1988, Ebina married rakugo performer Shūnpūtei Koasa, and subsequently retired from the entertainment industry to support Koasa in his role as president of his production company, Haru Haru Dō. However, in November 2007, the couple announced their divorce in a press conference at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, and the relaunch of Ebina's entertainment career. Ebina drew mass public attention for publishing a book about the divorce, "Kaiun Rikon", and appearing in a professional wrestling match with Yoji Anjo. In November 2008, she released her first single in twenty-two years, "Ohisama yo Hohoende", via her own record label, Iron Candles.

Personal life

Ebina married rakugo performer Shūnpūtei Koasa in June 1988 and retired from the entertainment business in order to support Koasa as his wife. Ebina and Koasa announced their separation on November 12, 2007, in a press conference.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

As a lead artist

Songwriting credits

Bibliography

Selected filmography

External links

• (in Japanese)