Kondô Keiko

Born in Kyoto, Kondô Keiko began her career as a child prodigy, studying under composer Yamamoto Masayuki from the age of seven. She made her debut in 1951 with the hit song “Pig Pig Trumpet” and became a sensation as a singer of children’s nursery rhymes (doyo), eventually signing an exclusive contract with King Records in 1954.

Though primarily a singer, Kondô made two notable film appearances in the mid-1950s: as Mari in the special effects film Invisible Man (1954), and as the young attendant Wataru in legendary director Inagaki Hiroshi’s Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955).

In 1961, she attempted to transition from children’s songs to popular music (kayokyoku), but eventually retired from the entertainment industry in 1965.