, known by her stage name Aiko, (stylized as aiko) is a Japanese singer and songwriter. She is most famous for her hit songs Ashita, Kabutomushi, Hanabi, Sakura no Toki, Boyfriend, and Kira Kira. Music career In April 1996, Aiko became a radio host of FM Osaka after graduating from college. She released a CD which she produced independently with her friends of college in August. She participated in "The 5th Music Quest Japan Final" on 10 October, and was awarded the Excellence Award shared with Ringo Shiina. She released an EP on an independent label in 1997, followed by a single and a mini-album in 1998. In July 1998, Aiko debuted on a major label with her first single, Ashita (あした; "Tomorrow"), which was used as the theme song for the movie Toire no Hanako-san. In 2000, her second album, Sakura no Ki no Shita (桜の木の下; "Under the Cherry Blossom Tree"), reached number one in the Oricon weekly charts, with the total CD sales amounting to 1.4 million copies. Her sixth single, Boyfriend, sold over 500,000 copies and became her best-selling CD single. She made her first appearance in NHK's 2000 Kohaku Uta Gassen. Discography Chiisa na Marui Koujitsu (小さな丸い好日; Little Calm Good Day) (1999) Sakura no Ki no Shita (桜の木の下; Under the Cherry Blossom Tree) (2000) Natsufuku (夏服; Summer Clothing) (2001) Aki Soba ni Iru yo (秋 そばにいるよ; Autumn is Beside Me) (2002) Akatsuki no Love Letter (暁のラブレター; Love Letter of Daybreak) (2003) Yume no Naka no Massugu na Michi (夢の中のまっすぐな道; The Straight Ahead Path in a Dream) (2005) Kanojo (彼女; Girlfriend) (2006) Himitsu (秘密; Secret) (2008) Baby (2010) Toki no Silhouette (時のシルエット; Silhouette of Time) (2012) Awa no You na Ai Datta (泡のような愛だった; It was a Love Like Foam) (2014) May Dream (2016) Shimetta Natsu no Hajimari (湿った夏の始まり; Beginning of a Humid Summer) (2018) Doushitatte Tsutaerarenaikara (どうしたって伝えられないから; I Can’t Tell You Why) (2021) Performances Tours "Love Like Pop" (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) College musical festivals (1999, 2003; 7 places in all) "Baby Peenats Meeting" (2001, 2004; fan club members only) "Love Like Rock" (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2017 (fan club members only), 2009; no-seat concerts, 2011, 2013, 2015 at Zepp Tokyo) "Love Like Aloha" (Summer 2003, at Katase beach, Enoshima; Summer 2006 and 2008, at Southern Beach, Chigasaki, 2012 and 2015) Appearances Shorts Japanese manga