Masako Togawa

(23 March 1931 – 26 April 2016) was a Japanese Chanson singer/songwriter, actress, feminist, novelist, lesbian icon, former night club owner, metropolitan city planning panelist, and music educator.

Personal life Masako Togawa grew up in "restricted circumstances" following the death of her father. She worked as a typist for five years after leaving high school, then, aged 23, she made her singing debut, at the well-known nightclub Gin-Pari.

Togawa often made public appearances with a multicoloured "Afro" hairstyle.

She taught numerous musicians how to sing and compose.

In 1975 she brought out her first record, "Lost Love", which was followed by "The Moral of the Story".

Literary works

Novels

The Grand Illusion (大いなる幻影, Ōi Naru Genei). Kodansha. 1962. translated into English by Simon Grove in 1984 as The Master Key. winner of the 8th Edogawa Rampo Prize. Diary of a Hunter (猟人日記, Karyūdo Nikki). Kodansha.1963. translated into English by Simon Grove in 1985 as The Lady Killer. nominated for the 50th Naoki Prize. Unpromised (契らずに, Chigirazu ni) Shueisha. 1965. Pale Skin (蒼ざめた肌, Aozameru Hada) Bungeishunju Magazine. 1965. The Woman's White Road (女人白道, Nyonin Hakudō) Sankei Shimbun. 1965. Sodom's Snare (ソドムの罠, Sodomu no Wana). Kodansha. 1965. Akasaka Wildlife Sanctuary (赤坂禁猟区, Akasaka Kinryōku). Kodansha. 1966. Poaching in Broad Daylight (白昼の密漁, Hakuchū no Mitsuryō). Kodansha. 1966. Costume Parade (仮装行列, Kasōgyōretsu) Kodansha. 1967. Deep Slump (深い失速, Fukai Shissoku) Kodansha. 1967. translated into English by Simon Grove in 1995 as Slow Fuse. Rock Bottom Ginza (銀座「どん底」附近, Ginza "Donzoku" Fukin). Bungei Shunju. 1967. The Book of Sleepless Nights: The Woman's Lustrous Brush (眠れない夜の本: おんなの艶筆, Nemurenai Yoru no Hon: Onna no Tsuya Fude). Seishun. 1967. Belt of Mirages (蜃気楼の帯, Shinkirō no Obi). Yomiuri Shimbun. 1967. Louder! (もっと声を!, Motto Koe wo). Shinchōsha. 1968. Night Passport (夜のパスポート, Yoru no Pasupōto). Kodansha. 1968. Red Corona (赤い暈, Akai Kasa). Shinchōsha. 1969. Nightmare (夢魔, Muma). Kodansha. 1969. Nature of Masks (仮面の性, Kamen no Sei). Tokyo Books. 1969. Blue Snake (蒼い蛇, Aoi Hebi). Tokuma Shoten. 1969.（1969年、徳間書店） Red Scratchmarks (赤い爪痕, Akai Tsumeato). Tokuma Shoten. 1970. Scene of Nude with Sacred Story (聖談とヌードの風景, Seidan to Nūdo no Fūkei). Best Sellers. 1970. Hour of the Hunt (狩りの時刻, Kari no Jikoku). Kodansha. 1970. later adapted as a manga by Yumiko Igarashi under the title La Nuit Magic: 夜は魔術 (Yoru wa Majutsu) in 1990. Phantom's Fang (幻影の牙, Genei no Kiba). The Sankei Shimbun. 1970. Transparent Woman (透明女, Tōmei Onna). Kōbunsha. 1971. Forced Marriage (強制結婚, Kyōsei Kekkon). Tokuma Shoten. 1972. The Female Trap (牝の罠, Mesu no Wana). Tokuma Shoten. 1972. Requiem of Lust (欲望の鎮魂歌, Yokubō no Chinkonka). Jitsugyō no Nihon Sha. 1973. Only One Lives: When You Try to Burn Your Life Into That Person (生きるのはひとり: その人に生命を燃やそうとするとき, Ikiru no wa Hitori: Sono Hito ni Seimei wo Moyasou to suru toki). Seishun. 1974. Beautiful Prey (美しき獲物たち, Utsukushiki Emonotachi). Bungei Shunjū. 1974. A Kiss of Fire (火の接吻). Kodansha. 1984. translated into English by Simon Grove in 1988 as A Kiss of Fire.

Novellas & Short Stories

Out of the Darkness (闇の中から, Yami no Naka Kara). first published in Hōseki. 1963. later republished as part of Mystery Writers of Japan's Best 24 Mysteries of 1964. The Abortion of Scarlet (緋の堕胎, Hi no Datai). First published in Ōru Yomimono. 1964. later republished in the Mystery Writers of Japan's Best 24 Mysteries of 1965. A collection of Togawa's short stories in Japanese was also published in 1978 under the same (Japanese) title. Holy Woman (聖女, Seijo). Kodansha. 1971. Tale of the Japanese Temptress (日本毒婦伝, Nihon Dokufu Den). Kodansha. 1971. later republished under the title Reality of the Wicked Woman (悪女の真実, Akujo no Shinjitsu). Tale of the East-West Enchantress (東西妖婦伝, Tōzai Yōfu Den). Shueisha. 1972. Coffin of Water (水の寝棺, Mizu no Nekan). Kodansha. 1972. Underdog (負け犬, Makeinu). Tokyo Books. 1974. Rebirth of Flesh (肉の復活, Niku no Fukkatsu). Marine Books. 1974. Like Freezing Flames (冷えた炎の如く, Hieta Hinō Gotoku). Pep. 1975. Victim of the Sun (太陽の生贄, Taiyō no Ikenie). Futabasha. 1978. later republished under the title Soul Colored (霊色, Rei Iro). Black Honeymoon (ブラック・ハネムーン, Burakku Hanemūn). Futabasha. 1980. The Mummy of Tsumagoi (嬬恋木乃伊, Tsumagoi Mīra). Tokuma Shoten. 1987.