Miho Nakayama

Miho Nakayama (中山 美穂), born on March 1, 1970, is a notable Japanese singer and actress associated with Big Apple Co., Ltd. Affectionately known as Miporin (ミポリン), she occasionally writes lyrics under the pseudonyms Mizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂, Kitayama Mizuho) and Issaque (一咲(いっさく), Issaku). Nakayama made her first appearance in the entertainment industry on June 21, 1985, with the release of her debut single "C" and a leading role in the film Be-Bop High School. Over her extensive career, she has released 22 studio albums and achieved eight No. 1 singles on Oricon's charts, with two of those singles reaching over a million sales.

In 1995, she gained significant acclaim when director Shunji Iwai cast her in the dual lead roles of Hiroko Watanabe and Itsuki Fujii in the film Love Letter, which became a commercial hit. This performance earned her numerous accolades, including Best Actress awards at the 38th Blue Ribbon Awards, the 17th Yokohama Film Festival, and the 18th Hochi Film Awards. In 1998, Nakayama received a nomination for a Best Actress Japanese Academy Award for her work in Tokyo Biyori. Additionally, she has made several appearances in television series, including the 2001 drama Love Story.