Born on 20 March 1978 in Funabashi, Chiba, Hanako Oku is a Japanese singer-songwriter who specialises in sentimental pop ballads. After cutting her teeth as a busker in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, she first gained prominence in the early 2000s with her "Fireworks" single of 2004 and was snapped up by Japan's Pony Canyon record company the following year. She continued to grow her profile nationally with her track for the 2006 animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, dropping her Time Note album in 2007. Her music is characterized by its introspective and poetic themes, often exploring love, longing, and personal reflection. Over the years, she has earned a devoted fanbase both in Japan and internationally with songs like 2010 "Garasu No Hana" (ガラスの花), used as the theme tune for Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X, and 2016's Omoide ni Nare / Ai to iu Takaramono (思い出になれ/愛という宝物) "Become a memory / Treasured love," which entered the Japanese top 50. She scored a minor hit in the Republic of Korea in 2025 with "Kawaranai Mono".
