Classical Pianist Fujiko Hemming Passes Away at Age 92

Fujiko Hemming in June 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Famed pianist Fujiko Hemming passed away on April 21 of pancreatic cancer. She was 92. A private funeral has already been held by her family.

The older sister of prolific tokusatsu actor Ulf Otsuki, Fujiko Hemming was born on December 5, 1931, in Berlin and achieved fame and success not just in Japan but also in Europe and the United States. While she had been performing as a pianist since the 1950s, it wasn't until a February 1999 NHK documentary on her life and career called Fujiko: The Trajectory of a Pianist was broadcast that she became famous in Japan, which led to the release of her hit classical-music album La Campanella in August of that year. She became so well known that she even performed at Carnegie Hall in June 2001.

Fujiko Hemming in June 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In fact, she may actually have been the most famous person I've ever met in Japan. I knew people in Japan who had no idea who Toshiro Mifune was, but everyone seems to know Fujiko Hemming. 

With Fujiko Hemming and actress Kikuko Nishikawa (left).

The first time I met her was in May 2012 at the cafe owned by her brother Ulf. She came to the cafe for reasons I don't remember, but I was able to give her flowers, to which he told me that she'd always wanted to marry an American.

I interviewed Kumi Mizuno the next day (as I recall) in the same cafe. There was a room above the cafe where Fujiko sometimes practiced the piano. After the interview, Fujiko started practicing again, and, even though you could only hear her music and not actually see her perform, Ms. Mizuno and her manager hung around for a while listening to her performance, while Ms. Mizuno's manager took photos of the room in which Fujiko was performing.

With Fujiko Hemming in June 2017.

Through Ulf, I was able to attend two of her performances at the Sumida Triphony Hall -- one in June 2015 and the other in June 2017. During the 2017 performance, Ulf invited me to sit on the stage (off to the side, of course) while she performed in what I assume was a sold-out concert hall. I didn't want to do it, but Ulf insisted, so I did. It was pretty awkward having an entire concert hall looking at you while the most famous pianist in the country was performing, but it also makes for a fun story to tell.

The last time I saw Ulf  before he passed away was also because of Fujiko. She was holding a concert in June 2019, and Ulf, who had suffered a massive stroke the previous year, wanted to attend, so his family needed me to help. By the time I arrived at Ulf's home, the family had decided Ulf shouldn't attend because it was raining, so we just hung out and watched movies. Ulf would pass away the next year.

My meetings with Fujiko were always brief, so I don't have many other anecdotes to share, but, given her level of popularity in Japan, that was expected.

According to news reports, Fujiko fell at her home in November of last year, which caused her to cancel all future performances. She was then diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March while undergoing treatment for the fall, which would end up taking her life the following month.

Rest in peace, Fujiko.

UPDATE (May 1, 2024): Fujiko's birth year was previously listed as 1932, but Japanese Wikipedia has updated it as actually being 1931, citing a book as its source. Since it's consistent with her age being 92 years old at the time of her passing, I've updated this blog post with 1931 as her birth year.