Biography

Yuko Ichioka (gospel singer, conductor, inspirational speaker, and author) is the daughter of the late Hachiro Oka, one of Kansai Japan¹s most beloved comedians. Yuko graduated from the Santa Fe Community College in Florida, U.S.A. She also studied at the Brooklyn/Queens Conservatory of Music in New York, where she was inspired by gospel music and helped found the Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir (Harlem JP).  In 2003, Yuko co-authored a book with her father, who was a recovering alcoholic. The book, ”I’ll Make You Laugh as Much as I’ve Cried”, is an inspirational story about loss, hope, and survival. A popular inspirational speaker and singer, Yuko performed more than 60 speeches and concerts in 2007. She also teaches gospel music to several choirs in Japan. A member of Kobe Bible Fellowship Church (KBF), Yuko lives in Amagasaki City, Hyogo, Japan.