Ayano Tsuji

Ayano Tsuji (つじ あやの（辻 亜弥乃）, Tsuji Ayano, born January 6, 1978, in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan) is a J-pop singer famous in Japan for her unconventional light singing style and ukulele music. She rose to fame after performing the end-title track for the Studio Ghibli film The Cat Returns in 2002. Her other music for TV and anime includes "Tanpopo" for Tensai Terebi Kun. In 1993, Tsuji attended Kyoto City Dohda Senior High School of Arts where, during an activities class, she started to learn the ukulele after finding her hands were too small to correctly hold and play the guitar.

In 1996, Tsuji attended Ryukoku University as a student under the literature department. She graduated as a historian from Ryukoku University's Department of Oriental History.

In 1998, she released a mini-album entitled Urara from LD & K Records, making this her independent debut as a musician.