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Masao Koga (古賀 政男, Koga Masao ^?, November 18, 1904 – July 25, 1978) was a Japanese composer and guitarist known for creating melodies, and a pioneer of Japanese popular music. He was regarded as a notable figure for establishing the genre enka, though Koga considered that he was a ryūkōka composer.^[1] He wrote numerous songs for Ichiro Fujiyama and Hibari Misora, and his work has been featured in various films, including Come See the Paradise, and Memoirs of a Geisha. He was the head of the "Japanese Society of Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers" from 1964 to 1978. A museum was built in Shibuya to honor his achievements, and visitors to the Koga Masao Museum of Music (古賀政男音楽博物館, Koga Masao Ongaku Hakubutsukan ^?) are able to view exhibits, and memorabilia featuring his work.^[2]

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