Koichi Sugiyama
While still in high school, the twins were discovered by a talent scout while performing at a night club. They were brought to Tokyo where they became the first clients for Watanabe Productions. In 1959, the Peanuts became a hit at the Nichigeki theater. That same year, they released their first recording, "Kawaii Hana" ("Cute Flower"). In their early years they sang Japanese covers of standards, foreign hits, and Japanese folk songs; then they began singing originals, written by their producer, Hiroshi Miyagawa, and such songwriters as Koichi Sugiyama and Rei Nakanishi. They were the first to perform "Koi no Vacance".