Michiko Akao, born in 1949 in Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese yokobue flautist. She mastered three types of traditional Japanese transverse flutes: the Ryūteki, Nohkan, and Shinobue. Akao's career began with her debut performance in the US in 1972 at the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa, where she premiered Maki Ishii's “SOGU II”. She collaborated extensively with contemporary composers such as Carl Stone, Toshi Ichiyanagi, and Joji Yuasa. Akao performed with major symphony orchestras in Japan, as well as on concert tours across Asia, Europe, and North America. Notable performances include the multimedia project Legend of the Water Flame (1990) and the production of Sanzeon at the National Noh Theater in Tokyo (2001).
