Greg Irwin

Greg Irwin
Greg Irwin
Born	Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Hawaii
Occupation(s)	Master of ceremonies, voice actor, singer
Years active	1993–present

Greg Irwin is an American-born singer, voice actor, and bilingual master of ceremonies (MC) based in Japan. He is best known for his English adaptations of Japanese dōyō (children’s songs), extensive voice-over work in Japan, and appearances as a host for high-profile international events and wedding receptions.

Early Life

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Irwin studied music at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and theater at the University of Minnesota.^[1] During university, he moved to Hawaii his senior year and worked as a performer on American Hawaii Cruises.^[2]

Encouraged to visit Japan, Irwin participated in a homestay program and worked at Tokyo Disneyland. Upon returning to Hawaii, he enrolled in the Japanese Language Department at the University of Hawaii and worked as a DJ for KOHO-FM radio station.^[3]

After returning to Japan, he was invited to translate Japanese dōyō songs into English. After recording twenty songs, a producer told him that he had found his “life’s work.” The Tokyo Shimbun called him “The messenger of Japanese Children’s Songs.”^[4]

Career

Irwin has published several works, including The Best Loved Songs of the Season – Volume 1 and 2 (Japan Times) and Japanese Children’s Songs (Random House/Kodansha).^[5] His English versions of dōyō songs have been featured on various Japanese television and radio shows.

In recognition of his cultural contributions, Irwin received the Children’s Music Culture Award from the Japan Children’s Music Association.^[6] His work was also included in Japanese junior high school “Morality” textbooks published by Tokyo Shoseki.

Irwin released two albums through Victor Entertainment, titled Blue Eyes and Shoshoji.^[7] He also performed in stage productions such as “Nodojiman” at the Nagoya Misonoza Theater and “Oedo de Gozaru” at Shimbashi Embujō Theater.^[8]

After winning the FM Yokohama DJ Contest Mayor’s Prize, he was awarded his own radio program, “Amusement Hotline.” This opportunity led to a career in voice-over work.^[5]

Television Appearance

International TV School YU CAN DO IT!
The Pride of NHK
Ongaku no Kaze (Wind of Music) Music TV Programme
Let's Meet on Park Street
Comedian in Edo
Sanka Getsukan Eikaiwa (THREE Months English conversation) English TV Programme
Japanese Countryside Culture Hometown Flight
SMAP x SMAP
A Concert Without a Title
Takeshi's Everyone is a Picasso
Nama Hama Taikoku Night TV Kanagawa

TV Animation

Flash Night Raid (2010, Victor Bulwer-Lytton)
Detective Conan (2019, Newscaster)^[9]

Theatrical animation

Here is Katsushika-ku Kameari Park Front Office THE MOVIE (1999, Caster)
Detective Conan Inter-dimensional Sniper (2014, Fujinami Hiroaki^[10])

Game

Street Fighter Alpha 3 (Narrator in 1998)
Bloody Roar 4

Radio

Radio vitamin (2008)

Commercials

Discography

Singles

Japanese Songs To Sing in English
Shoshoji
SING ENGLISH!
New Hitachi Ondo
Children's Songs of the World Japan Crown

Albums

Happy Child Japan Victor
Gentle Heart -Songs of Japan-
Blue Eyes-Beautiful Songs of Japan-Victor Entertainment
SING ENGLISH!-Master English in 20 Songs-

Works

A Duck Named Alex
Best Loved Songs of the Season 1 & !! The Japan Times

References

^ https://www.bilingual-mc.com/mclist/profile/samples/greg-irwin.pdf
^ https://www.funamushi.jp/world_cruise/report/asuka_daily/d0527.pdf
^ https://nybiz.nyc/life/%E3%80%88%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%93%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%80%89%E6%AD%8C%E6%89%8B-%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%82%B0%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%81%95%E3%82%93/
^ https://1999-gasshoudouraku.seesaa.net/article/2010-01-29.html
^ ^a ^b "Blue eyed singer brings heart of japan to world". JapanTimes. September 13, 2003. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
^ https://totominoru.tamaliver.jp/e324832.html
^ https://classic.xii.jp/wp/japanese/?p=1895
^ https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/65813/
^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150417120219/https://kinro.jointv.jp/lineup/150417/
^ "名探偵コナン異次元の狙撃手". 金曜ロードSHOW!. Retrieved June 5, 2016. Article on Detective Conan in Japanese from jointv website

External links

[1] ttps://www.bilingual-mc.com/mclist/profile/samples/greg-irwin.pdf

[2] ttps://www.funamushi.jp/world_cruise/report/asuka_daily/d0527.pdf

[3] ttps://nybiz.nyc/life/%E3%80%88%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%93%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%80%89%E6%AD%8C%E6%89%8B-%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%82%B0%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%81%95%E3%82%93/

[4] ttps://1999-gasshoudouraku.seesaa.net/article/2010-01-29.html

[Japantimes-5] "Blue eyed singer brings heart of japan to world". JapanTimes. September 13, 2003. Retrieved March 24, 2025.

[6] ttps://totominoru.tamaliver.jp/e324832.html

[7] ttps://classic.xii.jp/wp/japanese/?p=1895

[8] ttps://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/65813/

[9] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20150417120219/https://kinro.jointv.jp/lineup/150417/

[10] "名探偵コナン異次元の狙撃手". 金曜ロードSHOW!. Retrieved June 5, 2016. Article on Detective Conan in Japanese from jointv website

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