LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Momoko Shimada died peacefully on Jan. 8, 2014, with family by her side.

She was born in Tokyo, Japan Feb. 5, 1923, to Yonetaro Tsuyuki and Ko Tsuyuki.

She loved dance, music, arts, animals, children and nature. She mastered traditional Japanese dance and received her license to teach from kabuki theater choreographer Bando Mitsunojo, from whom she received her distinguished stage name Bando Mitsuyu.

She performed at Teikoku Gekijou (Imperial Theater) near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo when she was 20 years old.

She also mastered Shamisen (a three string instrument) from Master Kineya, and Nagauta singing from Master Matsunaga Wafu (her stage name is Matsunaga Wakuni).  

Momoko and her husband Kiyoshi Shimada owned and operated a restaurant, Tenkuni in Ginza, Tokyo. She was the third generation owner of Tenkuni.

After her husband unexpectedly died at an early age of 57, she left everything behind and moved to Lake County, Calif., in 1990 to live with her only daughter’s family and spent the next 24 years of her life here.

She performed and taught traditional Japanese dance in the Ukiah area into her mid 80s.

She is survived by her daughter, Machiko Shimada; granddaughter, Hinda Darner; grandson, Kiyomizu Darner; great-granddaughter, Layla Elise (Kaimai) Darner; and great-grandson Dezmond Shimada Solomon.

She touched many hearts and has left a great void with her passing but also leaves behind fond memories. She was kind and humble and known for her lovely smile. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Her daughter carries on her legacy of music, her granddaughter dancing and her grandson culinary arts and the restaurant business.

A memorial will be held at the Tallman Hotel Meeting Room in Upper Lake on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.