日本女星
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- Akiko Wakabayashi was born on August 26, 1941 in Tokyo, Japan. During her work in movies, she became one of Japan's most popular actresses of their cinema's "Golden Age", ranking with actresses Kumi Mizuno and Mie Hama. One of her first films was Akiko (1961), which was named after her. Interestingly, the movie title shares both her real and character names. Her career took off when she came to Toho Studios, appearing in a host of sci-fi films, including that of the sexy gangster moll in Dogora (1964) and the bewitching alien-possessed princess in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964). However, in the Western Cinema, she is probably best-known for her role as Bond girl "Aki" in the 007 epic, You Only Live Twice (1967), appearing alongside actor Sean Connery. When production of the 007 film began, Wakabayashi was originally chosen to play Bond girl "Kissy Suzuki" and her co-star, Mie Hama, is to play Bond girl "Suki". As Hama had a difficult time mastering the English language, the two actresses switched roles. In addition, Wakabayashi suggested her character name be Aki instead of Suki.
In the late 1960s to early 1970s, Japan's movie industry experienced an economic slump, which resulted in severe budget cuts. During that time, Wakabayashi made a rather abrupt end to her acting career, and has never been seen on the big screen since. Whether or not the economic slump played a factor, Wakabayashi remains one of the most memorable actresses of Japan, especially to Toho Studios' sci-fi fandom. - Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Meiko Kaji was born on March 24, 1947 in the Kanda area of Tokyo, Japan. Following graduation from the Yakumo Academy High School in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan in 1965, Kaji first began acting in films in the mid-1960's under her real name of Masako Ôta. She was given the stage name Meiko Kaji by director Masahiro Makino. Meiko achieved her greatest enduring cult cinema popularity with her fierce portrayals of various tough outlaw characters which include young rebellious delinquents in the Stray Cat Rock series, the lethal Sasori from the Female Prisoner Scorpion pictures, and, most famously, the ruthless and driven titular assassin in the Lady Snowblood films. Kaji won a plethora of awards for her stand-out performance in Double Suicide of Sonezaki (1978). In the 1980's Meiko started acting more on television. Moreover, Kaji has also eked out a career as a singer: She not only sang the haunting theme song "Flower of Carnage (Shura No Hana)" for Lady Snowblood (1973) and the theme song "Urami-Bushi" for Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), but also has recorded and released several albums and singles. ("Flower of Carnage (Shura No Hana)" and "Urami-Bushi" were both featured on the soundtracks to Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), respectively.) In addition, Meiko has turned down offers to act in Hollywood movies because she believes she can't give a good performance in a language other than Japanese.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Yukiko Todoroki was born on 11 September 1917 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Sanshiro Sugata (1943), Ishimatsu of the Forest (1949) and Red Pier (1958). She was married to Kôji Shima and Masahiro Makino. She died on 11 May 1967 in Tokyo, Japan.- Setsuko Wakayama was born on 7 June 1929 in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Snow Trail (1947), Sanjûrokunin no jôkyaku (1957) and Gigantis, the Fire Monster (1959). She was married to Senkichi Taniguchi. She died on 9 May 1985.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mieko Takamine was born on 2 December 1918 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Inugami Family (1976), Hi no tori (1978) and The Shogun Assassins (1979). She died on 27 May 1990 in Japan.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mitsuko Mito was born on 23 March 1919 in Fukushima, Japan. She was an actress, known for Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954), Ugetsu (1953) and Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955). She died on 5 April 1981.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Veteran Japanese actress Yoshinaga Sayuri was born in Shibuya, Tokyo as World War II drew to a close. She graduated from Tokyo's Waseda University and later married director Okada Taro. She signed with the famous Nikkatsu Studio and has starred in films like Foundry Town ('Kyupora No Aru Machi'), Makioka Sisters ('Sasame-Yuki'), Kabe and About Her Brother ('Ototo') among others for the aforementioned company and others. In the process Yoshinaga has won many awards including Japan Academy Prizes and starred in films that have won international accolade including Special Grand Prix at the Montreal World Film Festival for Cape Nostalgia ('Fushigi Na Misaki No Monogatari') and Cannes Film Festival's Blue Ribbon Awards for the aforementioned Foundry Town. Among her other valuable contributions Yoshinaga has been a supporter of the anti-nuclear movement and has played a hibakusha ('atomic bomb survivor') on TV and has contributed to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Her pacifism has lead her to numerous appearances and public interactions in her fight against war and militarism. She has been reciting poetry by residents and survivor from Nagasaki and Hiroshima and lent her support to the people of Okinawa who fight and oppose the Tokyo Central government and the US military station and expansion in Okinawa. Yoshinaga Sayuri is often considered the most notable Japanese actress.- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Tanaka Kinuyo was a highly regarded and prolific actress best known for her films with director Mizoguchi Kenji. She was immersed in the world of film having received her start in the world of entertainment at age fourteen, being a filmmaker herself, being the cousin of director Kobayashi Masaki and, very much like Hara Setsuko and Ozu Yasujiro, being anecdotally romantically linked with the aforementioned Mizoguchi. The director would later recommend against her being hired as a director, which caused a rift between the two. She received her first known credit in Shochiku's Genroku Onna in 1924. She stayed to become the studio's biggest actress, and a paradigm of beauty, until approximately 1949 when she travelled to the United States Of America as an ambassador of Japanese culture. Upon her return from the US the Japanese detected a change of attitude in her, as well as noting a new short hairdo, which momentarily lead to some criticism. She had married director Shimizu Hiroshi, with whom she had worked, in 1929. Sources claim this was a mere cohabitation however. The marriage lasted a matter of months, but the two worked together beyond their romantic union. She married another one of her directors Gosho Heinosuke, but not before also starring in several Ozu films. It looked like films like Aizen Katsu and Naniwa Onna would be the height of her fame with all their popularity, but post-war films like Life Of Oharu, Sansho The Bailiff and Ugetsu were even bigger classics and immortalized the actress. Another of her many other noteworthy performances was in The Ballad Of Narayama based on a tradition and folklore of Japan. As if to complete her tour de force of Japanese cinema she directed several films and even worked with Kurosawa Akira in Red Beard. She died of a brain tumor in 1977.- Mitsuko Kusabue was born on 22 October 1933 in Yokohama, Japan. She is an actress, known for Samurai Pirate (1963), Miyamoto Musashi (1984) and I Don't Have Any Money Left in My Retirement Account (2021).
- Yoshiko Mita was born on 8 October 1941 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Appassionata (1984), W no higeki (1984) and Toki rakujitsu (1992). She is married to Yasuo Takahashi. They have two children.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Keiko Kishi was born on 11 August 1932 in Yokohama, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Twilight Samurai (2002), Kah-chan (2001) and Brother (1960). She was previously married to Yves Ciampi.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Michiko Kuwano was born on 4 January 1915 in Shiba, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Hotaru no hikari (1938), Forget Love for Now (1937) and Ônna no kânjo (1935). She died on 1 April 1946 in Japan.- Awashima Chikage was born as Nakagawa Keiko to store owner parents in Tokyo, Japan on 24.02.1924. Awashima began her entertainment career as part of the semi famous Takarazuka Revue of Kansai where she trained and performed beginning age fifteen. Her stage name was taken from a Japanese poem. She began her screen career in 1950 and went on to star in the comedy film adaptations of the Japanese novels called Ekimae ('station front'). Both as part of this series and separately she worked with director Shiro Toyoda more than a dozen times. Early accolade came her way when her performance for director Minoru Shibuya, Tenya Wanya (1950), won her the critics' award for the Best Actress of the year. At this point the audiences and critics thought of her as one of the nation's more famous beauties. By far her most impactful appearance, however, were the three films of Ozu Yasujiro she starred in. These came about as part of her contact with the Shochiku studio. She was furthermore in the masterpiece film The Human Condition I: No Greater Love. She remained consistently active until the late '60s, by which time she was working for Toho Studio, after which she would work irregularly in front of the camera and also on stage. She was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1988 and Order Of The Precious Crown, 4th Class, Wisteria in 1995. The Purple Ribbon is awarded for academic or artistic accomplishment while Order Of The Precious Crown is typically reserved for females in Japan. Awashima was an honourary Vice President of Japan's actors' guild until 2007 for her advocacy of actors and actresses' rights. She was 87 when she died on 16.02.2012 after contracting pancreatic cancer. Many actors and actresses attended her funeral. There was a report that she died leaving debts behind, but it was also claimed that the debts were piled on by others and not her personally. Chikage never married. She is buried at Gokokuji, a temple in Tokyo.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Yumeji Tsukioka was born on 14 October 1922 in Hiroshima, Japan. She was an actress, known for Late Spring (1949), Love Under the Crucifix (1962) and Z no senritsu (1948). She was married to Umetsugu Inoue. She died on 3 May 2017 in Tokyo, Japan.- Junko Ikeuchi was born on 4 November 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Sûpâ jaiantsu (1957), Kutsukake Tokijiro - yukyo ippiki (1966) and The Secret Sword (1963). She died on 26 September 2010 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Masako Natsume was born on 17 November 1957 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Onimasa (1982), Time and Tide (1983) and Gyoei no mure (1983). She was married to Shizuka Ijûin. She died on 11 September 1985 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Along with Hara Setsuko and Tanaka Kinuyo, Takamine Hideko remains one of Japan's most admired and prolific film actresses. Born as Hirayama Hideko in Hakodate, Hokkaido in northern Japan in 1924, she became a child actress for Shochiku Studio at age five appearing in the film Haha. She would go on to work with directors like Kinoshita, Ozu, and arguably most notably Naruse Mikio. Mid-career she had switched to P.C.L. Film Studio (later Toho Studios) and then become independent yet she would work for notable directors nonetheless. By the time she married director Matsuyama Zenzo in 1955 she had acquired a reputation as depicting feminist roles where women seek their independence or are oppressed. She died in 2010 of lung cancer, but had recorded songs and written biographies before her death.- Ineko Arima was born on 3 April 1932 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Tokyo Twilight (1957), Dai Chûshingura (1957) and Black River (1957). She was previously married to Kinnosuke Nakamura.
- Michiyo Aratama was born on 15 January 1930 in Nara, Japan. She was an actress, known for The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959), The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959) and The Sword of Doom (1966). She died on 17 March 2001 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Chieko Murata was born on 28 February 1915 in Kobe, Japan. She is an actress, known for Lightning (1952), Yume ni miru hana (1934) and Yatarô gasa: zenkôhen (1952).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Born in Namegata, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1931, Kagawa Kyoko (also Makino Kyoko) has endured through the golden age of Japanese cinema, into the end of the century and onto the new to act in many of the more important films from her native country. Growing up she had aspired to learn English and then to become a ballerina after watching Swan Lake, but fate and a beauty contest sponsored by The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper intervened and cast her into the role of an actress. She began her career at the defunct Shintoho Studio in 1949. Films like Tokyo Story, Sansho The Bailiff and High And Low directed respectively by Ozu, Yasujiro, Mizoguchi, Kenji and Kurosawa, Akira have captured and immortalized her. She married and moved to New York City, USA with her husband, a reporter, and child for three years in 1965. She went through a couple of dry spells mid-career when roles had vanished, one of which lasted three years and was broken when a call came from Kurosawa to work on Maadadayo. It was the first time the actress and director worked together in 28 years. Kagawa won a Japanese Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film. She was awarded a Japanese Medal With Purple Ribbon in 1998 for her contribution to Japanese life and arts. She was the subject of a film perspective at the Tokyo International Film Festival and Japan's National Film Centre in 2011. She also received an award in the same year from The International Federation Of Film Archives for her movie preservation effort. She was the first Japanese actor to receive this prize. She has done commercial work in the '70s and '80s (House Foods) and more recently for Lawson stores and Kirin Brewery. Overall she has a dozen awards, a couple of books and even a music single to her credit.- Kaoru Yachigusa was born on 6 January 1931 in Osaka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954), Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956) and With Beauty and Sorrow (1965). She was married to Senkichi Taniguchi. She died on 24 October 2019 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sanae Takasugi was born on 8 October 1918 in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Tonari no Yae-chan (1934), Yama wa yûyake (1934) and Kinkanshoku (1934). She died on 26 November 1995.- Actress
- Script and Continuity Department
- Soundtrack
Keiko Tsushima was born on 7 February 1926 in Nagasaki, Japan. She was an actress, known for Seven Samurai (1954), Shiosai (1975) and Kyatsu o nigasuna (1956). She died on 1 August 2012 in Tokyo, Japan.- Yukiko Shimazaki was born on 25 February 1931 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Seven Samurai (1954), Repast (1951) and Kin no tamago: Golden girl (1952).
- Yôko Sugi was born on 28 October 1928 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Aoi sanmyaku (1949), Husband and Wife (1953) and Picture Bride (1994). She died on 15 May 2019 in Tokyo.
- Actress
- Producer
- Costume Designer
Mariko Okada was born on 11 January 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956), Akitsu Springs (1962) and This Year's Love (1962). She was previously married to Yoshishige Yoshida.- Yûko Kotegawa was born on 16 July 1959 in Oita, Japan. She is an actress, known for Afternoon When Flowers Fell (1989), 47 Ronin (1994) and Riyû (2004). She was previously married to Ken Tanaka.
- Satomi Oka was born on 15 September 1935 in Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Miyamoto Musashi (1961), Miyamoto Musashi IV: Duel at Ichijyo-ji Temple (1964) and Miyamoto Musashi V: Duel at Ganryu Island (1965).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Shiho Fujimura was born in Kanagawa, Japan on January 3rd 1939. Throughout most of her career, she usually appeared in "Jidaigeki" dramas. She started her career in 1962 by debuting in The Outcast (1962) directed by Kon Ichikawa and Kiru (1962) directed by Kenji Kisumi and both starring Ichikawa Raizo. Again, she appeared with Ichikawa Raizo in some of "Shinobi no Mono" (Ninja Story) film series (1962 - 1966) and "Nemuri Kyoshiro" (Sleepy Eyes of Death) film series (1962 - 1969).
Other well-known works on film include: Zatoichi on the Road (1963), Boss Takeshi (1965), The Betrayal (1966), Zatoichi's Cane Sword (1967), Prison Break (1969), The Falcon Fighters (1969), Doctor's Wish (2014) and others. Since early 2010s she often worked on television.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Machiko Kyô was born on 25 March 1924 in Osaka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Rashomon (1950), The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) and Gate of Hell (1953). She died on 12 May 2019 in Tokyo, Japan.- Michiko Saga was born on 1 March 1934 in Kyoto, Japan. She was an actress, known for Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956), Dai Chûshingura (1957) and Shin yûkyôden (1966). She died on 19 August 1992 in the Philippines.
- Junko Kanô was born on 21 January 1936 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Odd Obsession (1959), Onna no kyôshitsu (1959) and Typhoon Reporter (1963).
- Masayo Banri was born on 29 March 1937 in China. She is an actress, known for The Tale of Zatoichi (1962), Onnakeizu (1962) and Zatoichi the Fugitive (1963).
- Kanako Higuchi was born on 13 December 1958 in Niigata, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ronin Gai (1990), Casshern (2004) and Amida-do dayori (2002). She has been married to Shigesato Itoi since 1993.
- Katsuko Wakasugi was born on 23 March 1928 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Dokufu Takahashi Oden (1958), The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959) and Nijiotoko (1949).
- Kyôko Enami was discovered through Daiei's New Face program in 1959, and was promptly made a star in 1960. An awesome beauty with remarkably pale skin, she also conveyed a kind of steeliness that turned out to make her ideal for the popular film series "Gambling Woman," which made her one of the first Japanese actresses to carry a crime-themed series. No simple ingenue, she remains in demand in films and television; among her most acclaimed film was 1973's TSUGARU FOLKSONG, although it is probable that her most-seen film outside Japan is 1966's GAMERA VS. BARUGON.
- Born in Kyoto the 160 cm tall Nogawa Yumiko's first claim to fame was being the runner-up in the Miss Kimono competition in her hometown. She would later get married to Tsutomu Osaka, a theatre director, who had been married before and become the stepmother to voice actress Kaori Yamagata.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Chieko Baishô was born on 29 June 1941 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Tora-san's Tropical Fever (1980) and Tora-san's Runaway (1970). She has been married to Reijirô Koroku since 1993. She was previously married to Mamoru Komiya.- Utako Mitsuya was born on 11 August 1936 in Japan. She was an actress, known for Sûpâ jaiantsu (1957), Zoku sûpâ jaiantsu (1957) and Rajo to satsujin-meiro (1959). She was married to Yoshiki Onoda. She died on 24 March 2004 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Mayumi Ogawa was born on 7 October 1939 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Vengeance Is Mine (1979), Shin Godzilla (2016) and The Three Undelivered Letters (1979). She was previously married to Toshiyuki Hosokawa.
- Actress
- Writer
Yoshiko Kayama was born on 1 January 1944 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and writer, known for Three Outlaw Samurai (1964), Beast in the Shadows (1977) and Soul of a Man (1966).- Haruko Katô was born on 24 November 1922 in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Love Is a Hunter (1976) and A Thousand & One Nights (1969). She was married to Masaya Takahashi and Michio Kato. She died on 2 November 2015 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Eiko Muramatsu was born on 31 March 1938 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Face of Another (1966), Aoi sanmyaku (1966) and Kwaidan (1964).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Haruko Wanibuchi was born on 22 April 1945 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for House (1977), House of Sleeping Beauties (1995) and Heisei Musekinin-ikka Tokyo Deluxe (1995).- Yôko Nogiwa was born on 24 January 1936 in Tsubata, Japan. She was an actress, known for Trick (2000), Trick: The Movie 2 (2006) and Trick: The Movie (2002). She was married to Shin'ichi Chiba. She died on 13 June 2017 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Yukiko Fuji is known for Kill Before Being Killed (1964), Black Speeding (1964) and School of Crime (1964). She was previously married to Jirô Tamiya.
- Yoshiko Sakuma was born on 24 February 1939 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Furusato wa midori nariki (1961), Isan sôzoku (1990) and Earthquake Bird (2019). She was previously married to Mikijirô Hira.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Ruriko Asaoka was born on 2 July 1940 in Changchun, Jilin, China. She is an actress, known for Tora-san's Rise and Fall (1975), Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro kurenai no hana (1995) and Incident at Blood Pass (1970). She was previously married to Koji Ishizaka.- Kumi Mizuno was born on New Years Day of 1937 as Maya Igarashi in Nigata, Japan. After she graduated from acting school in 1957, her screen debut was in the Minoru Shibuya film Crazy Society. By the time her second film Futari dake no hashi (1958) came out, she changed her name to "Kumi Mizuno." Her attractive looks and pleasant demeanor made her a favorite of director Ishirô Honda. Thus, she was cast in a host of drama, comedy and sci-fi films from Toho Studios. She became one of Japan's most popular actresses in their "Golden Age" of cinema, appearing with actor Nick Adams in Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965) and Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965). They were claimed to be romantically linked during the filming of these two films, but they denied the claims as gossip. Kumi's role as Daiyo in Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) was one of her most memorable performances. This film was originally written to star King Kong, hence the love relationship between Godzilla and Kumi--a love relationship more associated with King Kong.
Even though she has few specific memories of her work on sci-fi films during the 1960s, she does reminisce those films fondly. Evidently, she became a Godzilla legend, as she returned to appear in two of the six Godzilla films from the "Millennium" series in 2002 and 2004. - Kyôko Anzai was born on 27 September 1934 in Osaka, Japan. She was an actress, known for Love Letter (1953), Battle in Outer Space (1959) and Furyô shônen (1956). She was married to Tatsuya Mihashi. She died on 28 January 2002 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Masayo Utsunomiya was born on 6 March 1948. She is an actress, known for Bullet Train (1975), Irezumi (1982) and Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman (1974). She was previously married to Yoichi Miura and Tokuma Nishioka.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Noriko Watanabe was born on 23 July 1965 in Oita, Japan. She is an actress, known for His Motorbike, Her Island (1986), Tsumiki kuzushi (1983) and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (2003). She was previously married to Hiroshi Nishioka.- Chikako Miyagi was born on 26 November 1922 in Iwate, Japan. She was an actress, known for Miyamoto Musashi - Dai-ichi-bu: Kusawake no hitobito - Dai-ni-bu: Eitatsu no mon (1940), Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijoji ketto (1942) and Utau tanuki goten (1942). She died on 7 August 1996.
- Actress
Mako Midori was born on 26 March 1944 in Taiwan. She is an actress, known for Female (1964), Akujo (1964) and Nihiki no mesu inu (1964). She is married to Renji Ishibashi.- Tomoko Ogawa was born on 26 January 1949 in Hiroshima, Japan. She is an actress, known for Les oiseaux de Meiji Jingu (1974), Kin'yôbi no tsumatachi e (1983) and Seventeen Ninja 2: The Great Battle (1966).
- Hiroko Sakuramachi was born on 16 June 1937 in Shizuoka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Isshin Tasuke - Tenka no ichidaiji (1958), Torawakamaru, the Koga Ninja (1957) and Magistrate Toyama 2: Fireball Magistrate (1958).
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Toshiko Kobayashi was born on 6 April 1932 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Black Lizard (1968), Carmen Comes Home (1951) and Kaze no shisen (1963). She was married to Hiroshi Teshigahara. She died on 29 December 2016 in Tokyo, Japan.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mayumi Nagisa was born on 10 October 1944 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for The Black Battlefront Kidnappers (1973), Zatoichi's Flashing Sword (1964) and Destiny's Son (1962). She was previously married to Kuranosuke Hamaguchi.- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Sachiko Hidari was born on 29 June 1930 in Toyama, Japan. She was an actress and director, known for The Insect Woman (1963), She and He (1963) and A Fugitive from the Past (1965). She was married to Susumu Hani. She died on 7 November 2001 in National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Izumi Ashikawa was born on 6 October 1935 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Aitsu to watashi (1961), Aoi sanmyaku (1963) and Arashi o yobu otoko (1966). She has been married to Tatsuya Fuji since 28 August 1968. They have one child.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kayo Matsuo was born on 17 March 1943 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shogun Assassin (1980), Outlaw: Gangster VIP (1968) and Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972).- Hisako Takihana was born on 4 March 1906. She was an actress, known for Tôjin Okichi (1930), Robo no ishi (1938) and Chikyu wa mawaru: Dai-san-bu Kuso hen (1928). She died on 12 February 1985.
- Reiko Ike was still in her late teens when she was "discovered" by Japan's Toei Studios (stories of her "discovery" are inconsistent, ranging from being scouted in a nightclub to being spotted as a model). Along with Miki Sugimoto she was Toei's top sex star throughout the 1970s, and the focus of the "sukeban" or female girl boss phenomenon of 1970s Japanese cinema. Beginning with "Girl Boss Guerilla" (Sukeban gerira (1972)), Ike made 12 films, almost all in the Pinky Violence/Yakuza Girl genre. Despite real-life trouble with the law--she was arrested once for drugs and once for illegal gambling--she worked throughout the decade, appearing in at least two of Kinji Fukasaku's "Battles Without Honor & Humanity" (Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1973) series (1973-79). Her last film before disappearing from the public eye was "The Golden Dog" (Dog of Fortune (1979)).
The bulk of her work was for Toei in 1973, when she appeared in the films "Sex & Fury" (Sex & Fury (1973)), "Girl Boss" (Girl Boss Revenge: Sukeban (1973)), "Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom" Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom (1973)), "Criminal Woman: Killing Melody" (Zenka onna: Koroshi-bushi (1973)) and "Sex & Fury"'s sequel "Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture" (Female Yakuza Tale (1973)). This rush of films established her as a major sex icon in Japan and created a tabloid rivalry with fellow Toei contact player Miki Sugimoto, who was her co-star in several films.
The recent reissues of "Sex & Fury" and "Female Yakuza Tale"--along with the release of a Pinky Violence box set consisting of "Terrifying Girls School", "Criminal Woman" and "Girl Boss Guerilla"--has rekindled her cult following. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Akemi Negishi might never have become an actress but for Josef von Sternberg. The legendary director was in Japan looking for a woman to play the seductress who leads a bunch of soldiers astray in his upcoming (and as it turned out, last) movie _Anatahan (1954)_. But Sternberg spotted Negishi one night, dancing on the cabaret stage, and chose her at once. This was the first in a long string of exotic roles, most unusual for the average Japanese actress, but which became her trademark, in films as various as _Kingukongu tai Gojira (1962)_ and Dodes'ka-den (1970). She was a favorite actress of both Akira Kurosawa and Ishirô Honda, both directors seeing beyond the kind of role in which she was usually typecast, and thereby encouraging her to some of the best work any Japanese actress did in the 1950s and 1960s. Her most memorable roles are probably for Kurosawa, in The Lower Depths (1957) and Dodes'ka-den (1970); but she is probably best known outside Japan for playing the woman who leads the dance of tribute to Kong in _Kingukongu tai Gojira (1962)_. Negishi was an unusual presence in Japanese film at that time, since her presence was so aggressively, obviously sensual. This militated against her becoming a major star in the conservative Japanese atmosphere of the time, but she was fortunate to be able to do excellent character work throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Following her arresting cameo as the beautiful lone housewife in Dodes'ka-den (1970), it appears that Negishi retired.- Hitomi Nozoe was born on 11 February 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Onna no kyôshitsu (1959), Danryû (1957) and Three Bosses (1960). She was married to Hiroshi Kawaguchi. She died on 4 May 1995.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Hizuru Takachiho was born on 10 October 1932 in Kobe, Japan. She is an actress, known for Haitoku no mesu (1961), Zero Focus (1961) and Mitsu-kubi-tou (1956).- Yatsuko Tan'ami was born on 25 June 1924 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ikiru (1952), Hitori okami (1968) and Tokyo no ekubo (1952).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Reiko Ôhara was born on 13 November 1946 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Yagyu Clan Conspiracy (1978), Ohan (1984) and Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival (1970). She was married to Shin'ichi Mori and Tsunehiko Watase. She died on 6 August 2009 in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan.- Actress
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Chiemi Eri was born on 11 January 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Sazae-san (1956), Sazae-san no akachan tanjo (1960) and Fuku no kami: Sazae-san ikka (1961). She was married to Ken Takakura. She died on 13 February 1982 in Tokyo, Japan.- Born Toshiko Nonaka, she began acting as Toshiko Kôno before changing her name again after World War II during the golden age of Japanese cinema to Kuniko Igawa. She became a café owner after she retired, which occurred in 1977, in Kamakura. Coffee Igawa is still a going concern despite her death in 2012 and being run by her relatives who had taken over the operation of the café earlier as Igawa had slipped, fallen and was unable to continue as before. Igawa was in approximately 60 films
- Matsuko Shiga was born in Tokyo and got her start in Ozu Yasujiro's 1951 classic, Early Summer, alongside Hara Setsuko and Chishu Ryu after joining Shochiku Studio in 1950. Aside from an approximate ten full-length films she added TV drama and commercials to her resume as well. Her hobbies include conducting a tea ceremony, calligraphy, social and traditional Japanese dance, singing, illustrating and plays the shamisen.
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Setsuko Hara became one of Japan's best-loved stars over her 30-year film career. Her signature character type, variations on a daughter devoted to her parents and home, inspired the nickname that stayed with her until retirement: the Eternal Virgin. To some extent, reality mirrored her roles in these films. In a society that considers marriage and parenting almost obligatory, she remained single and childless, something of a controversy in Japan in the 1950s. Fortunately she was popular enough to avoid criticism, but the 1950s were still a hard decade. She was plagued by ill health, missing out on several top roles as a result, and she witnessed the death of her camera-man brother in a freak train accident on set.
In 1963, shortly after the death of her mentor, director Yasujirô Ozu, she suddenly walked away from the film industry. At age 43, and at the height of her popularity, she bluntly refused to perform again, angering her fans, the industry, and the press. She implied acting had never been a pleasure and that she had only pursued a career in order to provide for her large family; this explanation is seen as the cause of her popularity backlash. She moved to a small house in picturesque Kamakura where she remained, living alone (though apparently sociable with friends), and refusing all roles offered.
She is undoubtedly known mostly for her work with Yasujiro Ozu, making six films with the great director, including the so-called Noriko trilogy, of which Tokyo Story (1953) is probably the best-known. She also worked with Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, Hiroshi Inagaki, and many others.- Mie Hama was born in Tokyo, Japan on November 20, 1943 in a blue-collar Tokyo family whose small cardboard factory burned down in World War II. She grew up poor. She first started out working as a bus fare collector. While working, she was spotted by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka when she was only sixteen years old, and was soon employed at Toho Studios. She appeared in a bevy of drama and sci-fi films, including King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963), where she became the Giant Ape's "Damsel in Distress." She is probably best known in Western Cinema as Bond girl Kissy Suzuki, starring alongside actor Sean Connery in the 007 film You Only Live Twice (1967). That same year, King Kong Escapes (1967) was released, thus, she portrayed the spellbinding "Bond-girlish" villainess Madamn Piranha. Her extended wardrobe and enchanted bed chambers contributed to the film's "James Bond-ish" atmosphere. In addition, Hama would sometimes be referred to as "Funny Face," due to her appearances in Japan's "Crazy Cats" movies.
She became one of the most popular actresses in Japan's "Golden Age" of Cinema, but has done little acting when Japan's cinema world experienced severe financial problems. However, she did return to appear in a few films in the 1970s and 1980s, and she is seen, most recently, working as an active environmentalist, radio and television talk show host. She also married a television executive with whom she has four children. - Yôko Katsuragi was born on 6 April 1930 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Late Spring (1949), Scandal (1950) and Black River (1957). She was married to Toshirô Mayuzumi. She died in March 2007 in Japan.
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Yumiko Takahashi was born on 7 January 1974 in Saitama, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shomuni (1998), Toki no kagayaki (1995) and Shomuni Forever (2003).- Kotomi Kyôno was born on 18 October 1978 in Hiroshima, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shomuni (1998), Labyrinth of Dreams (1997) and Messengers (1999).
- Born in Shizuoka City in Shizuoka Prefecture Sakai Miki made her debut in Shunji Iwai's Love Letter in 1995, was a hit and won the Newcomer Of The Year at the Japanese Academy Award as a result. She moved forward to other movies and TV serials and has been active since. Prior to that she was a mascot for the variety show JanJan. Her foray into signing and j-pop came in 1993. She continued issuing albums and singles throughout the '90s and early twenty first century. Like all Japanese celebrities she has done commercials and advertising, in this case, for the likes of House foods. She married in October 2008. She also became a good-will ambassador for the Children Relief Program of World Vision Japan in the same year. She became a mother in 2010. She is represented by Watanabe Entertainment.
- Yo Kimiko was born in Yokohama, a city just south of Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Taiwanese father on the 12th of May 1956. Her cousin was actress Bunjaku Han. She became active in front of the camera in 1987 and has been a feature of Japanese television and cinema ever since. She had begun acting on the theatre stage in 1976. Audiences may mostly know her for her supporting role in Shin Gojira, as a sympathetic colleague in the 2008 films Departures, which won an Oscar, and kind wife and waitress in Ramen Girl, but she has almost 200 credits to her name. These include an abnormal neighbour in The Drugstore girl and serene presence in Café Lumière where she was directed by a Taiwanese director in Japan. Dear Doctor (2009) propelled her name forward in Japan and was an award winner. She has several Japan Academy prizes to her name. Like most celebrities she pushes products and has done commercials for telephone companies, shampoos and cosmetics manufacturers. Yo is married to a man who at the time was a NHK employee in 2006 and is managed by the Alpha Agency.
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Michiyo Kogure was born on 31 January 1918 in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan. She was an actress, known for Aoi sanmyaku (1949), Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955) and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956). She died on 13 June 1990.- Actress
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Yôko Minamida was born on 1 March 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She was an actress, known for House (1977), Samurai no ko (1963) and Aoi sanmyaku (1963). She was married to Hiroyuki Nagato. She died on 21 October 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.- Mariko Kaga was born on 11 December 1943 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Kagero-za (1981), Yûgure made (1980) and Muddy River (1981).
- Shima Iwashita was born on 3 January 1941 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Harakiri (1962), Ballad of Orin (1977) and Clouds at Sunset (1967). She has been married to Masahiro Shinoda since 1967.
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Yôko Tsukasa was born on 20 August 1934 in Sakai-minato, Japan. She is an actress, known for Yojimbo (1961), The Kii River (1966) and Moment of Terror (1966). She has been married to Hideyuki Aizawa since 1969.- Ryôko Nakano was born on 6 May 1950 in Aichi, Japan. She is an actress, known for Furueru shita (1980), Harukanaru sôro (1980) and Manhunt (1976).
- Ayako Wakao was born on 8 November 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Seisaku's Wife (1965), Women Are Born Twice (1961) and A Wife Confesses (1961).
- Yuriko Hishimi was born on 10 June 1947 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ultraseven (1967), Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) and Ultraseven X (2007).
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Hiroko Sakurai was born on 4 March 1946 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Ultra Q (1965), Ultraman: A Special Effects Fantasy Series (1966) and Ultraman (1967).- Actress
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Rumi Sakakibara was born on 5 March 1951 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Return of Ultraman (1971), Death Ride (2006) and Lone Wolf and Cub (1973). She has been married to Junichi Suzuki since 2001.- Actress
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Mako Hyôdô was born on 7 September 1962 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Macross Plus Movie Edition (1995), The Red Spectacles (1987) and Macross Plus (1994).- Actress
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Born on December 6 1943, Yuriko Hoshi was one of the younger members of the Toho stable of actors during the 1960s. She made a big impression in the Wakadasho (Young Guy) movies and was recognized for her youthful energy. Eventually she became more known for her roles in kaiju eiga films such as Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) (Godzilla vs. The Thing) (1964) and _San daikaijû: Chikyu saidai no kessen (1964)_ (Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster) (1964).- Actress
Reiko Dan was born on 26 March 1935 in Kyoto City, Japan. She was an actress, known for Sanjuro (1962), Red Beard (1965) and Kureji no daiboken (1965). She died on 24 November 2003 in Tokyo, Japan.- Actress
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Yumi Shirakawa joined Toho when she was just 19, in 1956. By the end of the year, Toho had catapulted the beautiful actress into her first starring role, alongside Kenji Sahara in RODAN (Sora no Daikaiju Radon, 1956). Director Ishiro Honda took a shine to her and cast her in several of his subsequent movies, both science fiction (THE MYSTERIANS, THE H-MAN) and not (INAO-STORY OF AN IRON ARM, THE SCARLET MAN). Shirakawa's innately noble good looks tended to typecast her, and her early roles were either beleaguered victims or patrician ice princesses. One surprising exception was her charming ingenue in THE TELEGRAPHED MAN (aka DENSO NINGEN, 1960). By 1961 however, Shirakawa had attracted the attention of such noted directors as Yasujiro Ozu, who put her into his AUTUMN FOR THE KOBAYAKAWA FAMILY (aka EARLY AUTUMN, 1961). The same year, Shirakawa contributed a nuanced performance as a brave schoolteacher facing the end of the world in SEKAI DAISENSO (aka THE LAST WAR). Although she was married in 1962 (to Hideaki Nitani), unlike many of her contemporaries in Japan, her career did not end with marriage. It continues, mainly in television performances, up through at least the late 1980s.- Actress
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Yasuko Sawguchi, born on 11 June 1965, Sakai, Osaka, Japan. She beat more than 30 thousand other participants and won the first Cinderella beauty contest held by Toho, a famous movie company in Japan, in 1984. She got the heroine role and made her debut in the movie "Story of a Policeman 3" in June 1984. In the same year, she also performed as the heroine of now very well known in USA movie, "Gojira '85". She made her TV drama debut in NHK's "Miotsukushi" in 1985 when she was at the age, 19. By the successful legend drama, she became "nationals' idol" in Japan and got very high popularity. After that she is very active in the areas of TV dramas, movies, and stages. Now, she is already a superstar actress in Japan and is also widely known for her elegant and graceful beauty.- Yôko Fujiyama was born on 17 December 1941 in Yokohama, Japan. She was an actress, known for Atragon (1963), Red Beard (1965) and Chushingura (1962). She died on 11 December 2022 in Japan.
- Keiko Sawai was born on 2 January 1945 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ultra Q (1965), Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965) and Konto Gojugo-go: Uchu daibôken (1969).
- Noriko Takahashi was born on 19 September 1946 in Kofu, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ultra Q (1965), Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965) and Konto Gojugo-go: Uchu daibôken (1969). She was previously married to Minori Terada.
- Megumi Matsumoto was born on 9 December 1947 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shachô hanjôki (1968), Zoku shacho hanjôki (1968) and Za taigâsu: Sekai wa bokura o matteiru (1968). She has been married to Yûzô Kayama since 1970. They have four children.
- Mayumi Ôzora was born on 10 March 1940 in Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Samurai Banners (1969), Shitto (1962) and Rise Against the Sword (1966).