Kazuko Yoshiyuki

Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Yoshiyuki in 1962
Born	(1935-08-09)9 August 1935 Tokyo, Empire of Japan (Now Japan)
Died	2 September 2025(2025-09-02) (aged 90) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1955–2025
Parent(s)	Eisuke Yoshiyuki Aguri Yoshiyuki
Relatives	Junnosuke Yoshiyuki (brother) Rie Yoshiyuki (sister)

Kazuko Yoshiyuki (吉行和子, Yoshiyuki Kazuko; 9 August 1935 – 2 September 2025) was a Japanese actress, voice actress, and essayist. Her career flourished as she grew up with burgeoning Japanese film and TV industry during post-war period, bridging traditional storytelling with modern cinematic expressions, making her a quintessential figure of that transformative era in Japanese entertainment.

She made her debut on the screen in 1955, and has appeared in more than 60 films, and as well as appeared in more than a few hundreds of different Japanese television dramas. Over the spanning seven decades, she won a Mainichi Film Award for Best Supporting Actress Award in 1959, and then a Japan Academy Film & TV Prize for Best Actress as a her role in 1978 film Empire of Passion.

Early life and education

Kazuko Yoshiyuki was born on 9 August 1935 in Tokyo, to the second child and first daughter of Eisuke Yoshiyuki (1906-1940), a Japanese writer, and Aguri Yoshiyuki (1907-2015), a Japanese hairdresser and literary family. She has three siblings: Her oldest brother, Junnosuke Yoshiyuki (1924-1994), a Japanese writer, and her youngest sister, Rie Yoshiyuki (1939-2006), a Japanese poet and writer. Her whole family were from Okayama. Unfortunately, her maternal grandfather and aunt both died from Spanish flu pandemic (1918-1920), just before she was born. Also, in July 1940 when she was 4 or 5, her father, Eisuke died suddenly due to the complications of angina pectoris at the age of 34. Like her mother, Yoshiyuki suffered from asthma since she was two years old, although she was frequently taken as a child to Okayama, where her grandparents lived here, for a change of air. During her childhood, when she was 10 years old, Yoshiyuki and her family were survived from advancing firebombs during Asia-Pacific War in World War II, although she and her family were remains live in Tokyo throughout the war.

In March 1948, at age 13, Yoshiyuki graduated from Bancho Elementary School in Chiyoda Ward, and in 1954, at age 19, she graduated from Joshigakuen Girls High school in Tokyo. Before graduating, she took the entrance exam for Mizushina Institute attached to Mingei Theatre Company. She had no intention of becoming an actress as of yet, but because she was good at drawing and sewing, and she applied hoping to become a costume designer.

Career

In 1955, at age 20, Yoshiyuki started her film and television career as an actress with theatre troupe Gekidan Mingei. In the same year, she made her screen debut in Yukiko, starring Keiko Tsushima (1926-2012). In 1957, Yoshiyuki joined Mingei and made her debut as a leading role of Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, but after that she was only cast in modest "peasant girl" roles. In 1959, while she's still affiliated with Mingei, Yoshiyuki signed with Nikkatsu. In the same year, she won a Mainichi Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, such as her performances in Nianchan and Sainou Kishitsu.

In early 1960s, Yoshiyuki appeared in three films, such as her portrayal of factory worker in Foundry Town (1962), and Chisako Kayama in Black Straits and Yamaguchi in Father and Daughter Song (both in 1965). In 1966, she appeared in two films, such as the role of Sophie in Junji Kinoshita's A Japanese Called Otto and Yasuko Sakai in Mountains of the Heart. In 1969, at age 33 or 34, Yoshiyuki left from the company and she became as a freelancer.

In early 1970s, Yoshiyuki appeared in 11 major films, such as her portrayal of Sachiko Igarashi in Modern Chivalry Brothers (1970), Mieko Tajima in Re-Armed Gang of Yazuka and Professor Motohashi in I Can Hear My Dad's Voice (both in 1971), Yasuko in Cornered (1972), Aya Tokunaga in Lady Snowblood (1974), Head Nurse Noda in Will White Girl (1976), Fusa Hirai in Days Not Returning (1978), Yue Mori in Golden Partner and Masa Takada in God's Baby (both in 1979), and Azuma Michi in Young Wife and Ayako's mother in Father and Mother! (both in 1980).

In 1974, Yoshiyuki won a Kinokuniya Theater Award Individual Prize for her appearance in The Taste of Honey at Shiki Theatre Company in Tokyo.

In 1978, Yoshiyuki has surprised the world with her starring role as Seki in Nagisa Oshima's film Empire of Passion, a bold sexual drama (despite opposition from those around her for being over 40 years old), where she won a Japan Academy Film & TV Prize for Best Actress.

In early 1980s and 1990s, Yoshiyuki appeared in numerous films, such as Oshizu in Inside the Storehouse (1981), Suzuki Fusako in To Asuka, and to the Child, I Have Yet to Meet (1982), Toshie in Mosquito on the Tenth Floor and Bar Girl in Double Bed (both in 1983), Kazuko Yamaguchi in Colorful River (1984), Kimiyo Kitano in Love and Departure (1985), Tae in A Dog's Death and Saki's Mother in Snow in the Fields, Mountains, and Sea (both in 1986), Harumi in Make-up (1987), Miho Wagu in Yushun ORACION (1988), Mariko Maeno's mother in Chizuko's Younger Sister (1991), Yoshiko Sasaki in Hold Me and Kiss Me (1992), Nishime Kana in Himeyuri Tower and Yasuko Eguchi in Sleeping Beauty (both in 1995), Kanako Tanaka in It's a Good Day, and I'm Sorry For Your Loss (1996), Mizukashizuko in Unhappy Fruit and Hikage Sachiko in Seven Flowing Planners (both in 1997), and Masao's grandmother in Kikujiro and Matsu in Taboo (both in 1999).

Yoshiyuki appeared in four NHK General TV series, such as her portrayal of Masako Hirayama in Aguri (1997), Chiyo Tamaki in Tsubasa (2009), Tora Uno/Narrator in Gochisousan (2013), and Masako Komukai in The Sniffer (2016-2018). In addition to Japanese television dramas, she was also an actively storyteller on children's TV program Okaasan to Issho (since 1959).

In 2002, Yoshiyuki honored a Kinuyo Tanaka Award at Mainichi Film Awards for her work on Oriume and other films.

She also voiced as Toki in Ponyo (2008) and Nanny in When Marnie Was There (2014).

Yoshiyuki had a last several film and television projects, including her posthumously appearance in Fumiko Kaneko: Because I Wanted to, released in February 2026, just one year after her death.

Personal life

Yoshiyuki has never married any man, and does not have children. She is expressed openness to marriage and being her mother in the past. After her father's death, her mother Aguri influenced her views, making her valuing independent and responsible. She said: "My mother, Aguri was extremely dexterous (from an early age). She would be make kimonos for dolls and knit. She was very good at making things."

She remains happily focused on her career and experiences like travel, as well as often spoken about enjoying her singlehood life until her death.

Views

Yoshiyuki was raised Buddhism and Shintoism at once. She is best known for her political and social point of views, such as opposing the War on Terror including Iraq War (2003–2011), and supporting efforts to reducing climate change. Yoshiyuki said in a television interview: I really think that there are a lot of idiots in the world. They know it will make everyone unhappy, but there must be someone who benefits from it. She showed his pride as a wartime and anti-war person.

Health problems and death

In 2022, Yoshiyuki has been diagnosed with dementia. However, she remained her active throughout her life, continuing to work-well into her later years.

Yoshiyuki died of pneumonia at the hospital Tokyo, on 2 September 2025, at the age of 90. Her death was announced by her agency on 9 September of the same year. Her private funeral was held only in the presence of close relatives.

Selected filmography

Film

• My Second Brother (1959) – as Kanako Hori
• Foundry Town (1962) – as a factory worker
• Black Straits (1965) – as Chisako Kayama
• Father and Daughter Song (1965) – as Yamaguchi
• A Japanese Called Otto (1966) – as Sophie
• Mountains of the Heart (1966) – as Yasuko Sakai
• Modern Chivalry Brothers (1970) – as Sachiko Igarashi
• Re-Armed Gang of Yazuka (1971) – as Mieko Tajima
• I Can Hear My Dad's Voice (1971) – as Professor Motohashi
• Cornered (1972) – as Yasuko
• Lady Snowblood (1974) – as Aya Tokunaga
• Will White Girl (1976) – as Head Nurse Noda
• Empire of Passion (1978) – as Seki
• Days Not Returning (1978) – as Fusa Hirai
• Golden Partner (1979) – as Yue Mori
• God's Baby (1979) – as Masa Takada
• Young Wife (1980) – as Azuma Michi
• Father and Mother! (1980) – as Ayako's mother
• Hot Sleep of Beasts (1981) - as Trainer
• Inside the Storehouse (1981) – as Oshizu
• To Asuka, and to the Child, I Have Yet to Meet (1982) – as Suzuki Fusako
• Woman 6th Street Honey Taste (1982) – as Fukiko
• Crossing Amagi (1983) – as Kenzo Onodera's mother
• Mosquito on the Tenth Floor (1983) — as Toshie
• Double Bed (1983) – as Bar Girl
• Colorful River (1984) – as Kazuko Yamaguchi
• Love and Departure (1985) – as Kimiyo Kitano
• A Dog's Death (1986) – as Tae
• Blackboard (1986) – as Japanese housewife, who walking with her dog (discovered of body)
• Snow in the Fields, Mountains, and Sea (1986) – as Saki's Mother
• Setouchi Boys Baseball Team: The Last Paradise (1987) – as Hana
• Make-up (1987) – as Harumi
• Eternal Half (1987) – as My Mother
• Yushun ORACION (1988) – as Miho Wagu
• Chizuko's Younger Sister (1991) – as Mariko Maeno's mother
• Hold Me and Kiss Me (1992) – as Yoshiko Sasaki
• Himeyuri Tower (1995) – as Nishime Kana
• Sleeping Beauty (1995) – as Yasuko Eguchi
• It's a Good Day, and I'm Sorry For Your Loss (1996) – as Kanako Tanaka
• Unhappy Fruit (1997) – as Mizukashizuko
• Seven Flowing Planners (1997) - Hikage Sachiko
• Kikujiro (1999) – as Masao's grandmother
• Taboo (1999) – as Omatsu
• Lily Festival (2001) – as Rie Miyano
• Tsuribaka Nisshi 15 (2004) – as Nobuko Fukumoto
• J-Horror Theater Yogen (2004) – as Satoko Mikoshiba
• Kamataki (2005) – as Kariya Sensei
• Wool 100% (2006) – as Kame
• Maiko Haaaan!!! (2007) – as Satsuki
• Glory to the Filmmaker! (2007)
• Ponyo (2008) – as Toki (voice)
• Cyborg She (2008) – as the grandmother of Jiro
• Departures (2008) – as Tsuyako Yamashita
• 20th Century Boys (2008) – as mother of Moroboshi
• Koitanibashi (2011)
• Yuriko, Dasvidaniya (2011) – as Yoshie Chujyo
• The Love and Death of Kaoru Mitarai (2013) – as Kaoru Mitarai
• Tokyo Family (2013) – as Tomiko Hirayama
• The Little House (2014) – Mrs. Konaka
• When Marnie Was There (2014) – as Nanny (voice)
• The Firefly Summers (2016)
• The Book Peddler (2016) – as Tome Miyoshi
• What a Wonderful Family! (2016)
• What a Wonderful Family! 2 (2017)
• Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2017)
• Ajin: Demi-Human (2017) – as Yamanaka
• Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura (2017)
• What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life (2018)
• A Forest of Wool and Steel (2018) – as Kiyo Tomura
• The Landlady (2019)
• Photograph of Memories (2021)
• The Cinematic Liars of Asahi-za (2021) – as Hideko Matsuyama
• Somebody's Flowers (2022)
• Life in Bloom (2022)
• Yudo: The Way of the Bath (2023)
• Ai no Komuragaeri (2023)
• Push Pause (2024)
• Diamonds in the Sand (2024)
• Kaneko Fumiko: Because I Wanted to (2026)

Television

• Kaze to Kumo to Niji to (1976) – as Kera
• Tokugawa Ieyasu (1983) – as Nene
• Aguri (1997) – as Masako Hirayama
• Tsubasa (2009) – as Chiyo Tamaki
• Gochisousan (2013) – as Tora Uno/Narrator
• The Sniffer (2016-2018) – as Masako Komukai

Honors

• Kinuyo Tanaka Award (2002)

External links

• Kazuko Yoshiyuki at IMDb
• Kazuko Yoshiyuki discography at Discogs