Japanese Literary Awards

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Kazuko Yoshiyuki

よしゆき かずこ

Yoshiyuki Kazuko

Pen Names: Madogarasu（Haiku pen-name）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1935-08-09 （Tokyo Prefecture (now Tokyo)）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Actress, Essayist, Haiku poet
Active Years
1954-
Affiliations
Gekidan Mingei (theatre company), Nikkatsu (film studio/contract)
Influenced By
Eisuke Yoshiyuki, Kyoko Kishida, Manami Fuji

Education

Joshi Gakuin High School
Year of Graduation: 1954
Country: Japan
After graduation entered the training school affiliated with Gekidan Mingei

Awards

Mainichi Film Concours — Best Supporting Actress
1959
Work: Niin-chan / Saijo Kishitsu
Organization: Mainichi Film Awards
Result: Winner
Kinokuniya Theatre Award — Individual Prize
1974
Work: Stage play 'Mitsu no Aji'
Organization: Kinokuniya Theatre Award
Result: Winner
Japan Academy Prize — Best Actress (Nominee/Winner category)
1979
Work: Love's Ghost (Ai no Maboroshi)
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: Winner
Japan Essayist Club Prize
1984
Work: How Far Must I Act to Be Satisfied?
Organization: Japan Essayist Club
Result: Winner
Mainichi Film Concours — Kinuyo Tanaka Award
2002
Work: Oriume etc.
Organization: Mainichi Film Awards
Result: Winner
Japan Film Critics Award — Golden Glory
2014
Organization: Japan Film Critics Awards
Result: Winner
Japan Academy Prize — Best Actress
2014
Work: Tokyo Family
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: Winner
Japan Academy Prize — Chairman's Special Achievement Award
2021
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: Winner
NHK Broadcasting Culture Award
2023
Organization: NHK
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Ai no Maboroshi (Love's Ghost)

1978 Film

Directed by Nagisa Oshima. A bold film dealing with sexuality; Yoshiyuki starred in a lead role.

SexualityMiddle-aged womanPublic reaction

Tokyo Family

2013 Film

Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. A film about family nuances; Yoshiyuki played a principal maternal role.

FamilyIntergenerational relationshipsLoss and renewal

Niin-chan

1959 Film

A 1959 film from her Nikkatsu period; one of her notable supporting roles.

Postwar societyFamily

Bibliography

  • How Far Must I Act to Be Satisfied?
  • Mood Is Sunset Color
  • All Men Are Hamlets
  • My Brother Jun'nosuke and I
  • The Old Lady Is in Good Spirits Today Too
  • Solo Talk: What It Means to Be an Actress
  • A Frugal Character: Desires Small Like Wild Chrysanthemums
  • And Now, I Am Alone

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Straightforward, conversational essay styleWarm, personal narrative voice
Recurring Motifs
FamilyMotherhoodAging and solitudeMemory

Health

  • Childhood asthma (history of asthma into adulthood)
    幼少期〜成人期
    Suffered from asthma in childhood; sent to grandparents in Okayama during severe attacks. Reportedly improved after acupuncture at age 52.

Legacy

With a long career across film, television and stage, she is highly regarded as both a character actress and leading actress in Japan. She has also contributed to literature through essays and haiku, leaving a broad cultural legacy.

Archives

  • NHK Archives

In Popular Culture

  • Representative presence as mother/grandmother roles in popular morning dramas and family series

Quotes

  • Actresses are liars, aren't they?
    Source: Comment on 'Tetsuko's Room' (regarding retirement performance) (2009)

Trivia

  • Married at 28 but divorced after about four years; remained single thereafter and had no children.
  • Haiku pen-name is 'Madogarasu'.
  • Known for dexterity with sewing and knitting since childhood.
  • Served as a storyteller on the children's program 'Okaasan to Issho'.
  • Longtime asthma sufferer; reported improvement after acupuncture at age 52.