Mieko Harada
Biography
Mieko Harada is a Japanese actress born on December 26, 1958, in Tokyo, Japan. Active since her debut in 1974, she has played various roles in motion pictures, television shows, and television dramas. She notably portrayed Lady Kaede in Akira Kurosawa's 1985 film Ran and collaborated with him again in his 1990 film Dreams. Harada also provided the voice for Kaguya in the 2002 anime film InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass. She won the award for best actress at the 21st Hochi Film Award for Village of Dreams and at the 23rd Hochi Film Award for Begging for Love. As of 2007, she has continued working on television dramas.
Career overview
Mieko Harada is a Japanese actress born in Tokyo on December 26, 1958. Active in the entertainment industry since her debut in 1974, she has built a substantial career playing various roles across motion pictures, television shows, and television dramas. With known credits totaling 137, she has established a prominent presence in Japanese cinema and television.
Among her most notable film performances, Harada portrayed Lady Kaede in Akira Kurosawa's 1985 film Ran and subsequently collaborated with the director again in his 1990 film Dreams. In addition to her live-action work, she provided the voice for the character Kaguya in the 2002 anime film InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass. Her film work has earned her significant critical recognition, including winning the best actress award at the 21st Hochi Film Award for Village of Dreams and at the 23rd Hochi Film Award for Begging for Love.
Alongside her extensive filmography, Harada has maintained an active presence in serialized television, continuing her work in television dramas. Her decades-long career spans a wide range of dramatic projects, cementing her status as a prolific and celebrated Japanese actress.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Viral Hit (2026) as Miyuki Shimura
- Reboot (2026) as Ryoko Hayase
- Hey Detective, Your Backpack is Open! (2026) as Ichinose Ema
- I Don't Know You (2026)
- Romantics Anonymous (2025)
- My Story Is Long : 2025 Spring (2025)
- Hidden Sun (2025) as Mako
- House of the Owl (2024) as Shiori Watanabe
- And so I'm at a Loss (2023)
- A Hundred Flowers (2022) as Yuriko
- Tsuda Umeko: Osatsu ni Natta Ryugakusei (2022) as Ume Tsuda (late years)
- CLUB DEJA-VU ONE NIGHT SHOW 松田優作・メモリアル・ライブ (2022)
- Ashita o he guru (2021) as Narrator (voice)
- Hoshi to Lemon no Heya (2021) as Mieko Harada
- My Story Is Long (2019) as Fusae Kishibe
- Junichi (2019) as Ayuko
- An Invisible Cradle (2018) as Mie Sakaki
- 娘の結婚 (2018)
- A Banana? At This Time of Night? (2018) as Hiroko Nohara
- Kohaku no yume (2018)
- Maki (2018) as Mika
- 68-Year-Old New Employee (2018) as Fumiko Niimoto
- Lear on the Shore (2017) as Yukiko
- Atypical Crime Investigator, Hinako Todo (2016) as Taeko Ishigami
- If Cats Disappeared from the World (2016) as Postman's Mother
- Kekkonshiki no Zenjitsu ni (2015)
- 三面記事の女たち-愛の巣- (2015)
- A Duel Tale (2015)
- The Women on Page 3: The Nest of Love (2015) as 梨山里衣子
- Mozart in the Jungle (2014) as Sadako
- The Hours of My Life (2014) as Sawako Sawada
- Our Family (2014) as Reiko Wakana
- A Samurai Chronicle (2014)
- A Samurai Chronicle (2014) as Orie
- Hello Life from 55 (2014)
- Devoted Cookbook (2014)
- Kumokiri Nizaemon (2013)
- Trespassing Bergman (2013) as Self
- Kaiki Daisakusen: Mystery File (2013) as Chikage Matoya
- Miracle Apples (2013) as Mikami
- Ka'en Kita no Eiyū Aterui Den (2013)
- Koi (2013) as Fumiko Yano (2013)
- Helter Skelter (2012) as Wachi Hisako
- Innocent (2012)
- The Cowards Who Looked to the Sky (2012) as Midwife
- Dearest (2012) as Kumiko Tsukamoto
- Devoted Cookbook (2012)
- Rumiko Takahashi's Theatre (2012) as Tamayo Yoshimoto
- The Marriage Counselor (2011) as Mitsue Takakura
- Rock: Wanko no Shima (2011)
- Milocrorze: A Love Story (2011) as Oryuu
- Majutsu wa Sasayaku (2011)
- Shinzanmono (2010) as Mineko Mitsui
- Leonie (2010) as Umeko Tsuda
- Shooting Star (2010) as Kazuko Okada
- Sunshine Ahead (2010) as Hanae Kinjo
- Clouds Over the Hill (2009) as 正岡八重
- Dear My Love (2009) as Chihiro Tachibana
- School Days with a Pig (2008) as Principal Takahara
- 追跡～失踪人捜査官・石森新次郎 (2008)
- The Eleventh Hour (2008) as Scared Japanese Prisoner
- Dororo (2007) as Yuri
- Chacha: The Princess of Heaven (2007) as Oichi
- Suite Dreams (2006) as Yumi Hotta
- Aikurushii (2005) as Yumi Mashiba
- Hachiro (2005) as Shina
- Aegis (2005) as Yoshie Miyazu
- The Samurai I Loved (2005) as Tose
- Hinokio: Inter Galactic Love (2005) as Sayuri Iwamoto
- Asuka e, Soshite Mada Minu Ko e (2005)
- RUNAWAY (2004)
- Otakus in Love (2004) Art Designer
- Half a Confession (2004) as Keiko Kaji
- 北の国から 記憶 前編 (2003)
- Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass (2002) as Kaguya (voice)
- Out (2002) as Masako Katori
- 北の国から記憶 (2002)
- Mokuyo Kumikyoku (2002)
- Oriume (2002)
- Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ran' (2002) as Self
- 影の車(2001年版) (2001)
- After the Rain (2000) as Okin
- First Love (2000) as Shizue Aida
- Off-Balance (2000) as Chiaki's Mother
- Rainbow Cape (1999)
- Haunted School 4 (1999)
- A Sleeping Forest (1998)
- Begging for Love (1998) as Terue Yamaoka
- Female Detective Riko: Goddess Eternity (1998)
- Female Detective Riko: The Virgin's Deep Abyss (1998)
- SMAP×SMAP (1996) as Bistro Guest
- Village of Dreams (1996) as Mizue Tashima
- Kimi o Omouyori Kimi ni Aitai (1995)
- Uneasy Encounters (1994)
- Psychic: Traveler to the Unknown (1994)
- Namiki-ie no Hitobito (1993)
- My Sons (1991) as Reiko
- Strawberry Road (1991)
- Dreams (1990) as The Snow Fairy
- Making of 'Dreams' (1990) as Self
- Shikibu monogatari (1990) as Terue Otomo
- Free and Easy 2 (1989)
- Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis (1988) as Keiko Tatsumiya
- The Half Moon (1987) Original Story
- Manatsu Girl (1987)
- House on Fire (1986) as Keiko Yajima
- Bakumatsu seishun graffiti: Ronin Sakamoto Ryoma (1986) as Otaki
- Portrait in Prussian Blue (1986)
- The Greatest Man in the World (1986) as Yae
- Ran (1985) as Lady Kaede
- 子連れ狼 (1984)
- Lone Wolf and Cub (1984) as Osen
- The Fugitive Samurai (1984)
- Modori River (1983) as Ayako
- Kasajiro: Truncheon versus Sword (1982)
- The Dump Truck Rascal (1981) as Yoriko Ozaki
- Kasajiro: The Kappa Marriage (1981)
- Somehow, Crystal (1981) as Makiko
- Mister, Missus, Miss Lonely (1980) as Mie Shimazaki
- Mister, Missus, Miss Lonely (1980) Producer
- Mister, Missus, Miss Lonely (1980) Writer
- Dreamy Fifteen (1980) as Shizu
- Wings of Icarus' Flight (1980)
- The Inferno (1979) as Aki Mizunuma / Miho Ikegata
- Aftermath of Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1979) as Akiko Negishi
- Nomugi Pass (1979)
- Afterglow (1978)
- The Fall of Ako Castle (1978) as Hatsu Hashimoto
- Truck Rascals: Another Odyssey of Momojiro (1978)
- Two Lovers Point (1977)
- Flickering Flames (1977)
- The Youth Killer (1976) as Keiko Tsuneyota
- Lullaby of the Earth (1976) as Rin
- Frozen River (1976)
- Permanent Blue (1976)
- Love in the North (1976)
- Mizuiro no toki (1975) as 今泉恭子（晋松の娘）
- Minato no Yoko Yokohama Yokosuka (1975)
- Love Is in the Green Wind (1974) as Yukiko Matsushima
- Tomodachi (1974)