Yōko Minamida
Biography
Yoko Minamida was a Japanese actress born in Tokyo on March 1, 1933. She made her screen debut in 1953 for the Daiei studio and rose to stardom, working with Kenji Mizoguchi on the films A Story from Chikamatsu and Princess Yang Kwei-fei. In 1955, she moved to the Nikkatsu studio, starring in Takumi Furukawa's 1956 film Season of the Sun. During her career, Minamida acted in dozens of movies for Nikkatsu, collaborating with directors including Shohei Imamura and Seijun Suzuki. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in November 2008, which was the subject of a television documentary about her condition and her husband Hiroyuki Nagato's care. Minamida passed away in Tokyo on October 21, 2009, at the age of 76.
Career overview
Yoko Minamida was a Japanese actress born in Tokyo on March 1, 1933. She made her screen debut in 1953 for the Daiei studio and quickly rose to stardom. During this early period, she worked with director Kenji Mizoguchi on two films, A Story from Chikamatsu and Princess Yang Kwei-fei. In 1955, Minamida moved to the Nikkatsu studio. There, she starred in Takumi Furukawa's 1956 film Season of the Sun, which was a smash hit and launched the Sun Tribe boom of films about rebellious youth looking for sex and kicks on Shonan Beach, Japan's nearest equivalent to Malibu. Minamida went on to act in dozens of movies for Nikkatsu, working with directors such as Shohei Imamura and Seijun Suzuki. Throughout her career, she accumulated 143 known credits for acting.
In November 2008, Minamida was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Following her diagnosis, a television documentary was produced to chronicle her condition alongside the caregiving efforts of her husband, actor Hiroyuki Nagato. Minamida passed away in Tokyo on October 21, 2009, at the age of 76.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
126 titles- Song of Goodbye (2007) as Kyoko Tanabe
- The Motive (2004) as Kinue Ishida
- Gokusen (2002) as Matsubara
- Lost Paradise (1997) as Eto Kuniko
- Salaryman Senka (1995)
- Ai yo, Nemuranaide (1993)
- Yellow Fangs (1990) as Kiyo
- 砂山の唄殺人事件 (1990)
- Tears of a Swan (1989) as Atsuko Kawata
- Star Ranch (1987)
- This Story of Love (1987)
- Zero (1984) as Ine Hamada
- Yôi don (1982) as 栄市の母・せい
- At Noon (1978)
- Take Me Away! (1978) as Tomi Oguchi
- House (1977) as Hausu Karei
- The Wild Daisy (1977) as Fuki - Masao's Mother
- Japanese Humanity and Justice (1977)
- Ame no meguri ai (1977)
- Akai Shougeki (1976)
- Time of First Love (1975)
- Karafuto 1945 Summer (1974)
- The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang (1972) as Maid
- Niji (1970) as 三谷かな子
- A Young Man's Stronghold (1970)
- Tale of the Last Japanese Yakuza (1969)
- Chivalrous Pride (1969)
- The Domain: Where The Blade Enters (1967)
- Portrait of Chieko (1967) as Kazuko Tsubaki
- The Domain: White Blade (1967)
- NET Playhouse (1966) as Nobuko Muroi
- Debt of Honor (1966) as Oiku
- Glorious Fights (1966) as Akemi
- Showdown of Men (1966)
- Irogotoshi harudanji (1965) as Otama
- The Domain: The Naniwa Story (1965)
- The Kingdom of Jirocho 4 (1965)
- The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry (1965)
- The Tattooed Lord (1965)
- Underworld Code (1965)
- The Soundless Cry (1965) as Tokie Matsuura
- Jakoman and Tetsu (1964) as Masa
- Gambler (1964) as Kimura Uta
- An Outlaw (1964)
- The Domain (1964)
- To Your Majesty, The Emperor 2 (1964) as Misato
- Prison Gambler (1964) as Kimura Uta
- Beyond the Green Hills (1963) as Umetaro
- Love Comes with Youth (1963)
- The Gambling Monk (1963)
- A Modern Samurai Village (1963) as Yasu Tajima
- Okashina yatsu (1963) as Fujiko, Shuntô
- Kyu-chan, Draw Your Sword (1963)
- I Have the Sun in My Back (1963) as Sachiko
- Kiriko's Tango (1963)
- Glass-Hearted Johnny (1962) as Yumi
- The Rambler Returns Home (1962)
- Black Dice (1962)
- The Guys Who Put Money on Me (1962) as Sanae Kitazawa
- Otoko to otoko no ikiru machi (1962)
- Sun and Stars (1962)
- Last Round (1962)
- Quick Draw Joe (1961) as Jane, the dancer
- Pigs and Battleships (1961) as Katsuyo
- Tokyo Knights (1961) as Koji's Mother
- The Man with a Shotgun (1961) as Harue
- He Killed Dad (1961)
- The Crimson Plains (1961) as Sakie Yazaki
- Wind and waves of the South (1961) as Yasuko, Kazuo's foster mother
- Zurari oretacha yōjinbō (1961)
- Gun of Nosappu (1961)
- Joe of Aces: Gambling for a Living (1961) as Yuri Harada
- The Rambler Rides Again (1960)
- Jungle Block (1960) as Kayoko Komuro
- Return of the Vagabond (1960)
- Yakuza Song (1960)
- Lone Wolf (1960) as Naomi
- Tales of a Gunman: The Man Without Tomorrow (1960) as Sumi
- Bet on a Seaside Romance (1960)
- The Law's Bloody Wounds (1960) as 榎本吟子
- Farewell to Southern Tosa (1959)
- Get Over Her (1959) as Yukie
- Yuganda tsuki (1959) as Namiko Eda
- A Turning to Hell (1959) as Takako
- When a Man Risks His Life (1959)
- We Live Today (1959)
- Masked Woman (1959)
- Elegy to Youth (1959)
- Wounded Beast (1959)
- Umi wa kurutte iru (1959)
- 死の壁の脱出 (1958) as Sayan
- 死の壁の脱出 (1958) as Sakin
- Unga (1958) as Ryôko Fujiyama
- Voice Without a Shadow (1958) as Asako Kotani
- Stolen Desire (1958) as Chidori Yamamura
- Osaka no kaze (1958)
- Taiyō o buchi otose (1958)
- The Champion (1957) as Natsuko Miyagawa
- A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era (1957) as Koharu
- Dancing Sisters (1957)
- But the Flesh is Weak (1957)
- The Barefoot Girl (1957)
- Streetlights (1957) as 早川千鶴子
- Aishū no sono (1957)
- Mountain Pass (1957)
- The Awakening (1957)
- Hungry Soul (1956) as Reiko Shiba
- Our Town (1956) as Otsuru / Kimie
- Season of the Sun (1956) as Eiko Takeda
- Hungry Soul, Part II (1956) as Reiko Shiba
- The Happy Dancers (1956) as Michiko Morishita
- Tonari no yome (1956)
- Princess Yang Kwei-fei (1955) as Hung-tao
- Miss Teacher (1955)
- A Daughter's Life Guide (1955) as 田部三津子
- A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love (1955)
- The Motherless (1955) as Tomiko
- The Doctor (1955)
- Chikamatsu Monogatari (1954) as Otama
- Haha tokidori (1954)
- Rakka no mon (1954)
- Jūdai no yūwaku (1953)
- Zoku zoku Jûdai no seiten (1953)
- Zoku jūdai no seiten (1953) as Akiko Yasutomi
- Jūdai no seiten (1953)
- Himitsu (1952)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Yōko Minamida best known for?
Yōko Minamida is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Gokusen (2002), House (1977), NET Playhouse (1966), Jakoman and Tetsu (1964).
When and where was Yōko Minamida born?
Yōko Minamida was born on March 1, 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. They passed away on October 21, 2009.
How many credits does Yōko Minamida have?
Yōko Minamida has accumulated over 126 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1952 to 2007.
What is Yōko Minamida's background in cinema and television?
Yoko Minamida was a Japanese actress born in Tokyo on March 1, 1933. She made her screen debut in 1953 for the Daiei studio and rose to stardom, working with Kenji Mizoguchi on the films A Story from Chikamatsu and Princess Yang Kwei-fei. In 1955, she moved to the Nikkatsu studio, starring in Takumi Furukawa's 1956 fil...
Yōko Minamida by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Gokusen (2002) as Matsubara — aged about 69
- Chikamatsu Monogatari (1954) as Otama — aged about 21
- House (1977) as Hausu Karei — aged about 44
- NET Playhouse (1966) as Nobuko Muroi — aged about 33
- Jakoman and Tetsu (1964) as Masa — aged about 31
- Pigs and Battleships (1961) as Katsuyo — aged about 28
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