Kōji Hashimoto (橋本 広司, Hashimoto Kōji, born 1 January 1956), known professionally as Kōji Yakusho (役所 広司, Yakusho Kōji), is a Japanese actor. He is known internationally for his starring roles in Shall We Dance? (1996), Cure (1997), 13 Assassins (2010), The Third Murder (2017), The Blood of Wolves (2018), Under the Open Sky (2020) and The Days (2023). For his performance in Perfect Days (2023), he was awarded the Best Actor award in the 76th Cannes Film Festival.

Quick Facts Born, Occupation ...
Koji Yakusho
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Yakusho at the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival (2015)
Born
Kōji Hashimoto

(1956-01-01) 1 January 1956 (age 68)
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present
SpouseSaeko Kawazu
Children1
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Early life and education

Yakusho was born in Isahaya, Nagasaki, the youngest of five brothers. After graduation from Nagasaki Prefectural High School of Technology in 1974, he worked at the Chiyoda municipal ward office, or kuyakusho, in Tokyo, from which he later took his stage name.[1]

Career

In 1976, he saw a production of Maxim Gorky's The Lower Depths (Played by Tatsuya Nakadai) and was inspired, first to watch, and then later to take part in, as many plays as possible.[1] In the spring of 1978 he auditioned for Tatsuya Nakadai's the Mumeijuku (Studio for Unknown Performers) acting studio, and was one of four chosen out of 800 applicants.[1]

In 1983, he landed the role of Oda Nobunaga in the year-long NHK drama Tokugawa Ieyasu and was catapulted to fame. He also appeared in a TV version of Miyamoto Musashi from 1984 to 1985. For several years, he played Kuji Shinnosuke (or "Sengoku"), one of the title characters in the jidaigeki Sanbiki ga Kiru!. He played a major character in Juzo Itami's 1986 Tampopo.[1]

In 1988, he was given a special award for work in cinema by the Japanese Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture and continued to appear in films and in a number of TV shows through the '90s.[1]

In 1996 and 1997, Yakusho enjoyed several major successes. The Eel, directed by Shohei Imamura, in which he played the eel-loving lead, won the Palme d'Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.[2] Lawrence Van Gelder in the New York Times called his performance "unerring."[3] Lost Paradise, about a double-suicide, was second only to Princess Mononoke at the Japanese box office.[4]

International breakthrough: Shall We Dance?

Shall We Dance? was such a major hit in Japan that it inspired a domestic dance craze. Ballroom groups and dance schools multiplied in the country after the film's release, and people who previously would never admit to taking lessons announced that they did with pride.[5] Director Masayuki Suo said of his lead, who until that point was known mostly for playing good-looking samurai, "we thought he could play this overworked, tired Japanese businessman, and he did.... [H]e pulled everything off and took his dance training so seriously."[5]

The film also was one of Japan's highest-grossing movies outside the country.[1][5] It earned $9.5 million in the US and inspired a remake starring Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere, with Gere playing Yakusho's role.[6]

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Koji Yakusho at the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival in 2019

Yakusho next won the Hochi Film Award for Best Actor for Bounce Ko Gals, a film which dealt with high school prostitution specifically, and money worship in general. He collaborated with horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa in Cure,[1] License to Live,[7] Seance, Charisma,[1] Pulse,[8] Doppelganger,[9] Retribution,[10] and Tokyo Sonata.[11] Yakusho found further recognition with international audiences to some extent with roles in such films as Memoirs of a Geisha and Babel. In the latter, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, he played the father of the deaf-mute played by Rinko Kikuchi.[12]

Continued success

In 2009, he debuted as director of Toad's Oil.[13] In 2010 and 2011 he was part of both ensemble casts in Takashi Miike's samurai films, 13 Assassins and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai. The latter was in 3D and the first 3D film to be in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.[14]

In the 2011 war drama film Rengō Kantai Shirei Chōkan: Yamamoto Isoroku, Yakusho portrayed Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Yakusho was reportedly the only actor considered for the role; had he not accepted it, the film would have been canceled.[15]

In 2018 he was in The Blood of Wolves. For his performance in Perfect Days, directed by Wim Wenders, Yakusho won best actor at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.[16] In the same year, he has been selected 2023 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival’s filmmaker in focus.[17]

Filmography

Film

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Director Notes Ref.
1979 Hunter in the Dark Kuwano Hideo Gosha [18]
Eireitachi no oenka: saigo no sôkeisen Kihachi Okamoto [19]
1980 Twelve Months Young soldier (voice) Kimio Yabuki [20]
1981 Willful Murder Journalist Kei Kumai [21]
1982 Onimasa Kondō Hideo Gosha [22]
Himeyuri no Tô Otaka Tadashi Imai [23]
The Legend of Sayo Hatsutaro Tetsutaro Murano [24]
1985 Tampopo Man in White Suit Juzo Itami [25]
1987 The Great Department Store Robbery Cello player Azuma Morisaki [26]
1988 Another Way: D-Kikan Joho Naoto Sekiya Kōsaku Yamashita Lead role [27]
1990 Pod severnym siyaniyem Genzo Tamiya Toshio Gotō Lead role [28]
1993 Gurenbana Kenzo Nakada Mamoru Watanabe [29]
Drug Connection Ryosuke Kano Shōkaku Baba Lead role [30]
1994 Osaka Gokudo Senso: Shinoidare Ippei Yoshikawa Tatsuoki Hosono [31]
1995 Kamikaze Taxi Kantake Masato Harada Lead role [32]
1996 Shall We Dance? Shohei Sugiyama Masayuki Suo Lead role [33]
Sleeping Man Kamimura Kōhei Oguri [34]
Shabu Gokudo Makabe Tatsuoki Hosono Lead role [35]
1997 Lost Paradise Shoichiro Kuki Yoshimitsu Morita Lead role [36]
The Eel Takuro Yamashita Shohei Imamura Lead role [37]
Bounce Ko Gals Oshima Masato Harada Lead role [38]
Cure Kenichi Takabe Kiyoshi Kurosawa Lead role [39]
1998 Kizuna Takaaki Ise/Tetsuro Haga Kichitaro Negishi [40]
Tadon to chikuwa Kida Jun Ichikawa Lead role [41]
1999 License to Live Fujimori Kiyoshi Kurosawa [42]
Charisma Goro Yabuike Kiyoshi Kurosawa Lead role [43]
Spellbound Hiroshi Kitano Masato Harada Lead role [44]
2000 Swing Man Movie star Tetsu Maeda [45]
Dora-heita Koheita "Dora-heita" Mochizuki Kon Ichikawa Lead role [46]
Eureka Makoto Sawai Shinji Aoyama Lead role [47]
2001 Pulse Ship captain Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cameo [48]
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge Yosuke Sasano Shōhei Imamura Lead role [49]
2002 The Choice of Hercules Atsuyuki Sassa Masato Harada Lead role [50]
2003 Doppelganger Michio Hayasaki Kiyoshi Kurosawa Lead role [9]
Fireflies: River of Light Mr. Takiguchi Hiroshi Sugawara [51]
2004 The Hunter and the Hunted Detective Jin Sekikawa Izuru Narushima Lead role [52]
Tokyo: Level One The Governor of Tokyo Gen Yamakawa Lead role [53]
Lakeside Murder Case Shunsuke Namiki Shinji Aoyama Lead role [54]
University of Laughs Mutsuo Sakisaka Mamoru Hoshi Lead role [55]
2005 Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean Masami Shin'ichi Shinji Higuchi Lead role [56]
Memoirs of a Geisha Nobu Rob Marshall American film [57]
2006 The Uchōten Hotel Heikichi Shindo Kōki Mitani Lead role [58]
Babel Yasujiro Wataya Alejandro G. Iñárritu Foreign film [59]
Over the Hedge RJ (voice) Tim & Karey Japanese version [60]
Retribution Noboru Yoshioka Kiyoshi Kurosawa Lead role [61]
2007 I Just Didn't Do It Masayoshi Arakawa Masayuki Suo [62]
Argentine Baba Satoru Wakui Naoki Nagao Lead role [63]
Silk Hara Jubei François Girard Foreign film [64]
Walking My Life Yukihiro Fujiyama Satoshi Isaka Lead role [65]
2008 Paco and the Magical Book Onuki Tetsuya Nakashima Lead role [66]
Tokyo Sonata The Robber Kiyoshi Kurosawa [67]
2009 Mt. Tsurugidake Morisaku Furuta Daisaku Kimura [68]
Gelatin Silver Love Client Kazumi Kurigami [69]
Toad's Oil Takuro Yazawa Himself Lead role & director [13]
Astro Boy Dr. Bill Tenma (voice) David Bowers Japanese version [70]
2010 13 Assassins Shinzaemon Shimada Takashi Miike Lead role [71]
The Last Ronin Magozaemon Senoo Shigemichi Sugita Lead role [72]
2011 Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai Kageyu Saito Takashi Miike [73]
Isoroku Isoroku Yamamoto Izuru Narushima Lead role [74]
Chronicle of My Mother Kōsaku Masato Harada Lead role [75]
The Woodsman and the Rain Katsuhiko Shūichi Okita Lead role [76]
2012 A Terminal Trust Shinzo Egi Masayuki Suo [77]
2013 The Kiyosu Conference Shibata Katsuie Kōki Mitani Lead role [78]
2014 The World of Kanako Akikazu Fujishima Tetsuya Nakashima Lead role [79]
A Samurai Chronicle Shūkoku Toda Takashi Koizumi Lead role [80]
2015 The Emperor in August Korechika Anami Masato Harada Lead role [81]
The Boy and the Beast Kumatetsu (voice) Mamoru Hosoda Lead role [82]
Mifune: The Last Samurai Himself Steven Okazaki Documentary film [83]
2017 Sekigahara Tokugawa Ieyasu Masato Harada [84]
Oh Lucy! Komori Atsuko Hirayanagi American-Japanese film [85]
The Third Murder Misumi Hirokazu Kore-eda [86]
2018 The Blood of Wolves Shōgo Ōgami Kazuya Shiraishi Lead role [87]
Mirai Grandpa (voice) Mamoru Hosoda [88]
2019 Wings Over Everest Jiang Yuesheng Fay Yu Lead role; Chinese film [89]
Whistleblower Kase Katsuo Fukuzawa Cameo [90]
2021 Under the Open Sky Masao Mikami Miwa Nishikawa Lead role [91]
The Supporting Actors In Byplaywood Himself Daigo Matsui [92]
Belle Suzu's father (voice) Mamoru Hosoda [93]
2022 The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai Kawai Tsugunosuke Takashi Koizumi Lead role [94]
2023 Perfect Days Hirayama Wim Wenders Lead role; Japanese-German film [95]
Familia Seiji Izuru Narushima Lead role [96]
Father of the Milky Way Railroad Masajirō Miyazawa Izuru Narushima Lead role [97]
Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window Sōsaku Kobayashi (voice) Shinnosuke Yakuwa [98]
2024 Hakkenden: Fiction and Reality Takizawa Bakin Fumihiko Sori Lead role [99]
2025 Snowflowers: Seeds of Hope Hino Teisai Takashi Koizumi [100]
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Television

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Network Notes Ref.
1980 Shishi no Jidai Murakami Taiji NHK Taiga drama [101]
1981 Onna Taikōki Oda Nobutaka NHK Taiga drama [102]
1983 Tokugawa Ieyasu Oda Nobunaga NHK Taiga drama [103]
1984–1985 Miyamoto Musashi Miyamoto Musashi NHK Lead role [104]
1986 Inochi Hamamura NHK Taiga drama [105]
1987–1995 Sanbiki ga Kiru! Kuji Shin'nosuke TV Asahi 7 seasons [106]
1990 Moeyo Ken Hijikata Toshizō TV Tokyo Lead role; miniseries [107]
1991 Takeda Shingen Takeda Shingen TBS Lead role; TV movie [108]
1994 Hana no Ran Ibuki Saburo Nobutsuna NHK Taiga drama [109]
2000 Aikotoba wa Yūki Jintaro Akatsuki Fuji TV Lead role [110]
Seance Sato Fuji TV Lead role; TV movie [111]
2001 Band of Brothers Richard Winters HBO Japanese Voiceover [112]
2010 Wagaya no Rekishi Narrator Fuji TV Miniseries [113]
2011 Early Autumn Shinpei Matsubara TBS Lead role; TV movie [114]
2014 Oyaji no Senaka Sōsuke Aoki TBS Lead role; episode 2 [115]
2017 Ties: A Miraculous Colt Masayuki NHK Lead role; miniseries [116]
Rikuoh Kōichi Miyazawa TBS Lead role [117]
The Supporting Actors Himself TV Tokyo Episode 1 [118]
2019 Idaten Kanō Jigorō NHK Taiga drama [119]
2021 Pension Metsa Tsuneki Wowow Episode 1 [120]
Matrilineal Family Yoshizō Yajima TV Asahi Special appearance; miniseries [121]
2023 The Days Masao Yoshida Netflix Lead role [122]
Vivant Nogoon Beki TBS [123]
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Accolades

State honors

More information Country, Year ...
Country Year Honor Ref.
 Japan 2012 Medal with Purple Ribbon [124]
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Awards and nominations

More information Organizations, Year ...
Organizations[lower-alpha 1] Year[lower-alpha 2] Category Work Result Ref.
Agency for Cultural Affairs 1998 Art Encouragement Prizes[lower-alpha 3] The Eel, Lost Paradise, Bounce Ko Gals, Cure Won [126]
Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2017 Best Performance by an Actor The Third Murder Nominated [127]
2023 Best Performance Perfect Days Nominated [128]
Asia-Pacific Film Festival 2023 Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated [129]
Asian Film Awards 2011 Best Actor in a Leading Role 13 Assassins Nominated [130]
2012 Chronicle of My Mother Nominated [131]
2019 The Blood of Wolves Won [132]
Excellence In Asian Cinema Award[lower-alpha 4] Honored
2021 Best Actor in a Leading Role Under the Open Sky Nominated [134]
2024 Perfect Days Won [135]
Blue Ribbon Awards 1997 Best Actor Shall We Dance?, Sleeping Man, Shabu gokudo Won [136]
1998 The Eel, Lost Paradise, Cure Won [137]
2016 The Emperor in August Nominated [138]
2018 Best Supporting Actor The Third Murder, Sekigahara Nominated [139]
2019 Best Actor The Blood of Wolves Nominated [140]
2022 Under the Open Sky Nominated [141]
2024 Perfect Days Nominated [142]
Cannes Film Festival 2023 Best Actor Won [143]
Chicago International Film Festival 2001 Silver Hugo – Best Actor Warm Water Under a Red Bridge Won [144]
2020 Silver Hugo – Best Performance Under the Open Sky Won [145]
Chlotrudis Award 1998 Best Actor Shall We Dance? Nominated [146]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2007 Best Acting Ensemble Babel Nominated [147]
Deauville Asian Film Festival 2008 Tribute Won [148]
Dubai International Film Festival 2011 Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature – Best Actor The Woodsman and the Rain Won [149]
Elan d'or Awards 1984 Newcomer of the Year Won [150]
Gold Derby Awards 2007 Best Ensemble Cast Babel Nominated [151]
Gotham Awards 2006 Best Ensemble Cast Won [152]
GQ Japan 2021 Men of the Year Best Actor Won [153]
Hawaii International Film Festival 2012 Career Achievement Award[lower-alpha 5] Honored [155]
Hochi Film Award 1996 Best Actor Shall We Dance?, Sleeping Man, Shabu gokudo Won [156]
1997 The Eel, Lost Paradise, Bounce Ko Gals Won
2017 Best Supporting Actor The Third Murder, Sekigahara Won [157]
2018 Best Actor The Blood of Wolves Won [158]
2021 Under the Open Sky Nominated [159]
Japan Academy Film Prize 1991 Best Actor in a Leading Role Pod severnym siyaniyem Nominated [160]
1997 Shall We Dance? Won [161]
1998 The Eel Won [162]
1999 Kizuna Nominated [163]
2000 Spellbound Nominated [164]
2001 Dora-heita Nominated [165]
2002 Warm Water Under a Red Bridge Nominated [166]
2003 The Choice of Hercules Nominated [167]
2005 University of Laughs Nominated [168]
2007 The Uchōten Hotel Nominated [169]
2008 Walking My Life Nominated [170]
2009 Paco and the Magical Book Nominated [171]
2011 13 Assassins Nominated [172]
2012 The Last Ronin Nominated [173]
2013 Chronicle of My Mother Nominated [174]
Isoroku Nominated
2015 A Samurai Chronicle Nominated [175]
2016 The Emperor in August Nominated [176]
2018 Best Actor in a Supporting Role The Third Murder Won [177]
Sekigahara Nominated
2019 Best Actor in a Leading Role The Blood of Wolves Won [178]
2022 Under the Open Sky Nominated [179]
2024 Perfect Days Won [180]
Japan Cuts 2012 Excellence in Film[lower-alpha 6] Honored [182]
Japanese Movie Critics Awards 1996 Best Actor Shall We Dance?, Sleeping Man, Shabu gokudo Won [183]
Kinema Junpo Awards 1997 Best Actor Shall We Dance? Won [184]
1998 The Eel, Lost Paradise Won [185]
2022 Under the Open Sky Won [186]
2024 Perfect Days, Familia and Father of the Milky Way Railroad Won [187]
Kyoto International Film and Art Festival 2014 Toshiro Mifune Award[lower-alpha 7] Honored [189]
Mainichi Film Awards 1996 Best Actor Kamikaze Taxi Won [190]
1997 Shall We Dance?, Sleeping Man, Shabu gokudo Won [191]
2018 Best Supporting Actor The Third Murder Won [192]
2019 Best Actor The Blood of Wolves Nominated [193]
2022 Under the Open Sky Nominated [194]
Monte-Carlo Television Festival 2013 Golden Nymph for Outstanding Actors Early Autumn Nominated [195]
Nikkan Sports Film Award 1996 Best Actor Shall We Dance? Won [196]
2017 Best Supporting Actor The Third Murder, Sekigahara Won [197]
2018 Best Actor The Blood of Wolves Nominated [198]
Nippon Connection 2017 Nippon Honor Award[lower-alpha 8] Honored [200]
Osaka Cinema Festival 2019 Best Actor The Blood of Wolves Won [201]
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2007 Best Ensemble Cast Babel Won [202]
San Diego Film Critics Society 2006 Best Ensemble Won [203]
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2007 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated [204]
Singapore International Film Festival 2017 Cinema Legend Award[lower-alpha 9] Honored [206]
Sitges Film Festival 2014 Best Actor The World of Kanako Won [207]
TAMA Film Awards 2012 Best Actor Isoroku, Chronicle of My Mother, The Woodsman and the Rain Won [208]
2021 Best Actor Under the Open Sky, The Supporting Actors, Belle Won [209]
Television Drama Academy Awards 2018 Best Actor Rikuoh Won [210]
The Men's Fashion Unity 2007 Best Dresser Award Won [211]
Tokyo International Film Festival 1997 Best Actor Cure Won [212]
Tokyo Sports Film Award 2018 Best Supporting Actor The Third Murder Nominated [213]
2019 Best Actor The Blood of Wolves Nominated [214]
Yokohama Film Festival 1997 Best Actor Shall We Dance?, Sleeping Man, Shabu gokudo Won [215]
2005 University of Laughs, Yudan Taiteki, Tokyo Genpatsu Won [216]
2019 The Blood of Wolves Won [217]
Zenkoku Eiren Awards 1997 Best Actor Shall We Dance? Won [218]
2013 Chronicle of My Mother Won
2018 Best Supporting Actor The Third Murder Won
2022 Best Actor Under the Open Sky Won
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Notes

  1. Awards, festivals, honors and other miscellaneous organizations are listed in alphabetical order.
  2. Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
  3. On the official website of the Agency for Cultural Affairs definition, "...for New Artists are presented to persons whose outstanding achievements have opened up new vistas in a given year."[125]
  4. Per Tokyo International Film Festival, "The Excellence in Asian Cinema Award aims to highlight distinguished talents and affirm their achievements and contributions to Asian film industry and culture."[133]
  5. Per Hawaii International Film Festival, "The HIFF Golden Maile Award for Career Achievement is bestowed to an artist who has reached the career pinnacles very few have achieved via industry awards and accolades and a body of work that is known globally."[154]
  6. Reporting from Movie Walker Press, "Cut Above Award for Excellent in Film, which was established to honor the contributions made to the film industry over the years."[181]
  7. Kyoto International Film and Art Festival describes the award, "The Toshiro Mifune Award... honors an actor who has great potential for international success."[188]
  8. Quoted verbatim from the 22nd Nippon Connection Film Festival, "The award... honors outstanding personalities for their merits in the Japanese film industry."[199]
  9. Singapore International Film Festival wrote, "The Cinema Legend Award is awarded to a luminary Asian actor who has made an indelible mark with his/her performance, celebrating outstanding achievements in bringing Asia’s story to life on screen."[205]

References

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