Kinuyo Tanaka

Born: 1909-11-28

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director. Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at an early age, appearing in Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929. The following year she played the lead in Aiyoku no ki, and in 1931 she appeared in Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Heinosuke Gosho. She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975.[2] Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki. Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kinuyo Tanaka, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


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The Life of Oharu

as Oharu
Released: 1952-04-17

In Edo Period Japan, a noblewoman's banishment for her love affair with a lowly page signals the...

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Red Beard

as Madame Yasumoto
Released: 1965-04-03

Aspiring to an easy job as personal physician to a wealthy family, Noboru Yasumoto is...

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Ugetsu

as Miyagi
Released: 1953-03-26

In 16th century Japan, peasants Genjuro and Tobei sell their earthenware pots to a group of...

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Sansho the Bailiff

as Tamaki
Released: 1954-03-31

In medieval Japan, a woman and his children journey to find the family's patriarch, who was...

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Sandakan No. 8

as Old Osaki
Released: 1974-11-02

A young journalist interviews an elderly woman about being forced into prostitution in Borneo at...

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Okoto and Sasuke

as Okoto
Released: 1935-06-15

A period piece about the love of a wealthy blind woman, a teacher of koto and shamisen, and her...

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Equinox Flower

as Kiyoko Hirayama
Released: 1958-09-07

Wataru Hirayama outwardly liberal views on marriage are severely tested when his daughter...

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Utamaro and His Five Women

as Okita
Released: 1946-12-17

Utamaro, a great artist, lives to create portraits of beautiful women, and the brothels of Tokyo...

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A Hen in the Wind

as Tokiko Amamiya
Released: 1948-09-17

Tokiko is a mother patiently waiting for her husband's return from the war when her 4-year old...

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The Ballad of Narayama

as Orin
Released: 1958-06-01

In Kabuki style, the film tells the story of a remote mountain village where the scarcity of...

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The Munekata Sisters

as Setsuko Munekata
Released: 1950-08-08

Setsuko is unhappily married to Mimura, an engineer with no job and a bad drinking habit. She...

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The Woman in the Rumor

as Hatsuko Mabuchi
Released: 1954-06-20

Yukiko's fiance learns her mother runs a geisha house and ends their engagement. She despises...

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Lullaby of the Earth

as uncredited
Released: 1976-06-12

The story of an orphan girl, brought up in naive, rustic innocence by an elderly relative, who...

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Mother

as Masako Fukuhara
Released: 1952-06-12

A teenaged girl witnesses her widowed mother's attempt to sustain her family.

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The Loyal 47 Ronin

as Yae
Released: 1932-03-01

This 1932 adaptation is the earliest sound version of the ever-popular and much-filmed...

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Love Letter

as Landlady
Released: 1953-12-13

A sad and troubled man finds a new job five years after the end of WWII, where he writes love...

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Alone Across the Pacific

as Youth's Mother
Released: 1963-10-27

Kenichi Horie is determined to challenge his family, the law and the nature crossing the Pacific...

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Flowing

as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
Released: 1956-11-20

Otsuta is running the geisha house Tsuta in Tokyo. Her business is heavily in debt. Her daughter...

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Forever a Woman

as Neighbor's wife
Released: 1955-11-23

Fumiko, mother of two children and wife of an unfaithful man, shares her family life with her...

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Where Chimneys Are Seen

as Hiroko Ogata
Released: 1953-03-05

Gosho’s most celebrated film both in Japan and the West, Where Chimneys Are Seen is perhaps the...

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A Legend, or Was It?

as Shizuko Sonobe
Released: 1963-08-11

A Tokyo family escaping the war relocates to a Hokkaido village; their daughter is set to marry...

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Kāsan nagaiki shite ne

as uncredited
Released: 1962-10-13

1962 Japanese movie

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Ornamental Hairpin

as Emi
Released: 1941-08-26

A soldier is forced to prolong his stay at a rural spa when he accidentally cuts his foot on an...

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The Moon Has Risen

as Yoneya
Released: 1955-01-08

Mokichi is the widowed father of three daughters, with whom he lives on the premises of a temple...

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Miss Oyu

as Oyû Kayukawa
Released: 1951-06-22

Shinnosuke is introduced to Shizu as a prospective marriage partner, but he falls in love with...

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Dragnet Girl

as Tokiko
Released: 1933-04-27

A gangster tries to find redemption with the inadvertent help of an innocent shop girl and his...

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Miyamoto Musashi

as Shinobu Nonomiya
Released: 1944-12-29

The first of five Musashi series, Shinobu and her brother Genichiro plead with the famous...

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Ginza Cosmetics

as Yukiko Tsuji
Released: 1951-04-14

A luckless geisha struggles to make a living for herself and her young son.

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The Three Treasures

as Princess Yamato
Released: 1959-11-01

The legend of the birth of Shintoism. In Fourth Century Japan, the Emperor's son Ouso expects to...

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Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1

as Oiwa / Osode
Released: 1949-07-05

Iemon Tamiya is an impoverished masterless samurai who craves a better life, which he cannot...

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Women in Prison

as Prison Warden
Released: 1956-09-11

The woman prison has a cast all with a story of their own and with no dull or routine day. There...

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The Scent of Incense

as Tsuna
Released: 1964-05-24

After her mother runs away from home, Tomoko is raised to be a geisha. One day Tomoko meets her...

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Double Wedding

as uncredited
Released: 1963-07-13

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Burden of Life

as Itsuko Kuriyama
Released: 1935-12-10

Family drama. A middle-aged father has just married off his third daughter, but still has his...

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I Graduated, But...

as Machiko Nomoto
Released: 1929-09-06

Tetsuo Nomoto, a young graduated student tries to find a decent job by himself. Later on, he...

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The New Road: Ryota

as uncredited
Released: 1936-12-16

The eldest daughter of a noble family is in love with an aviator while being courted by a fellow...

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Spring Thunder

as uncredited
Released: 1939-04-13

Eiko is an innocent young lady born into a wealthy family with nothing to offer. She was good at...

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Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka

as Myokan
Released: 1959-09-13

The adopted son of an Osaka courier falls in love with a prostitute and, discovering that she is...

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Flame of My Love

as Eiko Hirayama
Released: 1949-02-13

A woman's struggle for equality in Japan in the 1880s. Eiko Hirayama leaves Okayama for Tokyo,...

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Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2

as Oiwa / Osode
Released: 1949-07-16

Part 2 starts where the first film ended, with Iemon disposing of the bodies of his wife and...

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The Love of the Actress Sumako

as Sumako Matsui
Released: 1947-08-16

The stage director Shimamura, who is bringing western theatre to Japan, falls in love with the...

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The Neighbour's Wife and Mine

as Wife of the playwright
Released: 1931-08-01

A playwright moves to a rural neighborhood to avoid the distractions of the city, but he...

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A Wanderer's Notebook

as Kishi, Fumiko's mother
Released: 1962-09-29

Considered one of the finest late Naruses and a model of film biography, A Wanderer’s Notebook...

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Army

as Waka
Released: 1944-12-07

A widow raises her sickly son to be strong enough to join the army and fight on the front lines.

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Let's Go, Grandma!

as Kiku Sasaki
Released: 1975-07-12

Let's Go, Grandma! plays like an exuberant, goofy update to Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story. Kinuyo...

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Her Brother

as Mother
Released: 1960-11-01

Set in 1926 when Japanese tradition was much stronger, this drama looks at the inner workings of...

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A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo

as Okinu
Released: 1945-06-28

In A Tale of Archery, young, timid bowmaster Kazuma (Akitake Kôno) seeks to beat the archery...

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Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?

as Oshige
Released: 1932-10-13

When a young man inherits his father's lucrative business, he cheats the system to set up three...

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Sincere Heart

as Kuniko
Released: 1953-01-29

A young student falls into a hopeless romantic attraction to a sick girl, whom he can only see...

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Confession

as uncredited
Released: 1956-03-21

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The Ataka Family

as Kuniko Ataka
Released: 1952-05-15

Soichi Ataka is the eldest son of Ataka family. Although mentally challenged, he's a person with...

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Young Lady

as Kinuko
Released: 1930-12-12

Two reporters find that they are repeatedly beaten to the scoop by a new female journaist,...

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Women of the Night

as Fusako Owada
Released: 1948-05-26

Fusako, a drug dealer's young mistress in postwar Japan, loses her tenuous grasp on life upon...

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Bright Sea

as Nobuko Yazaki
Released: 1963-12-26

On the day of college graduation, Mieko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) stood on stage as the valedictorian...

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Men vs. Women

as uncredited
Released: 1936-08-29

A musical film made for the inauguration of Shochiku's Ofuna Studio, with an all-star cast of...

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Sorrow Is Only for Women

as uncredited
Released: 1958-02-26

The beauty of the Japanese family system is portrayed through the women who greet a woman who...

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Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director

as uncredited
Released: 1975-05-24

In 39 interviews with actors and actresses, writers, producers and staff members, interspersed...

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The Lady of Musashino

as Michiko Akiyama
Released: 1951-09-14

Set in post-war Japan, The Lady of Musashino tells the story of Michiko, a disillusioned young...

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The Fencing Master

as Oharu
Released: 1962-09-30

The Fencing Master tells the story of a man trying to survive as the only world he knows is...

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The Inner Palace Conspiracy

as Onaka
Released: 1951-01-13

A period mystery in which an unconventional priest exposes the truth behind the bizarre death of...

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An Innocent Maid

as Oshige
Released: 1935-01-20

In a back alley of the Shitamachi district of Tokyo, Kihachi bears witness to a series of...

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Sanbaba

as uncredited
Released: 1974-06-01

A story about being scared of getting old.

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Victory Song

as Woman who sings lullaby
Released: 1945-02-22

Hisshoka is a 1945 Drama film directed by four Japanese directors.

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Woman of Tokyo

as Harue
Released: 1933-02-09

Ryoichi and Chikako, brother and sister, live together. Chikako toils during the day and, at...

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On This Earth

as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
Released: 1957-11-22

1957 drama from director Kôzaburô Yoshimura

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(Street of Wandering Pigeons) When Will the Birds Come Home

as Oshige
Released: 1955-06-21

Yoshida Denkichi does loses sight of his wife Chiyoko and daughter Toyoko during the war, and is...

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The Tree of Love

as Katsue Takaishi
Released: 1938-09-15

A young doctor, Kozo Tsumura, falls for young nurse Katsue Takaishi. But she's got a secret:...

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Yellow Crow

as Yukiko Matsumoto
Released: 1957-02-27

In this Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign-Language Film, director Heinosuke Gosho -- a master...

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Wedding Ring

as Noriko Kuki
Released: 1950-07-01

A jewelry store president begins to fall for the doctor treating her husband's illness.

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The Storm

as uncredited
Released: 1956-10-24

A widowed high-school teacher tries to raise his four children alone.

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Weeds with flowers

as uncredited
Released: 1939-06-15

Weed with Flowers

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Tsukiyo no kasa

as uncredited
Released: 1955-08-21

Housewives from four neighboring households casually gather at an old well at Kaneko's house in...

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Arupusu no wakadaishô

as Shinjiro Ishiyama / Aodaisyô
Released: 1966-05-28

Seventh movie of the Wakadaishō series directed by Kengo Furusawa

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Osayo koisugata

as Osayo
Released: 1934-09-14

The poor novelist Yamamoto is writing his novel, determined and with a headband around his head....

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Hahakogusa

as Shige Ozawa
Released: 1959-04-22

Based on the Nobu Koito story

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I Flunked, But...

as Cafe's waitress
Released: 1930-04-11

This bittersweet comedy tells the tale of a group of college roommates attempting to cheat their...

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The Dancing Girl of Izu

as Kaoru, a dancer
Released: 1933-02-01

"The Dancing Girl of Izu" tells of the story between a young male student who is touring the Izu...

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A Certain Woman

as uncredited
Released: 1942-10-29

Pretty Oshige is deceived by her first love. After this, she lives a hard lifestyle, working at...

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The Eternal Rainbow

as Fumi
Released: 1958-10-28

Two men at an ironworks encounter roadblocks: the first does not have the grades to get a job,...

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Zoku aizen katsura

as uncredited
Released: 1939-05-05

1939 Japanese movie

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Flower

as uncredited
Released: 1941-07-15

Most of the students studying Ikebana with Kozoe Iemoto are daughters of rich Tokyo families....

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Tora-san's Dream-Come-True

as the old family mistress
Released: 1972-12-29

When Tora-san returns to visit his family, he is surprised to find an arrogant professor...

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Victory of Women

as Hiroko Hosokawa
Released: 1946-04-18

Representing a destitute mother in an infanticide trial, a female lawyer attempts to convince a...

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Stepbrothers

as Rie
Released: 1957-06-25

In a military family, an illegitimate son is brutalized by his brothers. A patriarchal,...

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A Man's Recompense: Part 2

as uncredited
Released: 1937-08-24

Sabu Toshinobu is an archaeologist who has taken a liking to Kinuyo Tanaka, the daughter of an...

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Sisters of Nishijin

as uncredited
Released: 1952-04-17

A family of Kyoto textile workers struggles after tragedy.

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Kaisen no Zenya

as uncredited
Released: 1943-01-14

Kempeitai fights American spies in Japan

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The Bride Talks in Her Sleep

as Haruko, bride
Released: 1933-01-14

This pair of gentle yet witty and inventive comedies from the director of The Neighbour's Wife...

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Five Sisters

as uncredited
Released: 1954-06-08

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Cape of the North

as Old Nun
Released: 1976-04-03

A Swiss nun falls in love with a Japanese engineer.

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Phoenix

as Sayoko Aihara
Released: 1947-12-11

A Japanese war widow recalls her love affair with her deceased husband.

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Marriage

as Fumie Matsukawa
Released: 1947-03-18

In postwar Japan a young woman is unable to marry her sweetheart because her family's in...

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Marching On

as uncredited
Released: 1930-03-07

A farmer’s boy, obsessed with his balsa-and-paper flying models and with dreams of real...

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Kono sora no aru kagiri

as uncredited
Released: 1964-11-14

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Story of Lightning

as uncredited
Released: 1951-12-30

Gensaburo Funaki and Oyuki were childhood friends, but Gensaburo misunderstood that Oyuki was...

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Kinuyo's First Love

as uncredited
Released: 1940-03-31

Kinuyo is a daughter of rice cracker shop in downtown. She fell in love with her sister's...

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Okinu and Banto

as uncredited
Released: 1940-12-31

A story of a store that makes Tabi socks.

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Okayo's Preparedness

as Okayo
Released: 1939-04-01

A young student of traditional dance falls in love with a handsome young man who visits the...

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ABC Lifeline

as uncredited
Released: 1931-12-12

Directed by Yasujirô Shimazu.

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Osaka Woman

as uncredited
Released: 1940-09-19

Followup film to Osaka Elegy - Osaka Woman

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Mother and Child

as Chieko
Released: 1938-07-01

The movie follows a young woman (Kinuyo Tanaka), a daughter of a high-ranking businessman and...

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Let's Go in Good Spirits

as uncredited
Released: 1941-05-01

In the movies of those times, you can see young boys in the company scene often. Those boys were...

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The New Road: Akemi

as uncredited
Released: 1936-11-30

The eldest daughter of a noble family is in love with an aviator while being courted by a fellow...

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My Elder Brother

as Сумако
Released: 1934-12-13

Jyuta, an honest owner of a taxi company, has a younger half-brother who is involved in the...

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Wakarete ikiru toki mo

as Michi's Mother
Released: 1961-04-04

A Hiromichi Horikawa movie

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Song of the Flower Basket

as Yoko
Released: 1937-01-14

Three men fall in love with the same young girl who works in a tonkatsu restaurant in the...

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Geisha in the Old City

as uncredited
Released: 1957-10-13

1957 Japanese movie

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Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About

as self (archive footage)
Released: 2022-10-18

This documentary composed of numerous testimonies and archives, filmed in Japan highlights the...

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Joi Kinuyo sensei

as Kinuyo Yamaoka
Released: 1937-04-29

Kinuyo is a daughter of doctor of Chinese medicine, and Yasuo is a son of surgeon. Their...

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A Man's Recompense: Part 1

as uncredited
Released: 1937-08-13

Sabu Toshinobu is an archaeologist who has taken a liking to Kinuyo Tanaka, the daughter of an...

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Air Raid of the Enemy Plane

as uncredited
Released: 1943-04-01

Japanese war movie.

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The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2009-10-17

Compilation of film footage documenting Japanese film star Kinuyo Tanaka's goodwill tour of the...

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An Heir's Place

as Hisa Hosho
Released: 1953-06-03

This film stars Tanaka Kinuyo as the mother of the heir to the Hosho name, a famous lineage of...

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Banchô sarayashiki

as uncredited
Released: 1937-11-01

short film about Banchō Sarayashiki.

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Youth, Why Do You Cry?

as uncredited
Released: 1930-11-15

A modern girl suddenly intrudes into a widower's family home.

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Record of a Woman Doctor

as uncredited
Released: 1941-11-23

A group of female doctors travel to a remote village during their summer holiday to offer free...

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Mominoki wa Nokotta

as Tsuta
First aired: 1970-01-04

Depicting Date clan’s internal strife that occurred during a peaceful Edo period governed by the...

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