Machiko Kyō

Born: 1924-03-25

Machiko Kyō (Japanese: 京 マチ子 Hepburn: Kyō Machiko, March 25, 1924 – May 12, 2019) was a Japanese actress whose film work occurred primarily during the 1950s. She rose to extraordinary domestic praise in Japan for her work in two of the greatest Japanese films of the 20th century, Akira Kurosawa's Rashōmon and Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu. Machiko trained to be a dancer before entering films in 1949. The following year, she would achieve international fame as the female lead in Akira Kurosawa's classic film Rashōmon. Kyō starred in many more Japanese productions, including Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu (1953) and Street of Shame (1956), Teinosuke Kinugasa's Gate of Hell (1953), Kon Ichikawa's Odd Obsession (1959), Yasujirō Ozu's Floating Weeds (1959), and Hiroshi Teshigahara's The Face of Another (1966). Her only role in a non-Japanese film was as Lotus Blossom, a young geisha, in The Teahouse of the August Moon, starring opposite Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford. In her eighties, Kyō continued to perform in traditional Japanese theatrical productions put on by famed producer Fukuko Ishii. Her final role was as Matsuura Shino in the NHK television drama series Haregi Koko Ichiban in 2000. Kyō was nominated for a Golden Globe for The Teahouse of the August Moon, a great feat for an Asian actress at the time, and was awarded many prizes, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Awards of the Japanese Academy. Description above from the Wikipedia article Machiko Kyō, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


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Rashomon

as Masako
Released: 1950-08-26

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the...

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The Teahouse of the August Moon

as Lotus Blossom
Released: 1957-07-01

In post-WWII Japan, an American captain is brought in to help build a school, but the locals...

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Ugetsu

as Lady Wakasa
Released: 1953-03-26

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

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Gate of Hell

as Lady Kesa
Released: 1953-10-30

Japan, 1159. Moritō, a brave samurai, performs a heroic act by rescuing the lovely Kesa during a...

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The Face of Another

as Mrs. Okuyama
Released: 1966-07-15

A businessman with a disfigured face obtains a lifelike mask from his doctor, but the mask...

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Floating Weeds

as Sumiko
Released: 1959-11-17

When a theater troupe's master visits his old flame, he unintentionally sets off a chain of...

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Street of Shame

as Mickey
Released: 1956-03-18

The lives of five prostitutes employed at a Japanese brothel while the nation is debating the...

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Black Lizard

as Mrs. Midorikawa
Released: 1962-03-14

The cunning detective Akeichi must foil a kidnapping plot orchestrated by the notorious jewel...

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Odd Obsession

as Ikuko Kenmochi
Released: 1959-06-23

A middle-aged husband of a younger woman finds her youth intimidating to the point that he...

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Princess Yang Kwei Fei

as Princess Yang Kwei-fei
Released: 1955-05-03

In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family...

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The Wandering Princess

as Ryûko Korinkakura (Hiroko Aishinkakura)
Released: 1960-01-27

Pu Zhe , the younger brother of the Emperor of Manchukuo, Pu Wen, marries Ryuko the daughter of...

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A Woman's Testament

as uncredited
Released: 1960-01-14

The first story concerns an attractive young woman who works in a Tokyo nightclub. Her plan for...

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Brother and Sister

as Mon
Released: 1953-08-19

The eldest daughter of a rural family Mon returns home from Tokyo pregnant after an affair with...

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Buddha

as Nandabala
Released: 1961-10-31

An Indian prince leaves his world of comfort and riches behind to wander and meditate for six...

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A Fool's Love

as Naomi
Released: 1949-10-16

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The Great Wall

as uncredited
Released: 1962-11-01

In 221 BC, Qin Shihuangdi conquered the rest of China. Qin's great accomplishments and also his...

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The Loyal 47 Ronin

as Orui, Spy
Released: 1958-04-01

Japan, 1701. A group of samurai become rônin after their lord is forced to commit seppuku for...

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Hanakurabe tanuki-den

as uncredited
Released: 1949-04-17

Princess Oboro, the queen of the Tanuki palace and stubborn at heart, falls in love with...

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Tora-san's Pure Love

as Aya
Released: 1976-12-25

When Tora-san's infatuation with his nephew's school teacher causes family turmoil, he leaves on...

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Chance Meeting

as Aya Koyanagi
Released: 1958-01-15

Aya successfully stages a fashion show in Osaka and in the train on her way home to Tokyo...

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Solar Eclipse

as uncredited
Released: 1975-09-06

When bribe money from a rigged election funnels into a dam construction project, collusion,...

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Kurosawa

as Self
Released: 2000-12-24

Documentary on film maker Akira Kurosawa

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The Life of a Horse Trader

as Yuki
Released: 1951-12-07

The tale of Katakana Yonetaro aka "The Shark," a rough-and-tumble horse trader in Japan's...

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The Princess Sen

as uncredited
Released: 1954-10-20

During the Warring States era of early 17th century Japan, teenage princess Sen is besieged with...

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Mother

as Takako Ômachi
Released: 1958-03-05

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Aizen katsura

as uncredited
Released: 1954-04-21

1954 Japanese movie

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Kurohyō

as uncredited
Released: 1953-07-17

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Night Butterflies

as Mari
Released: 1957-04-01

A traditional bar mistress in Kyoto clashes with her Tokyo rival.

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Clothes of Deception

as Kimicho
Released: 1951-01-13

The story of two sisters in post-war Japan. One is a geisha and the other works for the tourist...

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The Little Runaway

as Director of the shelter
Released: 1966-12-24

During a Soviet circus tour in Japan, a small street musician, Ken, meets a clown, Yuri Nikulin....

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Jirocho Fuji

as Okatsu
Released: 1959-06-03

Legendary yakuza Shimizu Jirocho and his 28 henchmen travel the unruly path from a 'Fire...

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The Possessed

as uncredited
Released: 1976-10-16

Oshima, a rich girl married Shinzo, and her cousin girl Sawa has been jealous of Oshima deeply....

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The Ladder of Success

as uncredited
Released: 1958-04-01

A biting portrait of the world of classical Japanese dance: an ambitious young woman (Wakao...

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A Rainbow at Every Turn

as uncredited
Released: 1956-02-19

Momoko and Asako are half sisters, daughters of the famous architect Tsuneo Mizuhara, who also...

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Goodbye, Hello

as Umeko Ichige
Released: 1959-01-03

Comedy drama by Kon Ichikawa

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A Woman's Life

as Kei Nunobiki
Released: 1962-11-18

One of many adaptations of "Onna no isshō", this time by Yasuzo Masumura as a starring vehicle...

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Dancing Girl

as Chiyomi Hanamura
Released: 1957-02-12

In Asakusa, Tokyo, a couple of a violinist Yamano and a revue dancer Hanae lives in poverty. One...

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Three Women Around Yoshinaka

as Tomoe
Released: 1956-01-15

The story of Yoshinaka during the tumultuous period of warring related to us in the Heike...

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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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Musume no boken

as uncredited
Released: 1958-11-01

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The Third Will

as Fujiyo Yajima
Released: 1963-03-31

A story about a wealthy family and the greed and selfishness of three daughters and relatives,...

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The Family

as Aiko Takasu
Released: 1974-01-26

Set in the post-World War II climate of the 1960s in Kobe, the movie explores the struggle for...

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Thousand Cranes

as Chikako Kurimoto
Released: 1969-04-19

The entangled relations between the son of a seductive tea-ceremony teacher and the women in his...

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The Tale of Genji

as Awaji no ue
Released: 1951-06-11

Genji, the illegitimate offspring of a Japanese potentate, goes by the philosophy of "love 'em...

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A Certain Woman

as Yoko Hayazuki
Released: 1954-03-13

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The Daphne

as Kikuko (the eldest daughter)
Released: 1966-10-01

Four sisters are all named after flowers. While the two youngest are married, the eldest two...

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The Woman Who Touched Legs

as Saya Shiozawa
Released: 1960-08-24

Detective Katahachi meets a young and beautiful pickpocket and doesn’t arrest her because she...

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The Beloved Image

as uncredited
Released: 1960-10-08

A girl marries her elderly employer but in reality is in love with his son.

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浅草の夜

as Setsuko Takashima
Released: 1954-07-14

A young scriptwriter with a yakuza upbringing, an iron-fire dancer, a young painter, and a...

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The Bitch

as Emmy
Released: 1951-08-10

The fall of an accountant enthralled by the sexual charms of a cabaret dancer.

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The Last Betrayal

as Chizuru
Released: 1960-07-10

A crime boss gets out of prison and tries to find who from his organization betrayed him.

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Hole in One

as Nagako Kita
Released: 1957-09-15

A female reporter is fired for writing about police corruption; to make money while hiding from...

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The Story of Shunkin

as uncredited
Released: 1954-06-27

Based on the novel by Junichiro Tanizaki. Story of the beautiful blind daughter of a wealthy...

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Beauty and the Thief

as Sakin
Released: 1952-09-22

The picture belongs to the jidai gekki (historic) genre. It is a powerful story of violence and...

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Marriageable Age

as uncredited
Released: 1961-01-14

Yoshimura's 48th film is the contemporary story of a well-to-do family showing the frailties and...

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Tsukigata Hanpeita

as Hagino
Released: 1956-10-16

During the bloody era of the Tokugawa Shogunate collapse, a man appeared capable of overthrowing...

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The Man Who Laughs Last

as uncredited
Released: 1949-02-28

The East Asian Acrobatic circus enjoys popularity after welcoming the Asuka brothers, two...

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I'll Not Forget the Song of Nagasaki

as uncredited
Released: 1952-03-27

A Japanese soldier who died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Hawaii entrusted Henry Gray...

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The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa

as Ryûko Beni
Released: 1952-01-03

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The Motherland Far Far Away

as Mari, daughter
Released: 1950-03-05

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Nakayoshi ondo: Nippon ichi dayo

as uncredited
Released: 1962-05-12

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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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The Makioka Sisters

as uncredited
Released: 1959-01-14

1959 adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki's novel.

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Daiei Studio is Bustling

as uncredited
Released: 1957-01-15

A studio introduction version for Daiei Stars.

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A Design for Dying

as Shikiko Oba
Released: 1961-06-28

Shikiko Oba is nimble with her fingers and teaches dressmaking and designing. Among her pupils...

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A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love

as uncredited
Released: 1955-04-23

A Girl isn't Allowed to Love is a 1955 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.

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女と海賊

as 綾衣
Released: 1959-04-01

In the early Edo period, among the pirate ships that roamed the seas near Ryukyu and Korea,...

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女と海賊

as お糸
Released: 1959-04-01

In the early Edo period, among the pirate ships that roamed the seas near Ryukyu and Korea,...

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Make-Up

as Tsune Tsutano
Released: 1984-05-02

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Bonchi

as Ofuku
Released: 1960-04-14

Kikuji is the scion of an Osaka merchant family whose traditional power is matrilineal....

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Resurrection

as Yukiko Ohara
Released: 1950-06-10

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A Bullet Hole Underground

as Michiko Kaneko
Released: 1949-05-02

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Jigoku bana

as uncredited
Released: 1957-06-25

Period drama based on the novel by Saisei Murō.

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A Geisha on Horseback

as Nobukichi
Released: 1954-11-15

Based on the original work of Akutagawa Prize-winning writer Ashihei Hino, the film depicts the...

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Born Fighter

as Sue Yoshida
Released: 1970-02-21

Story about a big boss who built the foundation of an industrial city.

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Sweet Sweat

as Umeko
Released: 1964-09-19

This film by Toyoda depicts the hard life of an unmarried mother in Tokyo. Umeko (Machiko Kyo),...

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New Women’s Dialogue

as uncredited
Released: 1955-08-23

A young female president of a company who hates men and a new male employee who hates women: a...

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Nuregami botan

as uncredited
Released: 1961-02-08

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Itohan Monogatari

as Okatsu
Released: 1957-01-15

Based on the original work by Shuji Hojo, Itohan Monogatari depicts the fate of a clumsy and...

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Tainted Flowers

as uncredited
Released: 1958-07-13

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The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 1948-06-20

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June...

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Hana no Ran

as Hino Shigeko
First aired: 1994-04-03

The story takes place during the Muromachi period of Ancient Japan, in the midst of the Ōnin...

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Yokomizo Seishi Series

as uncredited
First aired: 1977-04-02

TV series starring Ikko Furuya, based on the Kosuke Kindaichi mystery novel series by Seishi...

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Nukata no Ōkimi

as uncredited
First aired: 1980-03-14

A historical romance about the life of Princess Nukata, a Manyo poetess who was loved by two...

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