Kôji Yakusho
Biography
Kôji Yakusho is a Japanese actor who was born in Isahaya, Nagasaki, and first became interested in acting after seeing a 1976 production of Maxim Gorky's The Lower Depths. In 1978 he was one of four performers chosen from 800 applicants for Tatsuya Nakadai's acting studio. Fame came in 1983 with the NHK drama Tokugawa Ieyasu, in which he played Oda Nobunaga. He then appeared in jidaigeki series and in Juzo Itami's Tampopo. He worked repeatedly with the director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, including on Cure (1997), and starred in The Eel (1997), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Shall We Dance? was a major hit in Japan and abroad. He made his directing debut with Toad's Oil, took roles in Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins (2010) and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, and won Best Actor at the 76th Cannes Film Festival for Perfect Days.
70years old
Turns 71 on January 1in 52 days
- Born Isahaya
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
- 橋本 広司 (birth name)Also credited as Yakusho Kōji, Koji Yakusho, Yakusho Koji and Kouji Yakusho
Movie Career
- Films
- 23
- Career span
- 42 years1979 to 2021
First and latest
Photos
Share
Did you know?!
Early training
In the spring of 1978, Yakusho tried out for Tatsuya Nakadai's Mumeijuku acting studio. Of 800 applicants, he was among the four who were picked.
About the name
Yakusho took his professional name from the Chiyoda ward office, or kuyakusho, where he worked after finishing high school in 1974.
Big break
In 1983, Yakusho was cast as Oda Nobunaga in Tokugawa Ieyasu, a year-long NHK drama, and the part brought him fame.
A role that slipped away
Yakusho was reportedly the only actor considered to play Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in the 2011 war drama Rengō Kantai Shirei Chōkan: Yamamoto Isoroku; without him the film would have been canceled.
Behind the camera
In 2009, Yakusho took on the role of director for the first time, making his debut behind the camera with the film Toad's Oil.
Kôji Yakusho movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Kiyoshi Kurosawa directed four of these films, Mamoru Hosoda three and Takashi Miike two. Hajime Inoue appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Hajime Inoue's page
Isao Hashizume's page
Kazuki Namioka's page
Yukiya Kitamura's page
Jun Kunimura's page
Mamoru Miyano's page
Mamoru HosodaDirector, 3 films, 2015 to 2021
All films by Mamoru Hosoda
Also two films together33 more actors
- Ren ÔsugiSéance (2000) and Cure (1997)
- Ken WatanabeMemoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Tampopo (1985)
- Shôta SometaniBelle (2021) and The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- DendenTokyo Sonata (2008) and Cure (1997)
- Joe OdagiriThe World of Kanako (2014) and Retribution (2006)
- Isao NatsuyagiWarm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) and Hunter in the Dark (1979)
- Kenichi MatsuyamaSekigahara (2017) and The Emperor in August (2015)
- Tsutomu YamazakiThe Emperor in August (2015) and Tampopo (1985)
- Hideji ÔtakiTampopo (1985) and Hunter in the Dark (1979)
- Takehiro HiraSekigahara (2017) and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011)
- Toshie NegishiThe Third Murder (2017) and Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001)
- Akaji MaroSekigahara (2017) and The Emperor in August (2015)
- Kumiko AsôMirai (2018) and The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- Show AikawaSéance (2000) and The Eel (1997)
- Haru KurokiMirai (2018) and The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- Kazuhiro YamajiThe Boy and the Beast (2015) and The Emperor in August (2015)
- Mitsuko BaishôWarm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) and The Eel (1997)
- Munetaka AokiThe World of Kanako (2014) and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011)
- Yoshi KatôTampopo (1985) and Hunter in the Dark (1979)
- Midoriko KimuraUnder the Open Sky (2020) and Sekigahara (2017)
- Miki NakataniThe World of Kanako (2014) and Silk (2007)
- Suzu HiroseThe Third Murder (2017) and The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- Tsuyoshi Ihara13 Assassins (2010) and Retribution (2006)
- Ikuji NakamuraThe Emperor in August (2015) and Retribution (2006)
- Masahiro TodaSéance (2000) and Cure (1997)
- Shû NakajimaSekigahara (2017) and The Emperor in August (2015)
- Masaharu FukuyamaMirai (2018) and The Third Murder (2017)
- Rokkaku SeijiUnder the Open Sky (2020) and 13 Assassins (2010)
- Suzuka OhgoOh Lucy! (2017) and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
- Yoriko DôguchiCure (1997) and Tampopo (1985)
- Gorô Inagaki13 Assassins (2010) and University of Laughs (2004)
- Misa ShimizuWarm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) and The Eel (1997)
- Yasumasa ÔbaSekigahara (2017) and The Emperor in August (2015)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Kôji Yakusho's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$354 million
12 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 23 films: 12 worldwide figure; 6 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 4 figure not found.
- 12Worldwide figure
- 6US gross only
- 1Never in cinemas
- 4Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$162M45.8% of the total
- 2$64M17.9% of the total
- 3$50M14.0% of the total
- 4$30M8.4% of the total
- 5$18M5.0% of the total
- 6$13M3.8% of the total
- 7$6.5M1.8% of the total
- 8$5.4M1.5% of the total
$6.3 millionfrom the other 4 films with a worldwide figure, 2% of the total
Awards
Seven awards and honors from 1984 to 2023, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | |||
| 2023 | Best Actor | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2014 | Sitges Film Festival Best Actor award | The World of Kanako | Won |
| 2012 | Medal with Purple Ribbon | Won | |
| 1998 | Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor | Won | |
| 1997 | Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor | Won | |
| 1984 | Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year | Won | |
| Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.