--- name: "Ayako Wakao" canonical: "https://film.one/person/ayako-wakao" fi1m_id: "ayako-wakao" imdb_id: "nm0906723" tmdb_id: 97210 wikidata_id: "Q1042106" roles: ["Actor"] born: "8 November 1933" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-25T08:59:20.695909+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Ayako Wakao ## Identity Ayako Wakao - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ayako-wakao - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** ayako-wakao - **IMDb ID:** nm0906723 - **TMDB ID:** 97210 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1042106 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayako_Wakao, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1042106, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906723/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/97210 Actor. Born 8 November 1933 in Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 8 November 1933, Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan - **Also known as:** Аяко Вакао, آیاکو واکائو - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayako_Wakao, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1042106, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906723/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/97210 ## Streaming the US now - **HBO Max:** [*Floating Weeds*](https://film.one/film/floating-weeds.md) (84) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Ayako Wakao > Ayako Wakao makes calculating women worth listening to, with a frankness that discourages easy affection. We value the force and sensuality of her work with Yasuzō Masumura; the early ingénue parts could ask too little of her. Ayako Wakao’s voice can be blunt: low, plain and frank, with little encouragement to find the speaker sweet. In her later collaborations with Yasuzō Masumura, it becomes breathier and more guttural, suited to the sensual, psychologically complicated women she plays. The delivery matters because so many of these women want something they are not supposed to want. We value her willingness to make them calculating without asking us to dismiss them. In Yasujirō Ozu’s *Floating Weeds* (1959), she plays Kayo, a young actress in a touring troupe. The still, colourful compositions give the people in it time to become understandable, including those we might prefer to judge quickly. We were moved by that patience, by being allowed to keep looking at troubled people without being hurried past them. Not every stretch earns its length, and the pace occasionally becomes a test. It is worth seeing her here before treating the more forceful Masumura characters as the only kind of woman she could play. Her early work was not uniformly rewarding: ingénue parts could ask too little beyond youthful appeal. The important change comes with Kenji Mizoguchi, first in *A Geisha* (1953), where she plays the trainee Eiko, then in *Street of Shame* (1956), as the calculating prostitute Yasumi. The second part allows an unsympathetic woman to remain worth our attention. It is a stronger use of Wakao than simply asking her to be agreeable. Masumura became the sustained partnership: they made 20 films together. *A Wife Confesses* (1961) gives her a psychologically intense, calculating lead; *Red Angel* (1966) places her as a frontline nurse in a brutal war drama. These are substantial demands on an actor, and they make good use of the frankness and sensuality that slighter parts could leave unused. Masumura gives her room for vitality and selfishness without insisting that either should make the character pleasant. Start with *Floating Weeds* for the patient drama, then try *A Wife Confesses* when the mood calls for something more intense. ## Biography Ayako Wakao is a Japanese actress born on 8 November 1933 in Tokyo. She began her career under contract to Daiei Studios in 1951 as part of the fifth "New Face" group and made her film debut the following year. She has appeared in over 100 feature films. Wakao starred in 20 films by director Yasuzō Masumura and appeared in seven works by Kon Ichikawa. She featured in Kenji Mizoguchi's *A Geisha* (1953) and *Street of Shame* (1956), and played Kayo in Yasujirō Ozu's *Floating Weeds* (1959). Other notable roles include parts in *An Actor's Revenge* (1963), *Manji* (1964), *Red Angel* (1966) and *Irezumi* (1966). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nippon.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Floating Weeds* (1959), Fi1m 84, as Kayo — [page](https://film.one/film/floating-weeds.md) ## Complete filmography (172) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Izakaya Moheji 4* (2015), as Kihara Shino [New customer] - *Izakaya Moheji 2* (2013), as Kihara Shino [New customer] - *Ohisama* (2011), series, as Yoko Sudo (present day) - *Spring Snow* (2005), Actor - *Tokugawa Yoshinobu* (1998), series, as Yoshiko Tokugawa - *SMAP×SMAP* (1996), series, as Bistro Guest - *The Tale of Genji* (1991), series, Actor - *Takeda Shingen* (1988), series, as Oi Fujin - *Princess from the Moon* (1987), as Tayoshime - *ときめきの午後* (1985), series, Actor - *Tokimeki no Gogo* (1985), Actor - *Onna no Katei* (1977), Actor - *Onna no Natsu* (1975), Actor - *女の夏* (1975), series, Actor - *Genroku Taiheiki* (1975), series, as Someko - *Onna no Kyūka* (1974), Actor - *女の家庭* (1974), series, Actor - *愛と愛* (1972), series, Actor - *Shin Heike Monogatari* (1972), series, as Tokiwa Gozen - *Maboroshi no Satsui* (1971), Actor - *Tora-san's Shattered Romance* (1971), as 明石夕子 - *Spartan Education* (1970), Actor - *Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo* (1970), as Umeno - *Blood End* (1969), as Otsuta - *Thousand Cranes* (1969), as Mrs. Ota - *One Day at Summer's End* (1968), as Mariko Nozaki - *The House of Wooden Blocks* (1968), Actor - *The Time of Reckoning* (1968), as Machiko Yonekura - *The Saga of Tanegashima* (1968), as Wakasa - *The Wife of Seishu Hanaoka* (1967), as Kae - *When the Cookie Crumbles* (1967), Actor - *Two Wives* (1967), Actor - *Night Trap* (1967), as Aiko Manabe - *Shroud of Snow* (1967), as Taeko Sayama - *Shojo jutai* (1966), as Aiko Takano - *Red Angel* (1966), as Nurse Sakura Nishi - *Wild Geese* (1966), as Otama - *Freezing Point* (1966), as Natsue - *The Virgin Witness* (1966), as Chiei, Nun - *Irezumi* (1966), as Otsuya - *While Yet a Wife* (1965), Actor - *Strange Triangle* (1965), Actor - *Seisaku's Wife* (1965), as Okane - *I'll Cry Alone* (1965), Actor - *The Story of a Blind Woman* (1965), Actor - *Nami kage* (1965), as Hinachiyo - *The Forest of No Escape* (1965), Actor - *Modae* (1964), Actor - *Manji* (1964), as Mitsuko Tokumitsu - *Shinobi no Mono 4: Siege* (1964), as Yodogimi - *The Frolic of the Beasts* (1964), Actor - *A Public Benefactor* (1964), as Mitsuko Fukumura - *Love and Greed* (1964), as Namiko Kawashiro - *Hot Spring Doctress* (1964), as Isao Shiozuki - *Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection* (1963), as Yodogimi - *Bamboo Doll of Echizen* (1963), as Tamae - *She Came For Love* (1963), as Toshiko Ikuta - *Bury Me Deep* (1963), as Mrs. Senzu - *The Third Will* (1963), as Fumino Hamada - *Girls Born in August* (1963), Actor - *An Actor's Revenge* (1963), as Namiji - *Elegant Beast* (1962), as Yukie Mitani - *The Great Wall* (1962), as Chiang-nu - *Diary of a Mad Old Man* (1962), as Satsuko - *A Night to Remember* (1962), Actor - *Red Love, Green Love* (1962), as Yukiko Oda - *Nakayoshi ondo: Nippon ichi dayo* (1962), Actor - *Closing Time* (1962), as Kimiko Matsuno - *Stolen Pleasure* (1962), as Masuko - *The Temple of Wild Geese* (1962), as Satoko Kirihara - *Their Legacy* (1962), Actor - *A Wife Confesses* (1961), as Ayako Takigawa - *The Radiant Prince* (1961), as Aoi no ue - *A Geisha's Diary* (1961), as Koen - *A Design for Dying* (1961), as Rinko Tsugawa - *Triangle Moods* (1961), as Mariko Naoe - *A Lustful Man* (1961), as Yuugiridayuu - *Les Mesdemoiselles* (1961), as Kasumi Fujisawa - *Marriageable Age* (1961), Actor - *Vagabonds from Badgerville* (1961), as Tayori - *The Ginza Three Boys* (1961), as Chikami Akiyama - *The False Student* (1960), as Mutsuko Takagi - *Anchin and Kiyohime* (1960), as Kiyohime - *A Nice Guy* (1960), Actor - *Victory and Defeat* (1960), as Shizuko Abe - *Bonchi* (1960), as Ponta - *Afraid to Die* (1960), as Yoshie Koizumi - *The Rockabilly Lady* (1960), as Mie Yashiro - *A Woman's Testament* (1960), Actor - *Enchanted Princess* (1959), as Princess Kinuta / Okuro - *Floating Weeds* (1959), as Kayo — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/floating-weeds.md) - *Ripe and Marriageable* (1959), as Shinobu Takaniwa - *Beauty the Enemy* (1959), as Keiko Yoshino - *Various Flowers* (1959), Actor - *Jirocho Fuji* (1959), as Okiku - *The Cast-Off* (1959), as Takako Sanada - *The Gaijin* (1959), Actor - *Roses Bloom on a Rose Tree* (1959), Actor - *The Most Valuable Wife* (1959), as Kyoko Nonomiya - *Goodbye, Hello* (1959), as Kazuko Aota - *Musume no boken* (1958), Actor - *The Ladder of Success* (1958), Actor - *A Grain of Wheat* (1958), as Numata Ichiko - *The Judo Champ* (1958), Actor - *Love River* (1958), Actor - *The Loyal 47 Ronin* (1958), as Orin, Carpenter's Daughter - *Firefly Light* (1958), as Oryo - *Mother* (1958), as Miss Mochizuki - *Shinkon nanatsu no tanoshimi* (1958), Actor - *Tokyo Eyes* (1958), Actor - *The Blue Sky Maiden* (1957), as Yuko Ono - *The Betrothed* (1957), Actor - *Evening Calm* (1957), Actor - *Love of the Princess* (1957), as Kazunomiya - *Bojô no kawa* (1957), Actor - *Daiei Studio is Bustling* (1957), Actor - *Ginga no miyako* (1957), Actor - *I Love You* (1956), Actor - *Yonjū-hassai no teikō* (1956), Actor - *Tsukigata Hanpeita* (1956), as Yuri Mamiya - *Bridge of Japan* (1956), as Ochise - *Tears* (1956), Actor - *Studio wa ōsawagi* (1956), Actor - *Asashio yushio* (1956), Actor - *Cascading White Threads* (1956), Actor - *Punishment Room* (1956), as Akiko Aochi - *Shinkon nikki: Ureshii asa* (1956), Actor - *Newlywed Diary: An Embarrassing Dream* (1956), Actor - *Street of Shame* (1956), as Yasumi - *A Rainbow at Every Turn* (1956), Actor - *The Bride Carries On* (1956), Actor - *Hanayome no tameiki* (1956), Actor - *Bara no kōdōkan* (1956), Actor - *Where Might is Right* (1955), Actor - *Shichinin no ani imōto* (1955), Actor - *Tama wa kudakezu* (1955), Actor - *Nagasaki no yoru* (1955), Actor - *The Phantom Horse* (1955), as Yuki Shiraishi - *Inhibited Love* (1955), Actor - *A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love* (1955), as Yumiko Kiryû - *Farewell, Innocence* (1955), as Mizosawa Reiko - *A Girl Who Delivers Happiness* (1955), Actor - *Farewell Song* (1955), Actor - *Victory or Defeat* (1954), Actor - *The Moon Over the Ruined Castle* (1954), Actor - *The Messenger from the Moon* (1954), as Yoko Kotani - *Midori no nakama* (1954), Actor - *Asakusa at Night* (1954), as Namie Takashima - *Yearning* (1954), Actor - *Maiko monogatari* (1954), Actor - *Yoidore nitōryū* (1954), Actor - *A Certain Woman* (1954), as Aiko, Yoko's sister - *Kokoro no nichigetsu* (1954), Actor - *Jūdai no yūwaku* (1953), Actor - *Outlaw* (1953), Actor - *Zoku zoku Jûdai no seiten* (1953), Actor - *Shunsetsu no mon* (1953), Actor - *A Geisha* (1953), as Eiko - *Zoku jūdai no seiten* (1953), Actor - *Lady Chatterley of Japan* (1953), as Sakiko Takashima - *Okore Sanpei* (1953), Actor - *Jūdai no seiten* (1953), Actor - *Kanojo no tokudane* (1952), Actor - *Machi no kotengu* (1952), Actor - *Her Secret* (1952), Actor - *Asu wa Nichiyōbi* (1952), Actor - *Hanayome hanamuko chanbara bushi* (1952), Actor - *Hahakozuru* (1952), as Eiko - *Mōjū Tsukai no Shōjo* (1952), Actor - *Escape from the City of Death* (1952), as Setsuko Minami - *Musume hatsukoi yatton-bushi* (1952), Actor - *I'll Not Forget the Song of Nagasaki* (1952), Actor ## Gallery - ![Ayako Wakao. taken in 1954.](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-40d69feaa866.jpg) Ayako Wakao. taken in 1954. — 産業経済新聞社（Sankei Shinbun Co., Ltd.）, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Wakao-Ayako-1.jpg/1280px-Wakao-Ayako-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Portrait of the actress Ayako Wakao (1950s) (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-837ae477ad9a.jpg) Portrait of the actress Ayako Wakao (1950s) (2017) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Ayako_Wakao.01.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Michiyo Kogure and Ayako Wakao in Gion bayashi (祇園囃子) directed by Kenji Mizoguchi - 1953](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-5cd79dc1a473.jpg) Michiyo Kogure and Ayako Wakao in Gion bayashi (祇園囃子) directed by Kenji Mizoguchi - 1953 — Daiei, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Les_Musiciens_de_Gion_1953_gionbayashi.jpg/1280px-Les_Musiciens_de_Gion_1953_gionbayashi.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![『卍』（1964年）](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-aff5261450e4.jpg) 『卍』（1964年） — 国際情報社, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Manji-film-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Ayako Wakao](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-826aef6e3cde.jpg) Ayako Wakao — Image via TMDB - ![Ayako Wakao](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-0db64b75038f.jpg) Ayako Wakao — Image via TMDB - ![Ayako Wakao](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-b620bef89f62.jpg) Ayako Wakao — Image via TMDB - ![Ayako Wakao in "The Wild Geese" (1966) - publicity still (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-98bc1be9c9b7.jpg) Ayako Wakao in "The Wild Geese" (1966) - publicity still (2017) — Daiei Motion Picture Company （大映株式会社）, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Ayako_Wakao.1966.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Ayako Wakao (1955)](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-752270a9395d.jpg) Ayako Wakao (1955) — 産業経済新聞社（Sankei Shinbun Co., Ltd.）, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Wakao-Ayako-2.jpg/1280px-Wakao-Ayako-2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ayako Wakao](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-54243ccb40a5.jpg) Ayako Wakao — Image via TMDB - ![Ayako Wakao](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-feef91606686.jpg) Ayako Wakao — Image via TMDB - ![Ayako Wakao](https://film.one/media/person/3876998/gallery-f3ca3973406e.jpg) Ayako Wakao — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 3 won - Kinuyo Tanaka Award 2006: Kinuyo Tanaka Award (won) - Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress 1966: Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress (won) - Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress 1962: Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ayako-wakao