--- name: "Kyōko Kagawa" canonical: "https://film.one/person/kyoko-kagawa" fi1m_id: "kyoko-kagawa" imdb_id: "nm0434593" tmdb_id: 34374 wikidata_id: "Q3201022" roles: ["Actor"] born: "5 December 1931" reviewed_on_fi1m: 4 average_fi1m_score: 90 average_as: "actor" average_over: 4 updated: "2026-10-04T04:25:37.201416+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." --- # Kyōko Kagawa ## Identity Kyōko Kagawa - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/kyoko-kagawa - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** kyoko-kagawa - **IMDb ID:** nm0434593 - **TMDB ID:** 34374 - **Wikidata ID:** Q3201022 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8Dko_Kagawa, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3201022, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0434593/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/34374 Actor. Born 5 December 1931 in Aso, Namegata, Ibaragi Prefecture, Japan. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 5 December 1931, Aso, Namegata, Ibaragi Prefecture, Japan - **Active:** 1953–1999 - **Also known as:** 카가와 쿄코, Кёко Кагава - **Average Fi1m score:** 90, as actor, over 4 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 92 (2), 1960s 90 (1), 1990s 85 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 90 to 84 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 4, Crime 1, Fantasy 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1 - **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $461m across 2 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8Dko_Kagawa, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3201022, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0434593/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/34374 ## Streaming the US now - **HBO Max:** [*Tokyo Story*](https://film.one/film/tokyo-story.md) (92), [*High and Low*](https://film.one/film/high-and-low.md) (90) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Kyōko Kagawa > Kyōko Kagawa makes sincerity feel ordinary rather than saintly. We value her practical, naturalistic acting, though casting her as the innocent daughter or quietly strong wife can conceal how much else she is capable of. In *High and Low* (1963), Kyōko Kagawa is the wife making the case for doing the decent thing. As Reiko Gondo, she gives Akira Kurosawa's thriller a moral voice without seeming to have been appointed to deliver its lesson. Her practical acting matters in a film where a tycoon's choice must hold our attention before the police take over. The shift towards procedure costs the film some tension, but her place in its opening dilemma is worth noticing. We recommend it partly for the chance to watch an actor make sincerity persuasive. In *Tokyo Story* (1953), she is Kyoko Hirayama, the affectionate youngest daughter. Yasujirō Ozu allows goodness to exist in a family without pretending it can cure the family's failings. We were upset by the ordinary neglect, because nobody has to become a villain for it to hurt. The deliberate pace needs patience at first, but Kagawa is one reason to give it: an affectionate character can matter without dominating the film. That casting can become restrictive: the innocent daughter or quietly strong wife is too easily taken for the whole actor. Kagawa worked with Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Kurosawa and Mikio Naruse through the 1950s and early 1960s, and the parts were not all so reassuring. Mizoguchi cast her as Anju, the enslaved daughter in *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954); Kurosawa gave her the intense role of the madwoman in *Red Beard* (1965). Those parts are worth remembering before assuming that she was always there to provide a little kindness. Television took more of her attention after the late 1960s, with prominent film roles resuming from the mid-1970s. The later work includes the professor's wife in Kurosawa's *Madadayo* (1993) and Kyoko Watanabe in Kore-eda's *After Life* (1998). That is a long stretch of work to reduce to a reliable supporting presence. Start with *High and Low*, then allow *Tokyo Story* the patience it needs. ## Biography Kyōko Kagawa is a Japanese actress. Born on 5 December 1931 in Asō (now Namegata), Ibaraki Prefecture, she was discovered through a 1949 "New Face" contest run by the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper and made her film debut the following year. She appeared in leading and supporting roles in films directed by Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Akira Kurosawa and Mikio Naruse, including *Tokyo Story* (1953), *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954), *The Bad Sleep Well* (1960), *High and Low* (1963) and *Red Beard* (1965). After a three-year break following the birth of her child and a move to New York with her husband, she returned to Japan in the late 1960s and worked increasingly in television and on stage. Kagawa received the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actress for *Madadayo* (1993), the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1998 and the Order of the Rising Sun in 2004. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (4) - *After Life* (1999), Fi1m 85, as Kyoko Watanabe — [page](https://film.one/film/after-life.md) - *High and Low* (1963), Fi1m 90, as Reiko Gondo — [page](https://film.one/film/high-and-low.md) - *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954), Fi1m 92, as Anju — [page](https://film.one/film/sansho-the-bailiff.md) - *Tokyo Story* (1953), Fi1m 92, as Kyoko Hirayama — [page](https://film.one/film/tokyo-story.md) ## Complete filmography (118) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Shimamori Tower* (2022), Actor - *The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai* (2022), Actor - *Mo-Ruerani* (2021), as Fukiko - *Omotenashi* (2018), as Shimizu-sensei - *Tenshi no Iru Toshokan* (2017), as Reiko Ashitaka - *Beautiful 2016* (2016), Actor - *Somewhere in Kamakura* (2016), Actor - *Tokyo Day* (2015), as Michiko - *Silent Poor* (2014), series, as Fusae Eda - *The Intermission* (2013), Actor - *Tokyo Rendezvous* (2008), as Fujiko Natsumi - *Red Whale, White Snake* (2006), Actor - *Imo Tako Nankin* (2006), series, as 花岡和代 - *Bluestockings* (2005), Actor - *Heaven's Bookstore* (2004), as Sachi Hiyama - *Kokoro no Koukyougaku* (2002), as (Voice) - *明るいほうへ 明るいほうへ -童謡詩人 金子みすゞ-* (2001), Actor - *After Life* (1999), as Kyoko Watanabe — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/after-life.md) - *Futarikko* (1996), series, Actor - *Shall We Dance?* (1996), as Keiko Kishikawa - *Kura* (1995), series, Actor - *Deep River* (1995), as Isobe's wife - *Madadayo* (1993), as Professor's Wife - *The Tale of Genji* (1991), series, Actor - *Shikibu monogatari* (1990), as Isa Otomo - *Song of the Spring Pony* (1985), Actor - *Tora-san's Dream of Spring* (1979), as Keiko - *Have Wings on Your Heart* (1978), Actor - *Mizuiro no toki* (1975), series, as 知子の母・松宮房子 - *The Family* (1974), as Ichiko Mima - *Red Beard* (1965), as Madwoman ("The Mantis") - *Mr. Giant's Victory Flag* (1964), Actor - *The Prodigal Son* (1964), as His Sister - *Life of a Flower* (1963), series, as Akiyama Shizu - *High and Low* (1963), as Reiko Gondo — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/high-and-low.md) - *The Daughters of the Saotome Family* (1962), Actor - *Love at the Fogged Harbor* (1962), Actor - *Till Tomorrow Is* (1962), as Natsuko - *Girls of the Night* (1961), as Mrs. Shima - *Mothra* (1961), as Michi Hanamura - *Death on the Mountain* (1961), as Masako Iwase - *Daredevil in the Castle* (1961), as Ai - *Scars of Honor* (1960), Actor - *The Bad Sleep Well* (1960), as Yoshiko Nishi - *My Friend Death* (1960), Actor - *Lord of Red Banner* (1960), Actor - *The Chivalrous Youth of Great Edo* (1960), Actor - *The Three Treasures* (1959), as Princess Miyazu - *Lucky Adventurer Nobunaga Oda* (1959), Actor - *The Human Wall* (1959), as Fumiko - *The Bell of Love* (1959), Actor - *The Canary Cage, Spellbound Love* (1959), Actor - *Gambler and the Princess* (1959), as Princess Kiku - *The Outsiders* (1958), as Yukiko Saeki - *I Am Three People* (1958), Actor - *His Scarlet Cloak* (1958), Actor - *The Child Writers* (1958), as Fumio's Teacher - *Little Peach* (1958), as Anzukko - *Holiday in Tokyo* (1958), Actor - *Woman Unveiled* (1958), Actor - *Kampai! Miai Kekkon* (1958), as Emiko Toda - *Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II* (1958), as Oki - *On This Earth* (1957), as Fuyuko - *The Oil-Hell Murder* (1957), Actor - *The Lower Depths* (1957), as Okayo, Osugi's Sister - *The Shadow Daughter* (1957), as Fusako - *Yagyu Secret Scrolls* (1957), as Oki - *An Osaka Story* (1957), as Onatsu - *A Man in the Storm* (1957), as Akiko - *New Tale of Genji: Shizuka and Yoshitsune* (1956), Actor - *A Strong Wind Blows* (1956), as Takako Hiyoshi - *Shozo, a Cat and Two Women* (1956), as Fukuko - *Women in Prison* (1956), as Taeko Hara, prisoner - *Morishige, where are you going?* (1956), as Megumi Mori - *流轉* (1956), as お秋 - *The Wife is a University Student* (1956), as Keiko Hiyoshi (Student Wife) - *Girl's Reform School* (1956), Actor - *Rainy Night Duel* (1956), as Shizue Amaji - *Sudden Rain* (1956), as Ayako (Fumiko's niece) - *Love at Forty* (1955), Actor - *Christ in Bronze* (1955), as Mónica - *If Indeed One Loves* (1955), as Kuniko (segment 2) - *The Shiinomi School* (1955), as Kayoko Atsumi - *Nonki saiban* (1955), Actor - *Dawn Chorus* (1955), Actor - *Ginji of the Seven Faces* (1955), Actor - *Chikamatsu Monogatari* (1954), as Osan - *Mother's First Love* (1954), Actor - *Tekka bugyō* (1954), Actor - *Tomoshibi* (1954), Actor - *Five Sisters* (1954), Actor - *The Glorious Days* (1954), Actor - *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954), as Anju — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/sansho-the-bailiff.md) - *Hanran* (1954), Actor - *Love Letter* (1953), as Yasuko - *Tokyo Story* (1953), as Kyoko Hirayama — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/tokyo-story.md) - *Moth Lamp* (1953), Actor - *Aiyoku no sabaki* (1953), as Fujikawa Motoko - *Tower of Lilies* (1953), as Fumi Uehara - *Kanpai! Tokyo Musume* (1952), Actor - *Lightning* (1952), as Tsubomi - *Muntinlupa no yo wa fukete* (1952), as Mitsuko Kawai - *Kantarou zukiyo-uta* (1952), Actor - *Daigaku no kotengu* (1952), Actor - *Mother* (1952), as Toshiko Fukuhara - *Kin no tamago: Golden Girl* (1952), Actor - *A Ripple in a Morning* (1952), as Sister - *August 15, 1945, New Dawn For Japan* (1952), as Kimiko Sasaki - *Lil's Return from Shanghai* (1952), as Lil Takemoto / Katsuko Suzuki - *Man in the Storm* (1952), as Tomi Tsuboi - *Karate Sanshiro* (1951), Actor - *Who Knows a Woman's Heart* (1951), Actor - *Akatsuki no Kyūshū* (1951), as Yukie Murata - *Farewell to the Highland Station* (1951), as Yuki - *Ginza Cosmetics* (1951), as Kyôko - *Tenpo Suikoden - Otone's Night Fog* (1950), as O-Rie - *Snow-Flake* (1950), as Itakura's sister - *Mado Kara Tobidase* (1950), as Mariko Fujieda ## Gallery - ![Kyōko Kagawa](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-d2dd14d4e63a.jpg) Kyōko Kagawa — 朝日新聞社, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Kagawa_Kyoko_1954.JPG/1280px-Kagawa_Kyoko_1954.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Back: Chieko Nakakita and Kyōko Kagawa - Front: Keiko Enami (榎並啓子) and Takashi Itō (伊東隆) in Okaasan (おかあさん) directed by Mikio Naruse, 1952](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-65fde9173a72.jpg) Back: Chieko Nakakita and Kyōko Kagawa - Front: Keiko Enami (榎並啓子) and Takashi Itō (伊東隆) in Okaasan (おかあさん) directed by Mikio Naruse, 1952 — Shintōhō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Chieko_Nakakita_and_Ky%C5%8Dko_Kagawa_in_Okaasan%2C_1952.jpg/1280px-Chieko_Nakakita_and_Ky%C5%8Dko_Kagawa_in_Okaasan%2C_1952.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![From left to right: Daisuke Katō , Kyōko Kagawa, Kinuyo Tanaka and Chieko Nakakita in Okaasan (おかあさん) directed by Mikio Naruse, 1952](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-df1e3f3c4229.jpg) From left to right: Daisuke Katō , Kyōko Kagawa, Kinuyo Tanaka and Chieko Nakakita in Okaasan (おかあさん) directed by Mikio Naruse, 1952 — Shintōhō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Daisuke_Kat%C5%8D_%2C_Ky%C5%8Dko_Kagawa%2C_Kinuyo_Tanaka_and_Chieko_Nakakita_in_Okaasan%2C_1952.jpg/1280px-Daisuke_Kat%C5%8D_%2C_Ky%C5%8Dko_Kagawa%2C_Kinuyo_Tanaka_and_Chieko_Nakakita_in_Okaasan%2C_1952.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Kinuyo Tanaka and Kyōko Kagawa in Ginza keshō (銀座化粧) directed by Mikio Naruse - 1951](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-dbd2dc94eaef.jpg) Kinuyo Tanaka and Kyōko Kagawa in Ginza keshō (銀座化粧) directed by Mikio Naruse - 1951 — Shintōhō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ginza_kesh%C5%8D_%281951%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Kyōko Kagawa](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-61d262610afb.jpg) Kyōko Kagawa — Image via TMDB - ![Kyōko Kagawa](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-5c666517bad3.jpg) Kyōko Kagawa — Image via TMDB - ![From left to right: Kinuyo Tanaka, Kyōko Akemi, Kikuko Hanaoka and Kyōko Kagawa in Ginza keshō (銀座化粧) directed by Mikio Naruse, 1951](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-fb62903c0e32.jpg) From left to right: Kinuyo Tanaka, Kyōko Akemi, Kikuko Hanaoka and Kyōko Kagawa in Ginza keshō (銀座化粧) directed by Mikio Naruse, 1951 — Shintōhō, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Ginza_kesh%C5%8D_%281951%29_2.jpg/1280px-Ginza_kesh%C5%8D_%281951%29_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![​『女囚と共に』（1956年）。原節子、香川京子。](https://film.one/media/person/59930/gallery-fae709c9531d.jpg) ​『女囚と共に』（1956年）。原節子、香川京子。 — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Hara-Setsuko-Kagawa-Kyoko-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) ## Awards ### Other awards — 4 won - The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette 2004: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (won) - Medal with Purple Ribbon 1998: Medal with Purple Ribbon (won) - Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Supporting Actress 1994: Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Supporting Actress (won) - Kinuyo Tanaka Award 1994: Kinuyo Tanaka Award (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/kyoko-kagawa