Machiko Kyō 

Motoko Yano, better known as Machiko Kyō (京 マチ子, Kyō Machiko, March 25, 1924 – May 12, 2019), was a Japanese actress who was active primarily in the 1950s. Considered one of Japan's first sex symbols and one of its greatest screen actresses, Kyō is best known for her critically acclaimed work with directors Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Kon Ichikawa, Teinosuke Kinugasa, Kōzaburō Yoshimura, Shirō Toyoda and Hiroshi Teshigahara, appearing in films such as Rashomon, Ugetsu, Gate of Hell, Street of Shame, Floating Weeds, Odd Obsession and The Face of Another.

Early life and education

Kyō, an only child, was born Motoko Yano (矢野 元子, Yano Motoko) in Osaka in 1924. Her father left when she was age 5, and she was raised by her mother and grandmother. She adopted Machiko Kyō as her stage name when she entered the Osaka Shochiku Kagekidan in 1936 at age 12. She trained as a revue dancer and then entered the film industry through Daiei Film in 1949. Two years later, she achieved international fame as the female lead in Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon, which won first prize at the Venice Film Festival and stunned audiences with its nonlinear narrative.
京 マチ子, Kyō Machiko

Career

Kyō starred in many more Japanese productions, including Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu (1953), Teinosuke Kinugasa's Gate of Hell (1953), Kon Ichikawa's Odd Obsession (1959), and Yasujirō Ozu's Floating Weeds (1959).

Her sole role in a non-Japanese film was as Lotus Blossom, the young geisha in The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.

Kyō continued to act through her 80s. Her final role was as Matsuura Shino in the NHK television drama series Haregi Koko Ichiban in 2000. In 2017, she was presented with an award of merit at the 40th Japanese Academy Awards.[2] After retiring from film, she moved back to Osaka, where she resided until her death.

Personal life and death

Kyō never married, but her romantic relationship with Daiei Film's president Masaichi Nagata was well-publicized in Japan.

Kyō died from heart failure at her home in Tokyo on May 12, 2019 at the age of 95. She was the last main surviving cast member of Rashomon.[3][4][5]

Fujiko Yamamoto described Kyo as a very friendly person and loved the older actress like a big sister.[6]

Selected filmography

1950 film Rashomon with Toshiro Mifune

1953 film Jigokumon with Kazuo Hasegawa

1954 film The Princess Sen with Kenji Sugawara

1955 film Princess Yang Kwei-Fei with Masayuki Mori

Films

Hana kurabe tanuki-goten (1949) - Aiai, witchChijin no ai (1949) - NaomiHarukanari haha no kuni (1950) - Mari, daughterFukkatsu (1950) - Yukiko Ohara Rashomon (1950) - Masako KanazawaHi no tori (1950) Itsuwareru seiso (1950) - KimichoKoi no Oranda-zaka (1951) - ChigusaJiyû gakkô (1951) - YuriJoen no hatoba (1951)Mesu inu (1951) - EmmyGenji monogatari (1951) - Awaji no ueBakurô ichidai (1951) - YukiAsakusa kurenaidan (1952) - Ryûko BeniDaibutsu kaigen (1952) - Mayame Nagasaki No Uta Wa Wasureji (1952) - Okumura, AyakoTaki no Shiraito (1952) - Taki no ShiraitoBijo to touzoku (1952) - SakinKanojo no tokudane (1952) Ugetsu (1953) - Lady Wakasa Older Brother, Younger Sister (1953) - MonGate of Hell (1953) - KesaAru onna (1954) - Yoko Hayazuki Shunkin monogatari (1954) - Shunkin Asakusa no yoru (1954) - Setsuko TakashimaThe Princess Sen (1954) - the princess SenBazoku geisha (1954) - Nobukichi A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love (1955) - Sachiko Nonomiya Princess Yang Kwei-Fei (1955) - Princess Yang Kwei-fei Tōjūrō no Koi (1955) - OkajiShin, Heike monogatari: Yoshinaka o meguru sannin no onna (1956) - Tomoe Niji ikutabi (1956) - Momoko MizuharaStreet of Shame (1956) - MickeyTsukigata Hanpeita: Hana no maki; Arashi no maki (1956) - Hagino The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) - Lotus Blossom Itohan monogatari (1957) - OkatsuOdoriko (1957) - Chiyomi HanamuraJigoku bana (1957) - SuteYoru no chô (1957) - MariThe Hole (1957) - Nagako Kita Yūrakuchō de Aimashō (1958) - Aya Koyanagi Sorrow Is Only for Women (1958) - Michiko The Loyal 47 Ronin (1958) - Orui (spy)Haha (1958) - Takako Ômachi Ôsaka no onna (1958) - Osen Akasen no hi wa kiezu (1958) - Nobuko Araki Yoru no sugao (1958) - Akemi Satsujin to kenjû (1958)Musume no boken (1958)Anata to watashi no aikotoba: Sayônara, konnichiwa (1959) - Umeko IchigeSasameyuki (1959) - SachikoOnna to Kaizoku (1959) - Ayaginu / OitoYoru no togyo (1959) - Ryoko KashiwabaraJirôchô Fuji (1959) - Okatsu Odd Obsession (1959) - Ikuko / Wife Floating Weeds (1959) - SumikoJokyo (1960) - OmitsuRuten no ôhi (1960) - Ryûko Korinkakura (Hiroko Aishinkakura)Bonchi (1960) - OfukuSan'nin no kaoyaku (1960) - Chizuru Ashi ni sawatta onna (1960) - Saya Shiozawa Oden jigoku (1960) - Oden Takahashi Konki (1961) - Shizu, Takuo's wife Nuregami botan (1961) - Kiyomigata no Omon Onna no kunshô (1961) - Shikiko Ohba Kodachi o tsukau onna (1961) - Ritsu IkedaBuda (1961) - Nandabala Black Lizard (1962) - Mrs. Midorikawa Shin no shikôtei (1962)Onna no issho (1962) - Kei Budda (1962)Nyokei kazoku (1963) - Fujiyo Yajima Sweet Sweat (1964) - Umeko Gendai inchiki monogatari: Dotanuki (1964)The Face of Another (1966) - Mrs. Okuyama Jinchoge (1966) - Kikuko, Ueno, 1st DaughterChiisai tôbôsha (1966) - Yayoi YamamuraSenba zuru (1969) - Chikako KurimotoGenkai yûkyôden: Yabure kabure (1970) - Sue Yoshida Karei-naru Ichizoku (1974) - Aiko Takasu Kinkanshoku (1955) - Prime Minister's wife Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director (1975, documentary) - HerselfYoba (1976) - OshimaTora's Pure Love (1976) - Aya Yagyû Kesho (1984) - Tsune Tsutano

Television

Hissatsu Shimainin (1981) Shin Hissatsu Shimainin (1982) Hissatsu Shikirinin (1984) Hana no Ran (1994) - Hino Shigeko Genroku Ryōran (1999) - Keishō'in

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