Yōko Tsukasa

Actress Yōko Tsukasa

Yōko Tsukasa (司葉子, Tsukasa Yōko, Tottori Prefecture, August 20, 1934 -) is a Japanese actress. Her long and diverse career includes dramatic and comedic roles. She has worked with Japan's top directors of her time, including Yasujirō Ozu, Akira Kurosawa Kon Ichikawa, Mikio Naruse and Masaki Kobayashi. In 1967 she won the Best Actress award at the Blue Ribbon Awards, the Kinema Junpo Awards, and the Mainichi Film Concours.

Biography

Yōko Tsukasa was born Yōko Shōji (庄司葉子, Shōji Yōko) in the city of Sakai-minato in Tottori Prefecture on August 20, 1934. She graduated from Kyoritsu Women's Junior College in 1954 with a major in Home Economics. After graduation she took a job at Shin-Nihon Broadcast Company in Osaka, where she worked as a secretary while also pursuing a career in modeling. Her association with Tōhō began in 1953, and she remained affiliated with this studio throughout her career. Her screen debut was in Tōhō's Forever be Mine (1954), and she became the studio's most popular dramatic actress of the late 1950s. Her skill in portraying delicate, sympathetic, cultured young women resulted in her type-casting in this sort of role, which was popular in the studio's films at the time.

Tsukasa broadened her repertoire and gained critical recognition in films such as Aisai-ki (1958) and The Blue Beast (1960). For director Yasujirō Ozu, Tsukasa played the kind daughter of a middle-class family in Late Autumn (1960) and The End of Summer (1961), gaining further approval from the critics. Other top directors with whom she worked were Akira Kurosawa (Yojimbo; 1961) and Kon Ichikawa. Her portrayals of psychologically complex roles in Mikio Naruse's Moment of Terror (1966) and Two in the Shadow (1967) were also noted by the critics. These roles, along with her performance in Masaki Kobayashi's Rebellion (1967) are counted among the best of her career.

Besides her more serious work, Tsukasa performed in many of Tōhō's comedy series throughout the 1960s, including the Five Gents series and the Salaryman series. She also began appearing on television during the mid-1960s. Her performance in Noboru Nakamura's 1966 film version of Sawako Ariyoshi's novel, The River Ki, earned Tsukasa critical acclaim. For her portrayal of the lead character, Hana Shintani, she was named Best Actress at three awards ceremonies: Blue Ribbon Awards, Kinema Junpo Awards, and the Mainichi Film Concours.

In 1969 Tsukasa married Eisuke Aizawa, and her married name became Yōko Aizawa (相沢葉子, Aizawa Yōko). She began performing in stage productions in the mid-1970s. By 1978 she had appeared in over one hundred films for Tōhō. In the intervening decades she has continued to make occasional film appearances, with her last film role having been in 2003.

Filmography

1954

• [1954-08-31] Forever be Mine (Kimi shi ni tamou koto nakare / 君死に給うことなかれ, Maruyama)

1955

• [1955] Meoto zenzai (Toyoda)
• [1955-01-29] Tenka taihei (天下泰平)
• [1955-03-15] Fumetsu no nekkyu (不滅の熱球; Suzuki)
• [1955-03-29] Yuki no honoo (雪の炎)
• [1955-09-13] 夫婦善哉
• [1955-05-31] No Response from Car 33 (33-go-sha oto nashi, ３３号車応答なし; Taniguchi)
• [1955-06-07] Oensan (おえんさん)
• [1955-07-26] Hatsukoi san-nin masuko (初恋三人息子; Aoyagi)
• [1955-09-07] Ai no rekishi (愛の歴史)
• [1955-09-21] Kuchizuke: Ni-wa, kaettekita wakadanna (くちづけ; Aoyogi)

1956

• [1956-01-03] Hesokuri shacho (へそくり社長; Chiba)
• [1956-01-14] Hanayome kaigi (花嫁会議; Aoyogi)
• [1956-02-18] Chiemi no hatsukoi chaccha musume (チエミの初恋チャチャ娘; Aoyogi)
• [1956-03-06] Migotona musume (見事な娘; Mizuho)
• [1956-03-20] Zoku hesokuri shacho (続へそくり社長; Chiba)
• [1956-04-25] Konyaku samba-garasu (婚約三羽烏; Sugie)
• [1956-05-03] Aoi me (青い芽; Suzuki)
• [1956-06-22] Gendai no yokubo (現代の欲望)
• [1956-07-13] Harikiri shacho (はりきり社長; Watanabe)
• [1956-08-22] Aru onna no no baai (ある女の場合; Mizuho)
• [1956-09-19] Ani to sono imoto (兄とその妹; Matsubayashi)
• [1956-09-26] Nisshoku no natsu (日蝕の夏; Horikawa)

1957

• [1957-01-03] Bokyaku no hanabira (忘却の花びら)
• [1957-03-13] Bibo no miyako (美貌の都; Matsubayashi)
• [1957-07-02] Bokyaku no hanabira: Kanketsu-hen (忘却の花びら　完結篇)
• [1957-07-30] Kiken na eiyu (危険な英雄; Suzuki)
• [1957-09-01] Sono yo no himegoto (その夜のひめごと; Kimura)
• [1957-09-22] Daigaku no samurai-tachi (大学の侍たち; Aoyogi)
• [1957-10-27] Aoi sanmyaku: enpen (青い山脈　新子の巻; Matsubayashi)
• [1957-11-19] Zoku aoi sanmyaku (続青い山脈　雪子の巻; Matsubayashi)

1958

• [1958-01-03] Shacho sandai-ki (社長三代記; Matsubayashi)
• [1958-01-21] Aijo no miyako (愛情の都; Sugie)
• [1958-03-18] Zoku shacho sandai-ki (続社長三代記; Matsubayashi)
• [1958-04-15] Tokyo no Kyujitsu (東京の休日)
• [1958-08-05] Hana no bojo (花の慕情; Suzuki)
• [1958-08-19] Furyu onsen nikki (風流温泉日記; Matsubayashi)
• [1958-09-02] Iwashigumo (Herringbone Clouds / 鰯雲; Naruse)
• [1958-09-23] Mimizuku seppo (みみずく説法; Hisamatsu)

1959

• [1959-01-09] Suzukake no sampo-michi (すずかけの散歩道; Horikawa)
• [1959-01-27] Hananoren (花のれん; Toyoda)
• [1959-02-24] Aisai-ki (愛妻記; Hisamatsu)
• [1959-03-03] Daigaku no oneichan (大学のお姐ちゃん; Sugie)
• [1959-04-28] Aru kengo no shogai (Samurai Saga / 或る剣豪の生涯; Inagaki)
• [1959-06-28] Daigaku no nijuhachi-nin shu (大学の２８人衆)
• - [1959-08-09] Sengoku gunto-den (Saga of the Vagabonds / 戦国群盗伝; Sugie)
• [1959-10-06] Wakai koibito-tachi (若い恋人たち)
• [1959-10-25] Nippon tanjo (日本誕生; Inagaki)

1960

• [1960-01-03] The Last Gunfight (Ankokugai no taiketsu / 暗黒街の対決; Okamoto)
• [1960-02-21] Hijotoshi (非情都市; Suzuki)
• [1960-06-26] The Blue Beast (Aoi yaju / 青い野獣; Horikawa)
• [1960-07-12] Yoru no nagare (夜の流れ; Kawashima)
• [1960-08-28] Shin onna daigaku (新・女大学; Hisamatsu)
• [1960-10-16] The Angry Sea (Chino hate ni ikiru mono / 地の涯に生きるもの; Hisamatsu)
• [1960-11-13] Late Autumn (Akibiyori / 秋日和; Ozu)
• [1960-12-25] Sarariiman Chushingura (サラリーマン忠臣蔵; Matsubayashi)

1961

• [1961-02-25] Zoku sarariiman Chushingura (続サラリーマン忠臣蔵; Matsubayashi)
• [1961-04-04] Eternity of Love (Wakarete ikiru toki mo / 別れて生きるときも; Horikawa)
• [1961-04-25] Yojimbo (用心棒; Kurosawa)
• [1961-06-17] Challenge to Live ("Chosen" yoi: Ai to honoo to / 愛と炎と; Sugawa)
• [1961-07-01] A Night in Hong Kong (Honkon no yoru / 香港の夜　Ａ　ＮＩＧＨＴ　ＩＮ　ＨＯＮＧＫＯＮＧ; Chiba)
• [1961-10-29] The End of Summer (Kohayagawa-ke no aki / Early Autumn / Last of Summer / 小早川家の秋; Ozu)

1962

• [1962] Lonely Lane (Horoki; Naruse)
• [1962-01-03] Sarariiman Shimizu minato (サラリーマン清水港; Matsubayashi)
• [1962-01-14] Onna no za (The Wiser Age / Woman's Status / 女の座; Naruse)
• [1962-01-28] Sonoobasho no onna arite (その場所に女ありて)
• [1962-03-07] Zoku sarariiman Shimizu minato (続サラリーマン清水港; Matsubayashi)
• [1962-06-28] Yoru no keisha (夜の傾斜; Uchikawa)
• [1962-07-29] Ekimae onsen (喜劇　駅前温泉)
• [1962-11-03] Chushingura (Loyal 47 Ronin / 47 Samurai / 忠臣蔵　花の巻　雪の巻; Inagaki)
• [1962-12-16] Furyu onsen: banto nikki (風流温泉　番頭日記)

1963

• [1963-01-15] Onna no tsuyokunaru kufu no kazukazu (女に強くなる工夫の数々; Chiba)
• [1963-05-22] Tsuma to iu na no onnatachi (妻という名の女たち)
• [1963-09-14] Domburi-ike (丼池)
• [1963-11-24] Warera sarariiman (われらサラリーマン)

1964

• [1964-01-03] Shacho shinshiroku (社長紳士録; Matsubayashi)
• [1964-02-29] Zoku shacho shinshiroku (続社長紳士録; Matsubayashi)
• [1964-05-30] Tadaima shinsatsu-chu (ただいま診察中)
• [1964-08-01] Tensai sagishi monogatari: Tanuki no hanamichi (天才詐欺師物語　狸の花道)
• [1964-08-28] Nishi no taisho higashi no taisho (西の王将　東の王将; Furusawa)
• [1964-11-21] Gendai shinshi yaro (現代紳士野郎)
• [1964-12-09] Danchi nanatsuno taizai (団地七つの大罪; Chiba and Kakehi)

1965

• [1965-01-03] Shacho ninpo-cho (Five Gents' Trick Book / 社長忍法帖; Matsubayashi)
• [1965-01-03] Daikon to ninjin (Twilight Path / 大根と人参)
• [1965-01-31] Zoku shacho ninpo-cho (続社長忍法帖; Matsubayashi)
• [1965-02-06] Urakaidan (裏階段)
• [1965-04-14] Kokokara hajimaru (こゝから始まる; Tsuboshima)

1966

• [1966-01-03] Shacho gyojo-ki (社長行状記; Matsubayashi)
• [1966-02-25] Zoku shacho gyogo-ki (Five Gents on the Spot / 続社長行状記; Matsubayashi)
• [1966-04-16] Hikinige (Moment of Terror / ひき逃げ; Naruse)
• [1966-06-11] The River Ki (Kinokawa: Hana-no maki, Fumio-no maki / 紀ノ川　花の巻　文緒の巻; Nakamura)
• [1966-10-01] Jinchoge (The Daphne / 沈丁花; Chiba)

1967

• [1967-01-01] Discover Japan with Five Gents (社長千一夜, Shacho sen-ichiya; Matsubayashi)
• [1967-04-01] Sasaki Kojiro (Kojiro / 佐々木小次郎; Inagaki)
• [1967-05-27] Joi-uchi (Rebellion / 上意討ち　拝領妻始末)
• ] Hairyozuma shimatsu-ki ) (Kobayashi)
• [1967-06-03] Zoku shacho sen-ichiya (続社長千一夜; Matsubayashi)
• [1967-11-18] Midaregumo (Two in the Shadow / Scattered Clouds / 乱れ雲; Naruse)

1968

• [1968-01-14] Haru ranman (春らんまん; Chiba)
• [1968-01-14] Shacho hanjo-ki (社長繁盛記; Matsubayashi)
• [1968-02-24] Zoku shacho hanjo-ki (続社長繁盛記; Matsubayashi)
• [1968-08-14] Yamamoto Isoroku (Admiral Yamamoto / 連合艦隊指令長官　山本五十六; Maruyama)

1969

• [1969] Nippon-kai dai-kaisen (Battle of the Japan Sea, Maruyama)
• [1969-01-15] Shacho enma-cho (社長えんま帖; Matsubayashi)
• [1969-05-01] Goyokin (御用金; Gosha)
• [1969-05-17] Zoku shacho enma-cho (続社長えんま帖; Matsubayashi)
• [1969-12-05] Shinsen-gumi (Band of Assassins / 新選組; Sawashima)

1970

• [1970-01-15] Shachogaku ABC (社長学ＡＢＣ; Matsubayashi)
• [1970-02-28] Zoku shacho-gaku ABC (続社長学ＡＢＣ; Matsubayashi)
• [1970-06-13] Nihon ichi no yakuza otoko (日本一のヤクザ男)

1971

• [1971-02-26] Yomigaeru daichi (甦える大地)
• [1971-09-24] Tochan no po ga kikoeru (父ちゃんのポーが聞える)

1974

• [1974-06-22] Nagare no fu: Doran, Yoake (流れの譜　第一部動乱　第二部夜明け; Sadanaga)
• [1974-08-03] Nostoradamusu no daiyogen (Prophecies of Nostradamus / Castrophe 1999 / ノストラダムスの大予言　Ｃａｔａｓｔｒｏｐｈｅ－１９９９; Masuda)

1977

• [1977-08-27] Gokumon-to (The Devil's Island / Island of Horrors / 獄門島; Ichikawa)

1978

• [1978-02-11] Joobachi (女王蜂; Ichikawa)
• [1978-04-29] Zansho (残照)

1980s

• [1980-10-25] Harukanaru soro (遙かなる走路)
• [1981-07-11　ブルージーンズメモリー　ＢＬＵＥ　ＪＥＡＮＳ　ＭＥＭＯＲＹ 　東宝映画
• [1983-10-29　生きてはみたけれど　小津安二郎物語 　松竹
• [1986-03-01　愛の陽炎 　松竹

Later Films

• [1992-10-10　Shôrishatachi (勝利者たち)
• [2001-05-26　Drug (ＤＲＵＧ　ドラッグ)
• [2003-09-13　Fukumimi (福耳)

Bibliography

• Hirano, Kyoko (2000). "TSUKASA, Yoko" in International Dictionary of Film and Filmmakers, ed. by Tom Pendergast, 4 volumes, Detroit [etc.]: St. James Press, 4th edition 2000, vol. 3: Actors and Actresses. pp.1218-1219.
• Svensson, Arne. "Tsukasa, Yoko" in Japan (Screen Series), 1971. New York: A.S. Barnes. pp. 105-106. ISBN 0-498-07654-7.
• Youko Tsukasa at the Internet Movie Database
• 司葉子 at the Japanese Movie Database
• 司葉子 at www.allcinema.net
• 司葉子 at Kinema Jumpo