Photo: Shōchiku / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on June 17, 1920 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, Setsuko Hara was a film actor. Setsuko Hara died on September 5, 2015 at the age of 95. Awards on record include Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress (1952) and Mainichi Film Award for Best Actress. The listed height was 165 cm. The recorded active period was 1935 - 1963.
My Take
Setsuko Hara sits, for me, near the summit of all cinema. Her work with Ozu in Late Spring and Tokyo Story, and her long collaboration with Naruse, gave Japanese film some of its most luminous faces. What deepens the legend is her abrupt, total retreat from public life, never appearing again. In an age that mistakes visibility for greatness, her silence reads as the ultimate confidence. She let the screen keep her smile and gave the rest of herself back to privacy. If asked for Japan's finest actress, I would name her without hesitation.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Setsuko Hara
- Name (Japanese)
- 原節子
- Reading
- はら せつこ
- Born
- June 17, 1920 – September 5, 2015
- Origin
- Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 165 cm
- Occupation
- actor / film actor
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Monkey
- Active years
- 1935 - 1963
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1952 Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress
- Mainichi Film Award for Best Actress
3. Works & records
Works summary
- Appearances
- 103 (1950–1962)
- By year (titles with a known year)
- 1950: 4, 1951: 3, 1952: 2, 1953: 3, 1954: 1, 1955: 2, 1956: 5, 1957: 6, 1958: 3, 1959: 2, 1960: 4, 1961: 2, 1962: 2, year unknown: 64
- Debut work
- Shirayuki-sensei to kodomo-tachi
Filmography / notable works
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| 娘と私 | 1962 |
| Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki | 1962 |
| 慕情の人 | 1961 |
| The End of Summer | 1961 |
| 路傍の石 | 1960 |
| Daughters, Wives and a Mother | 1960 |
| ふんどし医者 | 1960 |
| Late Autumn | 1960 |
| 女ごころ | 1959 |
| The Birth of Japan | 1959 |
| 大番 完結編 | 1958 |
| 女であること | 1958 |
| 東京の休日 | 1958 |
| 大番 | 1957 |
| 続大番 風雲編 | 1957 |
| 続々大番 怒涛編 | 1957 |
| Tokyo Twilight | 1957 |
| 智恵子抄 | 1957 |
| 最後の脱走 | 1957 |
| 驟雨 | 1956 |
| 愛情の決算 | 1956 |
| 婚約三羽烏 | 1956 |
| 女因と共に | 1956 |
| 兄とその妹 | 1956 |
| Non-chan Kumo ni Noru | 1955 |
| 美しき母 | 1955 |
| 山の音 | 1954 |
| 恋の風雲児 | 1953 |
| 白魚 | 1953 |
| Tokyo Story | 1953 |
| 風ふたたび | 1952 |
| 東京の恋人 | 1952 |
| 白痴 | 1951 |
| 麦秋 | 1951 |
| Repast | 1951 |
| Shirayuki-sensei to kodomo-tachi | 1950 |
| 女医の診察室 | 1950 |
| アルプス物語 野性 | 1950 |
| 七色の花 | 1950 |
| ためらふ勿れ若人よ | |
| 深夜の太陽 | |
| 魂を投げろ | |
| 緑の地平線 | |
| 白衣の佳人 | |
| 河内山宗俊 | |
| 嫁入り前の娘達 | |
| 生命の冠 | |
| 丹下左膳 日光の巻 | |
| 検事とその妹 | |
| 新しき土 | |
| 東海美女伝 | |
| 母の曲 | |
| 巨人伝 | |
| 田園交響楽 | |
| 将軍の孫 | |
| 冬の宿 | |
| 美はしき出発 | |
| 忠臣蔵 | |
| 上海陸戦隊 | |
| 街 |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsuko%20Hara
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8E%9F%E7%AF%80%E5%AD%90
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q236129
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Works and profile fields sourced from Wikipedia reflect content as of 2026-08-26. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Setsuko Hara born?
Setsuko Hara was born on June 17, 1920.
When did Setsuko Hara die?
Setsuko Hara died on September 5, 2015, aged 95.
Where was Setsuko Hara from?
Setsuko Hara was from Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
What did Setsuko Hara do?
Setsuko Hara worked as actor, film actor.
How tall was Setsuko Hara?
Setsuko Hara was 165 cm tall.
When was Setsuko Hara active?
Setsuko Hara was active from 1935 to 1963.
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