Photo: 国際情報社 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Shima Iwashita's filmography reads like a syllabus for postwar Japanese cinema. Ozu, Kinoshita, Kobayashi, and above all her husband Masahiro Shinoda, whose films she appeared in repeatedly. Yet the role most of Japan pictures first is the matriarch of the Yakuza Wives series, which she carried from 1986 to 1998. I find that contrast delightful rather than embarrassing. The same actress could play refined restraint for an art-house master, then dominate a genre picture with nothing but a look. Her Blue Ribbon best actress awards came thirteen years apart, in 1965 and 1978, which says more about her staying power than any single performance could.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Shima Iwashita
- Name (Japanese)
- 岩下志麻
- Born
- January 3, 1941 (age 85)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Snake
- Origin
- Tokyo, Japan
- Height
- 165 cm
- Occupation
- actor / film actor
2. Background
- University
- Seijo University
Awards & achievements
- 2004 Medal with Purple Ribbon
- 1961 Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year
- 1962 Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Newcomer
- 1989 Kinuyo Tanaka Award
- 1965 Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress
- 1978 Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress
- Golden Arrow Award
- Mainichi Film Award for Best Actress
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B2%A9%E4%B8%8B%E5%BF%97%E9%BA%BB
Frequently asked questions
When was Shima Iwashita born?
Born January 3, 1941 (age 85).
Where is Shima Iwashita from?
Shima Iwashita is from Tokyo, Japan.
What does Shima Iwashita do?
Shima Iwashita works as actor, film actor.
How tall is Shima Iwashita?
Shima Iwashita is 165 cm.
Actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-07-26
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.