Photo: Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Yoji Yamada was born in 1931 and is still directing, which almost feels like cheating. He came out of the University of Tokyo's law faculty, a path that usually ends in a ministry or a courtroom, and instead he gave his working life to Tora-san. The Otoko wa Tsurai yo series ran so long it holds a Guinness record for the longest-running film series with the same lead actor, and where sequels normally mean fatigue, he turned repetition itself into a craft. The range around it is what convinces me: The Yellow Handkerchief, A Distant Cry from Spring, the school films, The Twilight Samurai. He holds the Order of Culture and the Medal with Purple Ribbon, but I think his real profession is photographing ordinary, unimpressive people with unembarrassed kindness.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yōji Yamada
- Name (Japanese)
- 山田洋次
- Born
- September 13, 1931 (age 94)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Goat
- Origin
- Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
- Occupation
- film director / screenwriter / university teacher
2. Background
- University
- University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics
Awards & achievements
- 2012 Order of Culture
- 1972 Kikuchi Kan Prize
- 1996 Medal with Purple Ribbon
- 2004 Person of Cultural Merit
- 1996 Asahi Prize
- 1971 Mainichi Film Award for Best Screenplay
- 1974 Mainichi Film Award for Best Screenplay
- 1975 Mainichi Film Award for Best Screenplay
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Otoko wa Tsurai yo | — | |
| Notable work | The Yellow Handkerchief | — | |
| Notable work | A Distant Cry from Spring | — | |
| Notable work | Tsuribaka Nisshi | — | |
| Notable work | The Twilight Samurai | — |
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%E7%94%B0%E6%B4%8B%E6%AC%A1
Frequently asked questions
When was Yōji Yamada born?
Born September 13, 1931 (age 94).
Where is Yōji Yamada from?
Yōji Yamada is from Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
What does Yōji Yamada do?
Yōji Yamada works as film director, screenwriter, university teacher.
What is Yōji Yamada known for?
Notable works include Otoko wa Tsurai yo, The Yellow Handkerchief, A Distant Cry from Spring.
Film director — see all → · Screenwriter — 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.