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Yoji Yamada

Known for: Directing

Biography: 1931-09-13 (93 years old)

Biography

Yoji Yamada (山田洋次 Yamada Yōji, born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka City, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films.

He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer for the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he was brought up in Manchuria. Following the end of World War II, he came back to Japan and subsequently he lived in Yamagata Prefecture.

After receiving his degree from Tokyo University in 1954, he entered Shochiku and worked under Yoshitaro Nomura as a scriptwriter or as an assistant director.

He has won many awards throughout his lengthy career and is well respected in Japan and by critics throughout the world. He wrote his first screenplay in 1958, and directed his first movie in 1961. Yamada continues to make movies to this day.

He once served as president of the Directors Guild of Japan, and is currently a guest professor of Ritsumeikan University.

Filmography

all 169

Movies 165

Director 92

Screenplay 30

Writer 28

self 6

TV Shows 4

Creator 1

Director / Screenplay

Yoji Yamada

Biography

Filmography

all 169

Movies 165

Director 92

Screenplay 30

Writer 28

self 6

TV Shows 4

Creator 1

TOKYO Taxi (2025)

Home Sweet Home (2025)

55th anniversary performance of Tora-San: Rakugo, Talk and Tora Jiro Returns (2024)

The Mysteries of Ozu: A Master Filmmaker's Enduring Legacy (2024)

Mom, Is That You?! (2023)

The Call of a Faraway Mountain (2022)

It's a Flickering Life (2021)

Tora-san, Wish You Were Here (2019)

Seijo Story: 60 Years of Making Films (2019)

Shounen Torajirou (2019)

A Distant Cry from Spring (2018)

Older Brother, Younger Sister (2018)

What a Wonderful Family! 3 (2018)

What A Wonderful Family (2017)

What a Wonderful Family! 2 (2017)

What a Wonderful Family! (2016)

Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015)

700 Days with Ryuichi Sakamoto (2015)

Sat-chan Tadashi-chan: Sengo minshu-teki dokuritsu pro funtō-ki (2015)

The Little House (2014)

Tokyo Family (2013)

The Yellow Handkerchief (2011)

Kyoto Story (2010)

About Her Brother (2010)

Free and Easy 20: Final (2009)

The Yellow Handkerchief (2009)

Kabei: Our Mother (2008)

Free and Easy 18 (2007)

Love and Honor (2006)

Sea Without Exit (2006)

Free and Easy 16 (2005)

The Hidden Blade (2004)

Free and Easy 15 (2004)

Free and Easy 14 (2003)

The Twilight Samurai (2002)

Free and Easy 13 (2002)

Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project (2001)

A Class to IV: Fifteen (2000)

Free and Easy 11 (2000)

Free and Easy: Samurai Edition (1998)

A Class to III: The New Voyage (1998)

Free and Easy 10 (1998)

Otoko wa Tsurai yo: Torajirou Wasurenagusa (1998)

The Rainbow Seeker 2 (1997)

Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version (1997)

Shin Salaryman Senka (1997)

Free and Easy 9 (1997)

Salaryman Senka: Tanshin Funin (1996)

The Rainbow Seeker (1996)

A Class to II (1996)

Free and Easy 8 (1996)

Tora-san to the Rescue (1995)

Salaryman Senka (1995)

Toki no kagayaki (1995)

Free and Easy 7 (1994)

Tora-san's Easy Advice (1994)

Free and Easy Special (1994)

Free and Easy 6 (1993)

Tora-san's Matchmaker (1993)

A Class to (1993)

Today's Close-Up (1993)

Tora-san Makes Excuses (1992)

Free and Easy 5 (1992)

Tora-san Confesses (1991)

Free and Easy 4 (1991)

My Sons (1991)

Tora-san Takes a Vacation (1990)

Free and Easy 3 (1990)

Tora-san, My Uncle (1989)