(born June 10, 1977) also known as is a Japanese actress and pop singer.

Personal life

Matsu was born to a family of buyō and

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought to ...

actors, including her father

Matsumoto Hakuō II is a Japanese kabuki actor, one of the most popular ''tachiyaku'' (specialist in male roles) currently performing. Like many members of the kabuki community, he can trace his lineage back several generations, many members of his family being ...

, her mother and businesswoman Noriko Fujima, her uncle,

Nakamura Kichiemon II was a Japanese actor, kabuki performer and costume designer. He was a so-called Living National Treasures of Japan, Living National Treasure. Nakamura Kichiemon was a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the ...

, her elder brother Matsumoto Kōshirō X, her sister Kio Matsumoto, and

stage director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...

Kazuhisa Kawahara. She married guitarist and

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

Yoshiyuki Sahashi on December 28, 2007. Her married name is . She has the name of Natori of the Matsumoto school of Nippon Buyō (Japanese dancing); . She chose the surname "Matsu" to honor the family. In an interview, she said she and her siblings are close to their mother.

Career

Matsu starred in her stage debut '' Ninjō-banashi: Bunshichi Mottoi'' at

Kabuki-za in Ginza is the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional ''kabuki'' drama form. History The Kabuki-za was originally opened by a Meiji era journalist, Fukuchi Gen'ichirō. Fukuchi wrote kabuki dramas in which Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and ot ...

. Her first television role was in the

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

Drama ''

Hana no Ran was the 33rd Taiga drama to be broadcast on the NHK network in Japan. It premiered on 3 April 1994 and its finale aired on 25 December of the same year. Plot The story takes place during the Muromachi period of Japan, in the midst of the Ōn ...

'' and starred in the NHK drama ''Kura''. Because Shirayuri Gakuen, her high school, prohibited working in the industry, she moved to

Horikoshi High School is a private high school in Nakano, Tokyo is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Nakano City.Long Vacation ''Long Vacation'' (, also known as ) is a Japanese television drama series from Fuji Television, first shown in Japan from 15 April to 24 June 1996. The show's high ratings in Japan made Takuya Kimura popular in the Asia-Pacific region and is ...

'' after matriculating to college. She had a supporting role, but established in full-scale her position, because the drama was a major hit. She hosted the 47th NHK ''

Kōhaku Uta Gassen , more commonly known simply as ''Kōhaku'', is an annual New Year's Eve television special produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. It is broadcast live simultaneously on television and radio, nationally and internationally by the NHK net ...

'' and debuted with the single "

Ashita, Haru ga Kitara is a song by Japanese entertainer Takako Matsu from her debut album, ''Sora no Kagami'' (1997). It was released on March 21, 1997, through BMG Japan as her debut single. The song was written by Yūji Sakamoto and Daisuke Hinata, while Hinata p ...

". She returned to the show as a singer on the last day of the year. In an interview with

, Matsu recalled the incident with her musical debut. She sang karaoke which was heard by the director who suggested she gave a song. Although she declined it and was not confident enough with the song, she accepted because she saw it as " chance that not everyone got". In the same year, she starred in the drama '' Love Generation'' in a leading role. She starred in ''

Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...

''. She published a photo essay book, ''Matsu no Hitorigoto'', through

Asahi Shimbun is one of the four largest newspapers in Japan. Founded in 1879, it is also one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan. Its circulation, which was 4.57 million for its morning edition and ...

Publishers. She released "Toki no Fune" in September 2004, which was composed by Akeboshi. It is similar to the song, "

A nine days' wonder , more commonly known as , is a Japanese folk singer. He is mainly known for the song ''Wind'', used as an ending theme for the first season of the anime ''Naruto''. His surname means "bright star," while his given name means "fine man." Akebosh ...

", which was released after the "Toki no Fune" single. The single contained a cover of Akeboshi's "White Reply" previously recorded on her sixth album, ''Harvest Songs''. Matsu won the Best Actress of the Year of the 29th

Hochi Film Award The are film-specific prizes awarded by the ''Hochi Shimbun , previously known as , is a Japanese-language daily sports newspaper. In 2002, it had a circulation of a million copies a day. It is an affiliate newspaper of ''Yomiuri Shimbun''. ...

and the 28th Japan Academy Prize at the same time for ''

The Hidden Blade is a 2004 film set in 1860s Japan, directed by Yoji Yamada. The plot revolves around several samurai during a time of change in the ruling and class structures of Japan. The film was written by Yamada with Yoshitaka Asama and, like its predecesso ...

''. In July 2006, she and

Takuya Kimura is a Japanese actor, singer, and radio personality. He is regarded as a Japanese icon after achieving success as an actor. He was also a popular member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia. A 1996 television drama series, ''Long ...

starred in a special one-night edition of ''Hero''. In October 2006, Matsu and

Makoto Fujita , born Makoto Harada (April 13, 1933 – February 17, 2010), was a Japanese actor. He was born in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, the son of silent-film actor Rintarō Fujima, and started his career as a comedian in 1952. Acting Roles Fujita appeared in b ...

starred in a weekly drama ''Yakusha Damashii''. Matsu left the third concert tour in May 2007 to commemorate her tenth year as a singer. In her album ''Cherish You'', the song "Ashita Haru ga Kitara" was redone to combine her voice on her youth. On November 27, 2014, Matsu revealed on her official website that she was pregnant with her first child. Her daughter was born on March 30, 2015, and had 3466 grams. On February 9, 2020, Matsu was called to join

Idina Menzel Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honorif ...

Aurora An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...

and eight more of Elsa's international dubbers to perform the song “ Into the Unknown” at the

92nd Academy Awards The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 2019 and took place on February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, beginning at 5:00 ...

. Every international performer sang one line of the song in a different languages, including

Maria Lucia Rosenberg Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg (born 9 February 1984) is a Danish singer and musical-performer. She became famous when she won a record contract with the label EMI in the TV 2-program ''Popstars'' in 2003. Her debut single "Taking Back My Heart" ...

Willemijn Verkaik Willemijn Verkaik (; born 16 June 1975) is a Dutch singer and actress. She is best known for her stage roles in '' Wicked'' and '' Elisabeth'', and for providing the singing voice for Elsa in both the German and Dutch versions of Disney's '' F ...

, Carmen Sarahí,

Lisa Stokke Lisa Stokke (born 25 March 1975) is a Norwegian singer and actress, active in Norway and Great Britain. She appeared in the original West End-staging of the musical '' Mamma Mia!'', and later appeared in ''Guys and Dolls'' and in the UK televis ...

, Katarzyna Łaska,

Anna Buturlina Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

, Gisela and

Wichayanee Pearklin Wichayanee Pearklin (Thai: วิชญาณี เปียกลิ่น), also known as Gam Wichayanee, Gam The Star, or simply Gam (born September 21, 1989), is a Thai singer, actress, and television host. Gam is the "Most Admired Female Sin ...

. Matsu worked with the producers. Her third album, '' Sakura no Ame, Itsuka'' was released at

Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, Dutch law. UMG's cor ...

Filmography

Film

TV dramas

Japanese dub

Television

Video games

Theater

* (

, 1993) - Ohisa * (

Shinbashi Enbujō The is a theatre in the Ginza neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major kabuki venue, though other types of performances take place there as well. History The theatre was originally built in 1925 to provide a venue for the ''Azuma Odori'' ge ...

, 1994) - Botan * (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Omitsu * (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Kikyō * (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Oume *

Man of La Mancha ''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay ''I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes ...

** (Aoyama Theater 1995) (Meitetsu Hall/ Aoyama Theatre, 1997) ( Theater Hiten/ Aoyama Theatre, 1999) - Antonia ** (

Hakata-za The is a kabuki theatre in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, located near the Nakasu-Kawabata Station. It was originally constructed in 1996. Overview The Hakata-za is a multipurpose theater that can be used in all theater genres, such as k ...

Imperial Garden Theater The , often referred to simply as the Teigeki (帝劇), and previously the Imperial Garden Theater, is a Japanese theater located in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan operated by Toho. History Opened in 1911 as the first Western-style theater in ...

, 2002), (Meitetsu Hall/ Imperial Garden Theater, 2005), (Imperial Garden Theater, 2008), (Theater Brava!, 2009) - Aldonza *

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

(Ginza Cezon Theater 1995, 1998, etc.) -

Ophelia Ophelia () is a character in William Shakespeare's drama ''Hamlet'' (1599–1601). She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet, who, due to Hamlet's actions, ends up in ...

* (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1999) - Tamako Taira *

The Good Person of Szechwan ''The Good Person of Szechwan'' (german: Der gute Mensch von Sezuan, first translated less literally as ''The Good Man of Setzuan'') is a play written by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Margarete Steffin and Ruth Berlau ...

(New National Theater, 1999/ Akasaka ACT Theater 2001) - Shen Te/ Shui Ta * Okepi (Aoyama Theatre, 2000) - Shinonome * Voyage (Theater Cocoon, 2000) - (lead role) * (Parco Theater 2001) - Kaoru *

Wuthering Heights ''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...

(Shinbashi Enbujō, 2002) -

Catherine Earnshaw Catherine Earnshaw is a fictional character and the female protagonist of the 1847 novel ''Wuthering Heights'' written by Emily Brontë. Catherine is one of two children to Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, the original tenants of the Wuthering Heights est ...

Mozart! ''Mozart!'' is an Austrian musical, originally written in German. The original book and lyrics were written by Michael Kunze and the music and arrangements were composed by Sylvester Levay. The show is a new imagining of the struggles of the famo ...

(Nissei Theater; 2002) -

Constanze Mozart Maria Constanze Cäcilia Josepha Johanna Aloysia Mozart ( née Weber; 5 January 1762 – 6 March 1842) was a trained Austrian singer. She was married twice, first to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; then to Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. She and Mozart had s ...

* Noda Map: Oil (Theater Cocoon, 2003/ Kintetsu Theater 2003) - Fuji * (Shinbashi Enbujō, 2004) - Ohatsu *

Roningai , also known as ''Samurai Town: Story 1, Story 2 and Story 3'', are respectively 1928 and 1929 black and white Japanese silent films directed by Masahiro Makino. Serving as parts of a 4-part series, the first and second installments are represen ...

(Aoyama Theatre, 2004) - Oshin *

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...

(Imperial Garden Theater, 2004) - Kim *

The Caucasian Chalk Circle ''The Caucasian Chalk Circle'' (german: Der kaukasische Kreidekreis) is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. An example of Brecht's epic theatre, the play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a b ...

(Setagaya Public Theater, 2005) - Gursha * Noda Map: Fake

Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...

(Theater Cocoon 2005–6, Theater Brava!, 2005–6) - Hanabusa Sanjo * Metal Macbeth (Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre/ Aoyama Theatre/ Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan, 2006) - Mrs. RandomStar * (Theater Cocoon, 2007) -

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...

* Romance (Setagaya Public Theater, 2007) -

Maria Chekhova Maria Pavlovna Chekhova (russian: Мари́я Па́вловна Че́хова) was a Russian teacher, artist, founder of the Chekhov Memorial House museum in Yalta, and a recipient of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. Anton Chekhov was ...

* Sisters (Parco Theater, 2008) - Kaoru Ozaki * Noda Map: Piper (Theater Cocoon, 2009) - Deimos *

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

(Nissei Theater, 2009, 2012) -

* (Original title:

Home and Beauty ''Too Many Husbands'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''My Two Husbands'') is a 1940 American romantic comedy film about a woman who loses her husband in a boating accident and remarries, only to have her first spouse reappear—yet another var ...

) (Theater Cocoon, 2010) - Victoria * ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

'' (Theater Cocoon, 2011) - Sebastian/

Viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

* (New National Theatre, 2012–2013) - Sei * (Theater Cocoon, 2014) - Trunk Jill * (New National Theatre, 2015, 2017–2018) - Keiko *Noda Map: (Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, 2016) - Ningyo(Mermaid) *Metropolis (Theater Cocoon, 2016) - Maria/ Parody *(Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, 2019) - Miko Tanaka/ Kazue Mori *Noda Map: Q: A Night At The Kabuki (Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, 2019) - Sore kara no Julie(Juliet) *Inubito-Inujin-(イヌビト犬人)(New National Theatre, 2020) - Guide / Mazda Takeko / Petit *Pa Lapa Pan Pan (COCOON PRODUCTION 2021＋大人計画『パ・ラパパンパン』2021) - novelist for teens

Awards and prizes

Discography

Studio albums

*''

Sora no Kagami is the 1997 debut album of singer-actress Takako Matsu. Members of Cagnet collaborated with Matsu to compose and write this album. A collection of music videos, directed by Shunji Iwai for this album, was released on VHS the same year. In 200 ...

'' (1997) *'' Ai no Tobira'' (1998) *''Itsuka, Sakura no Ame ni...'' (2000) *''A Piece of Life'' (2001) *''Home Grown'' (2003) *''Harvest Songs'' (2003) *''Bokura ga Ita'' (2006) *''Cherish You'' (2007) *''Time for Music'' (2009) *''Ashita wa Doko kara'' (2017)

Compilation albums

*''Five Years: Singles'' (2001) *''Takako Matsu Single Collection 1999–2005'' (2006) *''Footsteps: 10th Anniversary Complete Best'' (2008)

Live albums

*''Takako Matsu Concert Tour Vol. 1 "A Piece of Life"'' (2002) *''Takako Matsu Concert Tour 2003 "Second Wave"'' (2004)

Music Video/Concert DVD

*''film Sora no Kagami'' (1997) *''Film Itsuka, Sakura no Ame ni…'' (2000) *''MATSU TAKAKO concert tour vol.1 "a piece of life" on film'' (2002) *''「tour documentary film "diary"」〜 concert tour vol.1 "apiece of life"〜'' (2002) *''matsu takako concert tour 2003 "second wave" on film'' (2004) *''MATSU TAKAKO concert tour 2007 "I Cherish You" on film'' (2007) *''Takako Matsu Concert Tour 2010 "Time for Music"'' (2010)

Bibliography

References

"As I Discovered a New Myself in this Album, I Wish If New Listeners Find me"
(Japanese), MSN, April 26, 2006, retrieved July 14, 2006

(Japanese), "Oricon", March 22, 2006, retrieved July 14, 2006

(Japanese), "Oricon", April 6, 2005, retrieved July 14, 2006

External links

*
Sony Music artist profile
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Matsu, Takako 1977 births Living people Actresses from Tokyo Horikoshi High School alumni Japanese women pop singers Japanese film actresses Japanese stage actresses Japanese television actresses Japanese musical theatre actresses Japanese voice actresses Singers from Tokyo Universal Music Japan artists 20th-century Japanese actresses 20th-century Japanese women singers 20th-century Japanese singers 21st-century Japanese actresses 21st-century Japanese women singers 21st-century Japanese singers