was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1934 and 1981. He appeared in 21 of

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

's 30 films (more than any other actor), including as a lead actor in ''

Drunken Angel is a 1948 Japanese ''yakuza'' film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is notable for being the first of sixteen film collaborations between director Kurosawa and actor Toshiro Mifune. Plot Sanada (Takashi Shimura) is an alcoholic doctor (the tit ...

'' (1948), ''

Rashomon is a 1950 Jidaigeki psychological thriller/crime film directed and written by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori (actor), Masayuki Mori, and ...

'' (1950), ''

Ikiru is a 1952 Japanese drama film directed and co-written (with Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni) by Akira Kurosawa. The film examines the struggles of a terminally ill Tokyo bureaucrat (played by Takashi Shimura) and his final quest for meaning. ...

'' (1952) and ''

Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire seven ...

'' (1954). He played Professor Kyohei Yamane in

Ishirō Honda was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 44 feature films in a career spanning 59 years. The most internationally successful Japanese filmmaker prior to Hayao Miyazaki, his films have had a significant influence on the film industry. Honda enter ...

's original ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...

'' (1954). For his contributions to the arts, the Japanese government decorated Shimura with the

Medal with Purple Ribbon are medals awarded by the Government of Japan. They are awarded to individuals who have done meritorious deeds and also to those who have achieved excellence in their field of work. The Medals of Honor were established on December 7, 1881, and we ...

in 1974 and the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette in 1980.

Early life

Shimura was born in Ikuno,

Hyōgo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 () and has a geographic area of . Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to the southeast, an ...

, Japan. His birth-name was Shimazaki Shōji (島崎捷爾). His forebears were members of the

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

class: in 1868 his grandfather took part in the

Battle of Toba–Fushimi The occurred between pro-Imperial and Tokugawa shogunate forces during the Boshin War in Japan. The battle started on 27 January 1868 (or fourth year of Keiō, first month, 3rd day, according to the lunar calendar), when the forces of the shog ...

during the

Boshin War The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a clique seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperi ...

. Shimura entered Ikuno Primary School in 1911 and

Kobe Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...

First Middle School in 1917. He missed two years of schooling because of a mild case of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

, and subsequently moved to the prefectural middle school in

Nobeoka is a Cities of Japan, city located in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 119,521 and a population density of 138 persons per km². The total area is . History The city was offici ...

Miyazaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,073,054 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,735 km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefecture borders Ōita Prefecture to the north, Kuma ...

, where his father had been transferred by his employer, Mitsubishi Mining. At Nobeoka Middle School, he excelled in English and became active on the literary society's magazine, to which he contributed poetry. He also became a star of the rowing club. In 1923, he entered

Kansai University , abbreviated as or , is a private non-sectarian and coeducational university with its main campus in Suita, Osaka, Japan and two sub-campuses in Sakai and Takatsuki, Osaka. Founded as Kansai Law School in 1886, It has been recognized as one o ...

, but after his father's retirement the family could no longer afford the fees for a full-time course and he switched to the part-time evening course in English literature, supporting himself by working at the

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...

municipal waterworks. Among the teachers in the English Literature Department were the playwright Toyo-oka Sa-ichirō (豊岡佐一郎) and the Shakespeare scholar Tsubouchi Shikō (坪内士行). These two inspired in Shimura an enthusiasm for drama. He joined the University's Theatre Studies Society and in 1928 formed an amateur theatrical group, the Shichigatsu-za (七月座) with Toyo-oka as director. He began to miss work because of the time he spent on theatrical activities and eventually lost his job. He then left university to try to earn a living in the theatre. The Shichigatsu-za turned professional and began to tour, but got into financial difficulties and folded.Shimura Takashi // Encyclopedia of Japan (CD-ROM). — Kodansha Ltd, 1999. — .

Career

After the failure of the Shichigatsu-za, Shimura went back to Osaka, where he began to get roles in radio plays. In 1930 he joined the Kindaiza (近代座) theatre company and became a fully professional actor. He toured China and Japan with the Kindaiza, but in 1932 he left the company and returned again to Osaka, where he appeared with the Shinseigeki (新声劇) and Shinsenza (新選座) troupes. Talking pictures were just then coming in and Shimura realised they would provide opportunities for stage-trained actors. In 1932 he joined the

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

studios of the film production company

Shinkō Kinema was a Japanese film studio active in the 1930s. Background Shinkō was established in September 1931 out of the remnants of the Teikoku Kinema studio with the help of Shōchiku capital. The historian Jun'ichirō Tanaka writes that the studio w ...

. He made his film debut in the 1934 silent ''Ren'ai-gai itchōme'' (恋愛街一丁目: ''Number One, Love Street''). The first film in which he had a speaking part was the 1935 ''Chūji uridasu'' (忠次売出す), directed by

Mansaku Itami Mansaku Itami (伊丹万作; real name Yoshitoyo Ikeuchi 池内義豊; 2 January 1900 – 21 September 1946) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his critical, sometimes satirical portraits of Japan and its history. H ...

. His first substantial film role was as a detective in

Mizoguchi Kenji was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed about one hundred films during his career between 1923 and 1956. His most acclaimed works include '' The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums'' (1939), ''The Life of Oharu'' (1952), ''Uge ...

's 1936 ''Osaka Elegy'' (''Naniwa erejii''; 浪華悲歌). The film which established his reputation as a first-rate actor was Itami Mansaku's 1936 ''Akanishi Kakita'' (赤西蠣太: ''Capricious Young Man''). In 1937 he moved to

Nikkatsu is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally ...

film corporation's Kyoto studios, and between then and 1942 appeared in nearly 100 films. His most notable role in these years was that of Keishirō in the long-running series ''Umon Torimono-chō'' (右門捕物帖), starring

Kanjūrō Arashi was a Japanese film actor. His nickname was "Arakan." He is famous for playing the role of '' Kurama Tengu'' sereies. He entered the film industry in 1927 and came to fame playing Kurama Tengu, a character in the Bakumatsu era created by Jirō ...

. He also demonstrated his considerable ability as a singer in the 1939 "cine-operetta", ''

Singing Lovebirds is a 1939 Japanese film directed by Masahiro Makino. It is a musical comedy. Fulfilling his reputation as a fast worker, Makino made the film in only two weeks when an opening was created in the production schedule of another film, ''Yaji Kita D� ...

''. During this time the political regime in Japan was growing ever more oppressive, and Shimura was arrested by the Special Higher Police (

Tokubetsu Kōtō Keisatsu The , often abbreviated , was a Japanese policing organization, established within the Home Ministry in 1911, for the purpose of carrying out high policing, domestic criminal investigations, and control of political groups and ideologies deemed ...

, known as Tokkō) and held for about three weeks because of his earlier association with left-wing theatre groups. He was eventually released on the recognisance of his wife Masako and fellow-actor

Ryūnosuke Tsukigata was a Japanese actor known especially for his work in jidaigeki in film and television. His real name was Kiyoto Monden. Career Born in Miyagi Prefecture, Tsukigata entered the actor's school at Nikkatsu in 1920, but earned his first starring ro ...

. He is said to have made use of this experience later when playing a Tokkō official in

's 1946 ''

No Regrets for Our Youth is a 1946 Japanese film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is based on the 1933 Takigawa incident. The film stars Setsuko Hara, Susumu Fujita, Takashi Shimura and Denjirō Ōkōchi. Fujita's character was inspired by the real-life Hotsum ...

''. When Nikkatsu and

Daiei , based in Kobe, Hyōgo, Kobe, is one of the largest supermarket chains in Japan. In 1957, Isao Nakauchi founded the chain in Osaka near Sembayashi Station on the Keihan train line. Daiei is now under a restructuring process supported by Maruben ...

merged in 1942, Shimura moved to the Kōa Eiga studios and then in 1943 to Tōhō.Shimura Takashi // Encyclopedia of Japan (CD-ROM). — Kodansha Ltd, 1999. — . A few weeks before the end of the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...

in August 1945, Shimura's elder brother was killed in Southeast Asia. In 1943, Shimura appeared as the old

jujutsu Jujutsu ( ; ja, link=no, 柔術 , ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat (unarmed or with a minor weapon) that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdu ...

teacher Murai Hansuke, a character based in the historical

Hansuke Nakamura was a Japanese jujutsu practitioner. He was one of the best regarded jujutsu stylists in Japan before the rise of judo, and remains as the most famous exponent of the Ryōi Shintō-ryū school. Biography First challenges The son of feudal lord ...

, in Kurosawa's debut movie, '' Sanshiro Sugata''.Shimura Takashi // Encyclopedia of Japan (CD-ROM). — Kodansha Ltd, 1999. — . Along with

Toshirō Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 150 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration (1948–1965) with Akira Kurosawa in such works as ''Rashomon'', ''Seven Samurai'', ''The Hidden Fortress'', ''Throne of Blood'', and '' ...

, Shimura is the actor most closely associated with Kurosawa: he eventually appeared in 21 of Kurosawa's 30 films. In fact, Kurosawa's cinematic collaboration with Shimura, from ''Sanshiro Sugata'' in 1943 to ''

Kagemusha is a 1980 jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is set in the Sengoku period of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate the dying ''daimyō'' Takeda Shingen to dissuade opposing lords fr ...

'' in 1980, started earlier and lasted longer than his work with Mifune (1948–65). Shimura's performances for Kurosawa included the doctor in ''

'' (1948), the veteran detective in '' Stray Dog'' (1949), the flawed lawyer in ''

Scandal A scandal can be broadly defined as the strong social reactions of outrage, anger, or surprise, when accusations or rumours circulate or appear for some reason, regarding a person or persons who are perceived to have transgressed in some way. Th ...

'' (1950), the woodcutter in ''

'' (1950), the mortally ill bureaucrat in ''

'' (1952), and the lead samurai Kambei in ''

'' (1954). Kurosawa wrote the part in ''Kagemusha'' specifically for Shimura, but the scenes were cut from the Western release, so many in the West did not know that he had been in the film. The DVD release of the film by

The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...

restored Shimura's footage. Shimura appeared in a number of Tōhō ''

kaiju is a Japanese media genre that focuses on stories involving giant monsters. The word ''kaiju'' can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monster ...

'' (giant monster) and ''

tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, War film, war, fantasy, or Horror film, horror media featuring such te ...

'' (special effects) films, many of which were directed by Kurosawa's good friend and colleague

. Shimura's roles included Professor Kyohei Yamane in the original ''

'' (1954), a character he briefly reprised in ''

Godzilla Raids Again is a 1955 Japanese '' kaiju'' film directed by Motoyoshi Oda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd., it is the second film in the ''Godzilla'' franchise. The film stars Hiroshi Koizumi, Setsuko Wa ...

'' (1955).

Death

Shimura died on February 11, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan, from

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...

at the age of 76.Shimura Takashi // Encyclopedia of Japan (CD-ROM). — Kodansha Ltd, 1999. — . His effects were presented to the Film Centre of the

National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo The in Tokyo, Japan, is the foremost museum collecting and exhibiting modern Japanese art. This Tokyo museum is also known by the English acronym MOMAT (National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo). The museum is known for its collection of 20th-centu ...

Filmography

*''Number One, Love Street'' (1934) as Osachi's father *''Umon torimonochō: Harebare gojûsantsugi - Ranma hen'' (1935) as Santa *''Umon torimonochō: Harebare gojûsantsugi'' (1935) *''Chûji uridasu'' (1935) *''Umon torimonochō: Harebare gojûsantsugi - Saiketsu hen'' (1936) *''

Osaka Elegy is a 1936 Japanese drama film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. It forms a diptych with Mizoguchi's ''Sisters of the Gion'' which shares much of the same cast and production team, and is considered an early masterpiece in the director's career. Plot S ...

'' (1936) as Inspector *''Shura hakkō: Dai-san-pen'' (1936) *''Chûretsu nikudan sanyûshi'' (1936) *''Akanishi Kakita'' (1936) as Taranoshin Tsunomata *''Seishun gonin otoko: Zempen'' (1937) *''Seishun gonin otoko: Kōhen'' (1937) *''Taki no shiraito'' (1937) *''Mitokomon kaikokuki'' (1937) *''Jiraiya'' (1937) as Gundayū Yao *''Chikemuri Takadanobaba'' (1937) as Takusan *''The Skull Coin'' (1938) *''Kurama Tengu'' (1938) as Kichinosuke Saigō *''Shamisen yakuza'' (1938) as Heisuke *''Yami no kagebōshi'' (1938) *''Jigoku no mushi'' (1938) *''Akagaki Genzō'' (1938) as Jōzaemon Sakaya *''Yajikita dōchūki'' (1938) *''Shusse taikoki'' (1938) *''Mazō'' (1938) *''Zoku mazō - Ibara Ukon'' (1939) *''Edo no akutarō'' (1939) *''

'' (1939) as Kyōsai Shimura *''Tsubanari ronin'' (1939) as Sherikov *''Shunjū ittōryū'' (1939) as Jūbei Tamon *''Miyamoto Musashi: Dai-san-bu - Kenshin ichiro'' (1940) *''Zoku Shimizu minato'' (1940) *''Phantom Castle'' (1940) *''Oda Nobunaga'' (1940) *''Umi wo wataru sairei'' (1941) *''Sugata naki fukushū'' (1941) *''Edo saigo no hi'' (1941) *''Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijoji ketto'' (1942) *''Hahakogusa'' (1942) *'' Sanshiro Sugata'' (1943, Kurosawa) as Hansuke Murai *''Himetaru kakugo'' (1943) as Ryōkichi Ishikawa *''Kaigun'' (1943) *''Haha no kinembi'' (1943) *''Kato hayabusa sento-tai'' (1944) *''

The Most Beautiful is a 1944 Japanese drama and propaganda film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The semidocumentary film follows a group of female volunteer workers at an optics factory during the Second World War, during which the film was produced. Plot ...

'' aka ''Most Beautifully'' (1944, Kurosawa) as Chief Goro Ishida *''Shibaidō'' (1944) *''San-jaku sagohei'' (1944) as Yasukichi Ito *''Nichijō no tatakai'' (1944) *''Tokkan ekichō'' (1945) *''Ai to chikai'' (1945) as Murai's father, principle *''Kita no san-nin'' (1945) as Masaki *''Koi no fuunjii'' (1945) as Lieutenant Okamoto *''

The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail is a 1945 Japanese period drama film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa, based on the kabuki play ''Kanjinchō'', which is in turn based on the Noh play '' Ataka''. It depicts a famous 12th century incident in which Yoshitsune and a small ...

'' (1945, Kurosawa) as Kataoka *'' Minshū no Teki'' (1946) *''

Those Who Make Tomorrow is a 1946 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto (who was also co-writer). It was produced to illustrate the purpose of the workers' union at the Toho film studios, as the Allied Forces endorsed the for ...

'' (1946) as Theatre manager *''Juichinin no jogakusei'' (1946) *''

'' (1946, Kurosawa) as Police Commissioner 'Poison Strawberry' Dokuichigo *''

Aru yo no Tonosama is a 1946 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. Cast *Kazuo Hasegawa * Isuzu Yamada *Hideko Takamine * Chōko Iida *Mitsuko Yoshikawa *Ichiro Sugai * Tetsu Nakamura *Takashi Shimura *Eitarō Shindō *Susumu Fujita *Denjirō Ōkōchi Awar ...

'' (1946) *''Four Love Stories'' (1947) as Masao's father (part 1) *''Twenty Four Hours of a Secret Life'' (1947) *''

Snow Trail is a 1947 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Senkichi Taniguchi from Akira Kurosawa's screenplay. It was the first film role for Toshirō Mifune, later to become one of Japan's most famous actors. Mifune and the other main actor in the fi ...

'' (1947) as Nojiro *''Haru no mezame'' (1947) as Kenzō Ogura *''A Second Life'' (1948) as Union leader *''

'' (1948, Kurosawa) as Doctor Sanada *''Life of a Woman'' (1949) as Murata *'' The Quiet Duel'' (1949, Kurosawa) as Dr. Konosuke Fujisaki *''

Lady from Hell is a 1949 Japanese Action film, action drama film directed by Motoyoshi Oda and co-written by Akira Kurosawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film has been called a "protest movie" which "portrayed a cornucopia of corruption and indi ...

'' (1949) as Chief of Police *''Mori no Ishimatsu'' (1949) *'' Stray Dog'' (1949, Kurosawa) as Detective Sato. Won Best Actor award at 1950

Mainichi Film Concours The are a series of annual film awards, sponsored by Mainichi Shinbun (毎日新聞), one of the largest newspaper companies in Japan, since 1946. It is the first film festival in Japan. History The origins of the contest date back to 1935, ...

. *''Onna koroshi abura jigoku'' (1949) *''Ore wa yojinbo'' (1950) *''Ma no ogon'' (1950) *''Shunsetsu'' (1950) *'' Boryōku no Machi'' (1950) *''

'' (1950, Kurosawa) as Attorney Hiruta *''Ikari no machi'' (1950) as Kimiko's father *''

'' (1950, Kurosawa) as Kikori, the wood cutter *''Yoru no hibotan'' (1950) *''Tenya wanya'' (1950) *''Ginza Sanshiro'' (1950) *''Datsugoku'' (1950) *''Ai to nikushimi no kanata e'' (1951) *''

Elegy An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lament for the dead. However, according to ''The Oxford Handbook of the Elegy'', "for all of its pervasiveness ... the 'elegy' remains remarkably ill defined: sometime ...

'' (1951) *''

The Idiot ''The Idiot'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Идиот, Idiót) is a novel by the 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published serially in the journal ''The Russian Messenger'' in 1868–69. The title is an ...

'' (1951, Kurosawa) as Ono, Ayako's father *''Kedamono no yado'' (1951) *''Aoi shinju'' (1951) *''Mesu inu'' (1951) as Horie *''Hopu-san: sarariiman no maki'' (1951) *''The Life of a Horsetrader'' (1951) as Rokutaro Kosaka *''Nusumareta koi'' (1951) *''

Vendetta for a Samurai is a 1952 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Kazuo Mori made for Toho and starring Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura. The script was written by Akira Kurosawa. Plot Araki Mataemon ( Toshiro Mifune), a renowned swordsman, helps a young ma ...

'' (1952) as Jinzaemon Kawai *'' The Skin of the South'' (1952) *''Muteki'' (1952) *''

The Life of Oharu is a 1952 Japanese historical fiction film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi from a screenplay by Yoshikata Yoda. It stars Kinuyo Tanaka as Oharu, a one-time concubine of a ''daimyō'' (and mother of a later ''daimyō'') who struggles to escape the sti ...

'' (1952) as Old Man *''Sengoku burai'' (1952) *''Bijo to touzoku'' (1952) as Yoshimichi *''

'' (1952, Kurosawa) as Kanji Watanabe *''Oka wa hanazakari'' (1952) as Kenkichi Kimura *''Minato e kita otoko'' (1952) as Okabe *''Fuun senryobune'' (1952) *''Hoyo'' (1953) as Watanabe, alias Nabesan *''Tobō chitai'' (1953) *''Yoru no owari'' (1953) as Yoshikawa *''Taiheiyō no washi'' (1953) as Colonel A, staff officer of the army *''

'' (1954, Kurosawa) as Kambei Shimada *''Jirochō sangokushi: kaitō-ichi no abarenbō'' (1954) *''Asakusa no yoru'' (1954) as Komazo *''Kimi shinitamo koto nakare'' (1954) *''Haha no hatsukoi'' (1954) *''Shin kurama tengu daiichi wa: Tengu shutsugen'' (1954) *''

'' (1954) as Dr. Kyohei Yamane *''Shin kurama tengu daini wa: Azuma-dera no ketto'' (1954) *''Bazoku geisha'' (1954) as Kotaro Yamabe *''Mekura neko'' (1955) *''

'' (1955) as Dr. Kyohei Yamane-hakase *''Mugibue'' (1955) as Nobuo's father *''No Time for Tears'' (1955) as Tatsurō Shimamura *''Sanjusan go sha otonashi'' (1955) *''Shin kurama tengu daisanbu'' (1955) *''Muttsuri Umon torimonocho'' (1955) *''Geisha Konatsu: Hitori neru yo no Konatsu'' (1955) as Sakuma *''Sugata naki mokugekisha'' (1955) as Insepctor Kasai *''Asagiri'' (1955) *''

I Live in Fear is a 1955 Japanese drama film directed by Akira Kurosawa, produced by Sōjirō Motoki, and co-written by Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, and Hideo Oguni. The film is about an elderly Japanese factory owner so terrified of the prospect of a nuclear a ...

'' aka ''Record of a Living Being'' (1955, Kurosawa) as Dr. Harada *'' Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island'' (1956) as Sado Nagaoka the court official *''Shin, Heike monogatari: Yoshinaka o meguru sannin no onna'' (1956) as Sanemori Saito *''

Wakai ki () is a 1956 Japanese film directed by Ishirō Honda. ''Wakai ki'' is about a young girl who moves to Tokyo and endures the rivalries between other high school girls of varying cultural and economic backgrounds. Release ''Wakai ki'' was released ...

'' (1956) as Hanako's Father *''Kyatsu o nigasuna'' (1956) as Nagasawa *''The Underworld'' (1956) as Tsunejiro Furuya *'' Godzilla, King of the Monsters'' (1956) as Dr. Yamane *''Narazu-mono'' (1956) as Juzo *''Tōkyō hanzai chizu'' (1956) *''Bōkyaku no hanabira'' (1957) *''

Throne of Blood is a 1957 Japanese '' jidaigeki'' film co-written, produced, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film transposes the plot of William Shakespeare's play ''Macbeth'' from Medieval Scotland to feudal ...

'' (1957, Kurosawa) as Noriyasu Odagura *''Yama to kawa no aru machi'' (1957) *''Kono futari ni sachi are'' (1957) *''Sanjūrokunin no jōkyaku'' (1957) as Yamagami - Detective *''Arakure'' (1957) *''Bōkyaku no hanabira: Kanketsuhen'' (1957) *''Kiken na eiyu'' (1957) *''Yuunagi'' (1957) as Yasunori Igawa *''Aoi sanmyaku Shinko no maki'' (1957) *'' Zoku Aoi sanmyaku Shinko no maki'' (1957) *''Dotanba'' (1957) *''

The Mysterians is a 1957 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film begins with a giant fissure destroying an entire village. This leads to an investigation whereby the source is disc ...

'' (1957) as Dr. Tanjiro Adachi *''Ohtori-jo no hanayome'' (1958) *''Edokko matsuri'' (1958) as Hōkinokami Aoyama *''

The Loyal 47 Ronin ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (

Chūshingura is the title given to fictionalized accounts in Japanese literature, theater, and film that relate to the historical incident involving the forty-seven ''rōnin'' and their mission to avenge the death of their master, Asano Naganori. Including th ...

) (1958) as Jūbei Ōtake *''Seven from Edo'' (1958) as Sagamiya *''Haha'' (1958) as Ijūin *''Uguisu-jō no hanayome'' (1958) *''Ten to sen'' (1958) as Kasai *''Jinsei gekijō - Seishun hen'' (1958) *''

The Hidden Fortress is a 1958 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' adventure film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It tells the story of two peasants who agree to escort a man and a woman across enemy lines in return for gold without knowing that he is a general and the woman is a pr ...

'' (1958, Kurosawa) as The Old General, Izumi Nagakura *''

Nichiren to Mōko Daishūrai is a 1958 Japanese Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Kunio Watanabe. Plot Nichiren, a famous Japanese Buddhist monk who returns from his studies to create a new form of Buddhism in preparation for fighting the Mongol invader ...

'' (1958) as Yasaburō *''Ken wa shitte ita'' (1958) *''Sora kakeru hanayome'' (1959) as Shichibei *''Tetsuwan tōshu Inao monogatari'' (1959) as Kyūsaku Inao *''Kotan no kuchibue'' (1959) *''Taiyō ni somuku mono'' (1959) as Ichikawa - detective *''Sengoku gunto-den'' (1959) as Saemon Toki *''Kagero ezu'' (1959) as Ryoan *''

The Three Treasures is a 1959 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. The film is based on the legends ''Kojiki'' and '' Nihon Shoki'' and the origins of ''Shinto''. The film was the highest-grossing film of 1959 for Toho and the second highest grossing domestic ...

'' (1959) as Elder Kumaso *''Beran me-e geisha'' (1959) *''Shobushi to sono musume'' (1959) *''Kēdamonō no torū michi'' (1959) *''

Afraid to Die is a 1960 Japanese yakuza film directed by Yasuzo Masumura and starring Yukio Mishima. Cast * Yukio Mishima – Takeo Asahina * Ayako Wakao – Yoshie Koizumi * Keizo Kawasaki – Shoichi Koizumi * Eiji Funakoshi – Susumu Aikawa * Takashi Sh ...

'' (1960) as Gohei Hirayama *'' Storm Over the Pacific'' (1960) as Tosaku *''Yoru no nagare'' (1960) as Koichiro Sonoda *''Man Against Man'' (1960) as Chotaro Masue *''

The Bad Sleep Well is a 1960 Japanese crime mystery film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It was the first film to be produced under Kurosawa's own independent production company. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival. The film stars Toshiro ...

'' (1960, Kurosawa) as Administrative Officer Moriyama *''Gambare! Bangaku'' (1960) *''Sarariiman Chūshingura'' (1960) as Honzo Kadokawa *''Sen-hime goten'' (1960) as Sadonokami Honda *''

The Story of Osaka Castle is a 1961 Japanese drama film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film is based on historical events taking place in Japan during the beginning of the 17th century. Plot The plot is set about a decade aft ...

'' (1961) as Katagiri *''Harekosode'' (1961) *''Zoku sarariiman Chūshingura'' (1961) as Honzo Kadokawa *''

Yojimbo is a 1961 Japanese Samurai cinema, samurai film co-written, produced, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film stars Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katō, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara, and Ats ...

'' (1961, Kurosawa) as Tokuemon - Sake Brewer *''Fundoshi isha'' (1961) as Matsuoemon *''Kutsukake Tokijirō'' (1961) as Hacchōnawate Tokubei *''Ai to honoho to'' (1961) as Yoshii *''

Mothra is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', that first appeared in the 1961 film '' Mothra'', produced and distributed by Toho Studios. Mothra has appeared in several Toho ''tokusatsu'' films, most often as a recurring character in the ''Godzilla'' ...

'' (1961) as News Editor *''Kuroi gashū dainibu: Kanryū'' (1961) *''Futari no musuko'' (1961) *''Restoration Fire'' (1961) as Yahei *''

Sanjuro is a 1962 black-and-white Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune. It is a sequel to Kurosawa's 1961 ''Yojimbo''. Originally an adaptation of the Shūgorō Yamamoto novel ''Hibi Heian'', the script ...

'' (1962, Kurosawa) as Kurofuji *''Zoku sarariiman shimizu minato'' (1962) *''Long Way to Okinawa'' (1962) *''

Gorath is a 1962 Japanese epic science fiction disaster film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Based on an idea by Jojiro Okami, the film is about mankind's efforts to move Earth out of its orbit to prevent it from ...

'' (1962) as Kensuke Sonoda - Paleontologist *''Kurenai no sora'' (1962) *''Kujira gami'' (1962) *'' Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki'' (1962) as Hyōbu Chisaka *''Attack Squadron!'' (1963) as Admiral *'' High and Low'' (1963, Kurosawa) as Chief of Investigation Section *''Boryokudan'' (1963) *''

Attack Squadron! is a 1963 Japanese film directed by Shue Matsubayashi, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film is about Lt. Colonel Senda ( Toshiro Mifune) who commands three fighter squadrons, eventually being dominated by Allied forces in June 1944. ...

'' (1963) *''The Lost World of Sinbad'' (1963) as King Raksha *''Tsukiyo no wataridori'' (1963) as Nagisa yo yuki jo *''Jinsei gekijo: shin hisha kaku'' (1964) *''Chi to daiyamondo'' (1964) *''Brand of Evil'' (1964) as Tsukamoto, manager *''Tensai sagishi monogatari: Tanuki no hanamichi'' (1964) as Komai *''

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster is a 1964 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd., it is the fifth film in the ''Godzilla'' franchise, and was the second ''Godzilla'' film produced ...

'' (1964) as Dr. Tsukamoto *''

Kwaidan is a Japanese word consisting of two kanji: 怪 (''kai'') meaning "strange, mysterious, rare, or bewitching apparition" and 談 (''dan'') meaning "talk" or "recited narrative". Overall meaning and usage In its broadest sense, ''kaidan'' refers ...

'' (1964) as Head priest (segment "Miminashi Hōichi no hanashi") *''Matatabi san ning yakuza'' (1965) as Kakegawa Bunzo *''Jigoku no hatobā'' (1965) *''Barā kētsu shobū'' (1965) *''

Samurai Assassin is a 1965 Japanese film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and starring Toshiro Mifune, Koshiro Matsumoto, Yūnosuke Itō, and Michiyo Aratama. It is set in 1860, immediately before the Meiji Restoration changed Japanese society forever by doing awa ...

'' (1965) as Narihisa Ichijō *''

Red Beard is a 1965 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa, in his last collaboration with actor Toshiro Mifune. Based on Shūgorō Yamamoto's 1959 short story collection, '' Akahige Shinryōtan'', the film takes p ...

'' (1965, Kurosawa) as Tokubei Izumiya *''Sanshiro Sugata'' (1965) as Mishima *''Taiheiyō kiseki no sakusen: Kisuka'' (1965) as Military Command president *'' Frankenstein vs. Baragon'' (1965) as Axis Scientist *''Buraikan jingi'' (1965) as Genkichi Jinnai *''Kono koe naki sakebi'' (1965) *''Sarutobi Sasuke'' (1966) as Hakuunsai Tozawa *''Bangkok no yoru'' (1966) as Dr. Yoshino *''Kaerazeru hatoba'' (1966) as Detective Egusa *''Zesshō'' (1966) as Sōbei Sonoda *''Showa saidai no kaoyaku'' (1966) *''Noren ichidai: jōkyō'' (1966) *''Ārappoi no ha gōmen dazē'' (1967) *''Satogashi ga kowareru toki'' (1967) as Kudo *''

Japan's Longest Day is a 1967 Japanese war film directed by Kihachi Okamoto. The subject of the majority of the movie is the period between noon on August 14, 1945 and noon on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito's decision to surrender to the Allies in World W ...

'' (1967) as Information Bureau Director Hiroshi Shimomura *''Gyangu no teiō'' (1967) *''Naniwa kyokaku: dokyo shichinin giri'' (1967) *''Kyokotsu ichidai'' (1967) *''

The Sands of Kurobe is a 1968 Japanese drama film directed by Kei Kumai. It was Japan's submission to the 41st Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee. Produced by its stars Toshiro Mifune and Yujiro Is ...

'' (1968) as Ashimura *''Botan Dōrō'' (1968) as Fortune Teller *''

Zatoichi is a fictional character created by Japanese novelist Kan Shimozawa. He is an itinerant blind masseur and swordsman of Japan's late Edo period (1830s and 1840s). He first appeared in the 1948 essay , part of Shimozawa's ''Futokoro Techō'' se ...

and the Fugitives'' (1968) as Dr. Junan *''Gion matsuri'' (1968) as Tsuneemon *''Shin Abashiri Bangaichi'' (1968) as Tetsutarō Fujigami *''Sangyo supai'' (1968) *''Onna tobakushi amadera kaichō'' (1968) *''Gendai yakuza: yotamono no okite'' (1968) *''Ah kaiten tokubetsu kogetikai'' (1968) *''

Samurai Banners is a Japanese samurai drama film released in 1969. It was directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and is based on the novel ''Furin kazan'' by Yasushi Inoue. Plot Yamamoto Kansuke (Toshiro Mifune) is a general of warlord Takeda Shingen ( Nakamura Kinno ...

'' (1969) *''Shōwa zankyō-den: Karajishi jingi'' (1969) *''

It's Tough Being a Man (Am I Trying) (Tora-san Our Lovable Tramp) is a 1969 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada and starring Kiyoshi Atsumi. It is the first entry in the popular, long-running ''Otoko wa Tsurai yo'' series. Plot Torajiro Kuruma returns for th ...

'' (1969) as Hyōichirō Suwa *''Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Saihate no Nagare-mono'' (1969) *''Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Runin-masaki no ketto'' (1969) *''Nihon boryoku-dan: kumicho to shikaku'' (1969) *''The Militarists'' (1970) as Editor (uncredited) *''Yomigaeru daichi'' (1971) as Gondo *''Gorotsuki mushuku'' (1971) *''

Tora-san's Love Call ''aka'' ''Tora-san's Love Song'' is a 1971 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Junko Ikeuchi as his Romantic interest, love interest or "Madonna". ''Tora-san's Love Call'' is t ...

'' (1971) as Hyouichiro Suwa (Hiroshi's father) *''Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro renka'' (1971) *''Gokuaku bozu - Nomu utsu kau'' (1971) *''Gokudo makari touru'' (1972) *'' Zatoichi's Conspiracy'' (1973) as Sakubei * ''

Karei-naru Ichizoku is a 1973 novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a film in 1974 and then three times as a television series in 1974, 2007, and 2021. Plot Set in the post-World War II climate of the 1960s in Kobe, the show explores the struggle for po ...

'' (1974) as Yasuda - Makiko's father *''Ranru no hata'' (1974) as Shihei Furukawa *''

Prophecies of Nostradamus is a 1974 disaster film by Toshio Masuda, based on a 1973 novel by Ben Goto, itself inspired by the prophecies of Nostradamus. Plot In 1853, Genta Nishiyama begins preaching the prophecies of Michel de Nostradame using a copy of his book ''Ce ...

'' (1974) as Pediatrician *''Karajishi keisatsu'' (1974) *''

The Bullet Train (also known as ''Super Express 109'') is a 1975 Japanese action thriller film directed by Junya Satō and starring Ken Takakura, Sonny Chiba, and Ken Utsui. When a Shinkansen ("bullet train") is threatened with a bomb that will explode automa ...

'' (1975) as JNR President *''Zoku ningen kakumei'' (1976) *''Godzilla'' (1977) as Dr. Yamane *'' Ogin-sama'' (1978, Love and Faith) as Sen Rikyu *''Otoko wa tsurai yo: Uwasa no Torajirō'' (1978) as Hiroshi's Father *''Dōran'' (1980) as Kosuke Miyagi *''

Tempyō no Iraka is a 1980 Japanese historical drama film directed by Kei Kumai, based on Yasushi Inoue's novel of the same name. The film follows a Japanese mission to Tang China during the Heian period. Cast * Katsuo Nakamura as Fushō * Masaaki Daimon as Y� ...

'' (1980) *''

'' (1980, Kurosawa) as Gyobu Taguchi *''Story of the Japan Philharmonic: Movement of Flame'' (1981) (final film role)

Television

*'' Akō Rōshi'' (1964) *''

Ten to Chi to is a 1990 Japanese film, directed by Haruki Kadokawa and starring Takaaki Enoki, Tsugawa Masahiko, Asano Atsuko, Zaizen Naomi and Nomura Hironobu. The film was released in Japan in June 1990, and an English version was released in North Ame ...

'' (1969), Nagao Fusakage *'' Haru no Sakamichi'' (1971),

Aoyama Tadatoshi was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the early Edo period. Biography Tadatoshi was the son of Aoyama Tadanari, a Tokugawa vassal of the Sengoku period who was born in Mikawa Province. Tadatoshi, like his father, was a Tokugawa vassal, and was famous for ...

*''

Daichūshingura (Dai Chushingura) is a Japanese television dramatization of the events of the Forty-seven Ronin. The first episode aired on January 5, 1971, and the 52nd and final episode appeared on December 28 of the same year. The NET network broadcast it in th ...

'' (1971), Horiuchi Denzaemon *''Akai Unmei'' (1976) *''

Ōgon no Hibi is a 1978 Japanese television series. It is the 16th NHK taiga drama, and is based on Saburo Shiroyama's novel of the same title. The series is the first ''taiga'' drama to focus on the lives of commoners and merchants, and the first ''taiga'' d ...

'' (1978), Notoya *''

Fumō Chitai is a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, Yamasaki worked as a journalist for the Mainichi Shimbun from 1945 to 1959 after graduating from Kyoto Women's University in Japanese literature. She published her fi ...

'' (1979), Tanigawa

Honours

(1974) * Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (1980)

References

Sources

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shimura, Takashi Japanese male film actors Actors from Hyōgo Prefecture Deaths from emphysema 1905 births 1982 deaths 20th-century Japanese male actors Kansai University alumni Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class