was a Japanese actress who appeared in more than 100 films between 1950 and 1994. A graduate of Takarazuka Girl's Opera School, Otowa was first signed to Daiei studios, before becoming a freelance actress by the early 1950s. After starring in Kaneto Shindo's '' Story of a Beloved Wife'', she became the director's mistress and appeared in nearly all of his following films. She finally married him in 1977, after his previous wife divorced him. Although closely associated with Shindo's films, with '' Children of Hiroshima'', '' The Naked Island'' and '' Onibaba'' being among the most well-known, Otowa also worked for noted directors such as Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Heinosuke Gosho,

Keisuke Kinoshita was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Ronald Berganbr>"A satirical eye on Japan: Keisuke Kinoshita" ''The Guardian'', 5 January 1999. While lesser-known internationally than contemporaries such as Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi an ...

and Nagisa Ōshima. Devoted to her profession, she frequently wrote and lectured on the art of film acting. In 1995, she was posthumously awarded as best actress in a supporting role at the 19th Japan Academy Prize for ''

A Last Note is a 1995 Japanese comedy-drama film directed by Kaneto Shindo. It was the last film of actresses Haruko Sugimura and Nobuko Otowa. Plot Yoko Morimoto, an aged but still active widowed actress, takes a rest from rehearsals and the hot temperatu ...

'', having been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer during its production. Half of her ashes are scattered on the island of Sukune in Mihara, Hiroshima, where ''The Naked Island'' was filmed..

Filmography

Film

* ''Shojoho'' (1950) * ''Miyagi Hiroba'' (1951) * ''Arabiya monogatari'' (1951) * ''Tsuki no wataridori'' (1951) – Oichi * ''Dare ga watashi o sabaku no ka'' (1951) * '' Miss Oyu'' (1951) – Shizu * ''Meigetsu somato'' (1951) * '' Story of a Beloved Wife'' (1951) – Takako Ishikawa * '' The Tale of Genji'' (1951) – Murasaki no ue * ''Izayoi kaido'' (1951) * ''Asakusa kurenaidan'' (1952) – Maki Ayukawa * ''

Avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and ea ...

'' (1952) – Atsuko Fujikawa * ''Atakake no hitobito'' (1952) * '' Children of Hiroshima'' (1952) – Takako Ishikawa * ''Kantarou tsukiyo-uta'' (1952) – Okyo * ''Senba zuru'' (1953) – Ayako Ohta * ''Onna to iu shiro – Mari no maki'' (1953) * ''Onna to iu shiro – Yuko no maki'' (1953) * ''Hatamoto Taikutsu Otoko 808 Chome'' (1953) * ''Mura hatibu'' (1953) * '' Epitome'' (1953) – Ginko * ''Yokubo'' (1953) – Shizue Kitami * ''Yoake mae'' (1953) – Hanzo's Daughter * '' Life of a Woman'' (1953) – Fujiko Shirakawa * ''Koina no Ginpei'' (1954) – Oichi * ''Utsukushī hito'' (1954) * ''

An Inn at Osaka An, AN, aN, or an may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Airlinair (IATA airline code AN) * Alleanza Nazionale, a former political party in Italy * AnimeNEXT, an annual anime convention located in New Jersey * Anime North, a Canadian an ...

'' (1954) – Uwabami * '' Dobu'' (1954) – Tsuru * ''Dorodarake no seishun'' (1954) – Nanako * ''Ai to shi no tanima'' (1954) * ''Wakai hitotachi'' (1954) * ''Aisureba koso'' (1955) – Michie (segment 1) * ''Ginza no onna'' (1955) * ''

Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

'' (1955) – Akiko Yano * ''Kabuki juhachiban: Narukami – Bijo to kairyu'' (1955) * '' Shirogane Shinjū'' (1956) – Sakie / Umeko * '' Ruri no kishi'' (1956) – Hagiyo, Chiho's mother * ''Shin ono ga tsumi'' (1956) * ''Yoake Asaake'' (1956) * '' An Actress'' (1956) – Kakuko Mori * ''Aru yo futatabi'' (1956) * ''Kottaisan yori: Nyotai wa kanashiku'' (1957) – Tamasode * ''Hadairo no tsuki'' (1957) – Kumiko Uno * ''Ukifune'' (1957) – Naka-no-kimi * ''Yagyū bugeichō: Sōryū hiken'' (1958) – the Princess * ''Makeraremasen katsumadewa'' (1958) – Odama * ''Kanashimi wa onna dakeni'' (1958) – Taka * ''A Holiday in Tokyo'' (1958) – Nobuko * ''Yajikita Dochuuki'' (1958) * ''Noren'' (1958) * ''Tsuzurikata kyodai'' (1958) – Aunt * ''Mimizuku'' (1958) * ''Nora neko'' (1958) * ''Yajikita dōchū sugoroku'' (1958) – Ofutsu / maid * ''Hana noren'' (1959) * '' Lucky Dragon No. 5'' (1959) – Shizu Kuboyama * ''Aisaiki'' (1959) * ''Okaasan no yume'' (僕らの母さん) (1959) * ''Kashima ari'' (1959) * ''Ai no kane'' (1959) * '' The Three Treasures'' (1959) – Goddess of Anenouzume * '' Hanayome-san wa sekai-ichi'' (1959) * ''Waga ai'' (1960) – Hideya * ''Tenka no Odorobo Shiranami Gonin Man'' (1960) * ''Chinpindō shujin'' (1960) * ''Onna no saka'' (1960) * ''Shin jōdaigaku'' (1960) * ''Bokutō kitan'' (1960) – Kyōko Yamai * '' The Approach of Autumn'' (1960) – Shigeko Fukatani – Hideo's Mother * '' The Naked Island'' (1960) – Toyo, the mother * ''

Hunting Rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with bo ...

'' (1961) – Choko's mother * ''Mozu'' (1961) * ''Tōkyō yawa'' (1961) – Yukari * ''Kojin koujitsu'' (1961) * ''Netsuai sha'' (1961) – Tamiko * '' Immortal Love'' (1961) – Tomoko, Takashi's wife * ''Gen to fudō myō-ō'' (1961) * '' The Last War'' (1961) – Oyoshi Tamura * ''Awamori-kun Kanpai'' (1961) * ''Aijo no keifu'' (1961) * ''Neko to katsuobushi'' (1961) * ''Ashita aru kagiri'' (1962) * ''Nagashi hina'' (1962) * ''Long Way to Okinawa'' (1962) * ''Ika naru hoshi no moto ni'' (1962) – Mitoji * ''Sei Kurabe'' (1962) * ''Aobeka monogatari'' (1962) – Kimino * '' Ningen'' (1962) – Gorosuke * ''Kawa no hotori de'' (1962) – Tamako Sekiguchi * ''Kigeki ekimae hanten'' (1962) * ''Yushu Heiya'' (1963) * ''Kanojo ni mukatte tosshinsayo'' (1963) * ''Uso'' (1963) – (segment "San jyotai") * ''Shiro to kuro'' (1963) – Ochiai's Wife * ''Daidokoro taiheiki'' (1963) * ''Wanpaku tenshi'' (1963) * ''Hyakumannin no musumetachi'' (1963) * ''Miren'' (1963) – Hatsu Kakinuma * ''

Mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ...

'' (1963) – Tamiko * ''Wakai nakamatachi: uchira Gion no maikohan'' (1963) * ''Kigeki ekimae okami'' (1964) – Kyōko Yamamoto * ''Kigeki yōki-na mibōjin'' (1964) – Kume Tanabe * '' The Scent of Incense'' (''Kōge – Nibu: Mitsumata no shō/Ichibu: Waremokō no shō'') (1964) – Ikuyo * ''Okaasan no baka'' (1964) * ''Kigeki ekimae kaidan'' (1964) * '' Onibaba'' (1964) – Kichi's Mother * ''Daikon to ninjin'' (1965) – Nobuyo Yamaki * ''Nami kage'' (1965) – Masa, Kichitaro's wife * ''Kigeki ekimae kin'yū'' (1965) * ''Daiku taiheki'' (1965) * ''

Akuto , U.S. title ''Conquest'', is a 1965 Japanese jidaigeki and drama film written and directed by Kaneto Shindō. It is based on the play ''Kaoyo'' by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. Plot In the 14th century, Kō no Moronao, a deputy of the Ashikaga shog ...

'' (1965) – Jiju * ''Abare Gōemon'' (1966) – Osasa * ''Kigeki ekimae benten'' (1966) * '' Lost Sex'' (1966) – The Housemaid * ''Akogare'' (1966) * ''Kigeki ekimae keiba'' (1966) * ''Danshun'' (1966) * ''Kigeki ekimae mangan'' (1967) * ''Izu no odoriko'' (1967) * ''Kigeki ekimae gakuen'' (1967) * ''Zoku Na mo naku mazushiku utsukushiku: Chichi to ko'' (1967) – Taeko Sakai * ''Sei no kigen'' (1967) – Wife * ''Kigeki ekimae hyakku-nen'' (1967) * '' Kuroneko'' (1968) – Yone (Mother) * ''Tsuyomushi onna to yowamushi otoko'' (1968) – Fumiko * ''Āh himeyuri no tō'' (1968) – Hatsu Yonamine * ''Machi ni izumi ga atta'' (1968) – Toki Yano * '' Red Lion'' (1969) – Oharu * '' Heat Wave Island'' (1969) – Otoyo * ''Shokkaku'' (1970) – Tamiko / Prostitute Yuki * '' Live Today, Die Tomorrow!'' (1970) – Take Yamada * '' The Ceremony'' (1971) – Sakurada Shizu * ''Kanawa'' (1972) – Middle aged woman * ''

Sanka Sanka is a brand of instant decaffeinated coffee, sold around the world, and was one of the earliest decaffeinated varieties. Sanka is distributed in the United States by Kraft Heinz. History Decaffeinated coffee was developed in 1903 by a team ...

'' (1972) – Teru Kamozawa * ''

The Heart A heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood in various species. Heart may also refer to: *Heart symbol, a symbol (♥) representing love, the organ, or a card suit *A synonym for soul Film and television *Heart (1987 film), ''Heart'' (1987 fil ...

'' (1973) – Mrs. M * ''Kōkotsu no hito'' (1973) – Kyōko * ''Shiawase'' (1974) * ''Waga michi'' (1974) – Mino Kawamura * '' Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director'' (documentary) (1975) – Herself * ''Kyukei no Koya'' (1975) * '' The Life of Chikuzan'' (1977) * ''The Incident'' (1978) * ''The Strangling'' (1979) – Ryoko, Mother * ''Haitatsu sarenai santsu no tegami'' (1979) – Sumie, Mitsumasa's wife * ''Kangofu no oyaji ganbaru'' (1980) * ''Omoeba tōkue kitamonda'' (1980) * ''Asshii-tachi no machi'' (1981) – Haru Hayasaka * ''Ore to aitsu no monogatari'' (1981) * ''

Edo Porn ''Edo Porn'' ( ja, 北斎漫画, Hokusai manga) is a 1981 Japanese biographical drama film written and directed by Kaneto Shindō. It is based on Seiichi Yashiro's stage play on the life of Japanese artist Hokusai. Plot Tetsuzō is an unsuccessf ...

'' (1981) – Omomo, Sashichi's Wife * ''Ekisutora'' (1982) – Kinuyo Adachi * ''Mikan no taikyoku'' (1982) * ''

The Go Masters ''The Go Masters'' (Japanese: 未完の対局, Mikan no taikyoku) is a 1982 Japanese-Chinese co-production film directed by Junya Sato was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His son is a fellow film director . Career Born in Tokyo, Sa ...

'' (1983) * ''The Horizon'' (1984) – Hideyo, after age 40 * ''Location'' (1984) – Katsue * ''Tengoku ni ichiban chikai shima'' (1984) – Tei Ishikawa * ''Shiroi machi hiroshima'' (1985) * ''Yasha'' (1985) – Ume * ''Lost in the Wilderness'' (1986) – Yasuko Muto * '' Burakkubōdo'' (1986) – Namie Yasui * '' Tree Without Leaves'' (1986) – Mother * ''Nijushi no hitomi'' (1987) – Okami * '' Sakura-tai Chiru'' (1988) – Narration * ''Yumemi-dōri no hitobito'' (1989) * ''Donmai'' (1990) – Toyo Murakami * ''Pachinko monogatari'' (1990) * ''Bokuto kidan'' (1992) – Masa * ''Tsuribaka nisshi 5'' (1992) – Densuke's mother * ''

'' (1995) – Toyoko Yanagawa * '' By Player'' (2000) – herself

Television (selection)

* ''Tadaima'' (1964–1967) * ''

Taikōki The is a biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who rose to the office of '' taikō'' during the Azuchi–Momoyama period of Japanese history. The Confucian scholar (1564–1640) published the work in 1626 during the rule of the third Tokugawa sh� ...

'' (1965) – Oetsu * ''Saigo no jigazō'' (1977) * ''Yokomizo Seishi Shirīzu'' (1977–1978) * ''Nagisa no onna'' (1980) * ''Kazunomiya sama otome'' (1981) * '' Oshin'' (1983–1984) – Oshin * ''Shinju yoi goshin'' (1984) * ''The Asami Mitsuhiko Mystery'' (1987–1990) * ''Ōinaru gen'ei'' (1989) * ''Haha: Inochi yomigaeru hi'' (1992) * ''Asahina Shūhei misuterī 3: Tangoji satsujin jiken'' (1992) * ''Ude ni oboe ari'' (1992–1993)

Awards and honors

Japan Academy Prize * 1996: Best Supporting Actress, ''

'' Blue Ribbon Awards * 1966: Best Supporting Actress, '' Lost Sex'' * 1953: Best Actress, '' Epitome'', '' Life of a Woman'' and ''Yokubo'' Kinema Junpo Awards * 1996: Best Supporting Actress, ''

'' Mainichi Film Awards * 1996: Lifetime Achievement Award * 1993: Best Supporting Actress, ''The Strange Story of Oyuki'' * 1968: Best Actress, ''Operation Negligee'' and '' Kuroneko'' 36th Venice International Film Festival * 1979: Pasinetti Award (Best Actress), ''The Strangling''

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Otowa, Nobuko 1924 births 1994 deaths Japanese film actresses Asadora lead actors Actors from Tottori Prefecture Deaths from liver cancer 20th-century Japanese actresses Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon People from Yonago, Tottori