is a Japanese film and television actress. She was discovered by

Shōhei Imamura was a Japanese film director. His main interest as a filmmaker lay in the depiction of the lower strata of Japanese society. A key figure in the Japanese New Wave, who continued working into the 21st century, Imamura is the only director from ...

as a newcomer and cast in the film ''

Pigs and Battleships The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus ''Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...

''. She went on to appear in films like Imamura's '' The Insect Woman'',

Kaneto Shindō was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, film producer, and writer, who directed 48 films and wrote scripts for 238. His best known films as a director include ''Children of Hiroshima'', ''The Naked Island'', '' Onibaba'', ''Kuroneko'' and ' ...

's '' Onibaba'', for which she received the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actress, and

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, dy ...

's '' Dodes'ka-den''. She retired from acting in 1970, but returned in 1980 and continues to work to this day. Yoshimura was married to actor Tetsuo Ishidate from 1968 to 1999. Her sister is actress Mari Yoshimura (1935–).

Filmography (selected)

References

External links

* * * Japanese actresses Living people 1943 births {{tv-actor-stub