Satomi Oka (Born September 15, 1935, in Takarazuka-Shi, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actress. She has made over 150 films in her career, including such classics as ''

Miyamoto Musashi , also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin, who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship a ...

'' and '' Akō Rōshi''. While attending Amagasaki High School in

Amagasaki 270px, Amagasaki Castle 270px, Aerial view of Amagasaki city center 270px, Amagasaki Station is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population de ...

, Japan, she was selected as Miss Cinderella in 1953 for a “Japan Cinderella Princess Contest” held by RKO Radio & Film Company in conjunction with ''

Mainichi Shinbun The is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by In addition to the ''Mainichi Shimbun'', which is printed twice a day in several local editions, Mainichi also operates an English language news website called ''The Mainichi'' (prev ...

''. Crowned as Miss Cinderella, Oka was invited to visit Hollywood and Disney Studios from March 20 to April 4, 1953. During her two-week visit, Oka was invited to visit and dine with actors such as

Ann Blyth Ann Marie Blyth (born August 16, 1928) is an American retired actress and singer. For her performance as Veda in the 1945 Michael Curtiz film ''Mildred Pierce'', Blyth was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is one o ...

and

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

. A full article of this trip was featured in the July issue of '' Eiga No Tomo'' magazine in 1953. As this trip took place prior to the liberalization of foreign travel, it was then considered to be a valuable trip to Hollywood. After high school, Oka worked as an office secretary at RKO Radio & Film Company before being scouted by

Toei Studios () (also styled TOEI) is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution and video game developer and publishing company. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan (all but two of them operated by ...

in 1955. Debuting the same year in ''Shinsengumi’s The Black Hooded Seer'', she quickly gained popularity and was referred to as Toei's "Princess" from the many roles she played as a heroine.

Selected filmography

* '' Dai-bosatsu tōge'' (1957) * '' Naked Sun'' (1958) * '' Akō Rōshi'' (赤穂浪士 Akō Rōshi) (1961) * ''

Bushido, Samurai Saga , also titled ''Bushido: The Cruel Code of the Samurai'' and ''Cruel Tale of Bushido'', is a 1963 Japanese drama and jidaigeki film directed by Tadashi Imai. It was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Gold ...

'' (1963)

External links

* Japanese film actresses 1935 births Living people {{Japan-film-actor-stub