Top most beautiful Japanese actors. Notable Japanese

Every nation has outstanding women who are remembered for many generations for their deeds and deeds that influenced the fate of the country. In today's article, we will talk about 10 Japanese women who radically influenced the development of their country in their time. Most of these women have achieved fame abroad, which is another hallmark success in Japan.

All the women on this list are well known among the Japanese. Ready to test your knowledge of Japan's prominent women? Then let's go through history, from 973 to the present day.

Murasaki Shikibu / Murasaki Shikibu (973 - 1025)

Writer

In those days, women were deprived of the opportunity to study classical Chinese, but Sikubu's father gave her the opportunity to study with her brother. A precocious child, she immersed herself in the study of the Chinese language, but hid her abilities so as not to arouse contempt from adults.

While living at the court of the imperial family, where she served as maid of honor to Empress Akiko, Shikibu kept a diary in which she wrote about the activities of the fictional Prince Genji, supplementing it with various little things from real court life. Such "poetic tales" are a genre of poetic biography in which reality is mixed with fiction, resulting in works of "Japanese prose". Such writing found favor among women, especially court ladies, wives and daughters of courtiers, while men still preferred to write in classical Chinese.

An English translation of The Tale of Genji, consisting of six volumes, appeared in 1933.

Misako Shirasu (1910 - 1998)

Publicist and expert in aesthetics and design

Sirasu began to study at the age of four, and at the age of 14 she became the first woman to perform on stage Noh.

Misako Shirasu grew up in a good family. She attended preparatory school in USA. Upon her return to Japan, she married, and in 1942, together with her husband, they moved to a farm away from likely bombing targets. Apparently, this moment became the key in her life. It was during this time that Shirasu learned to appreciate the simple, austere lifestyle. She became a proponent of simple aesthetics and design surrounded by nature.

Sirasu believed in mixing ideas to arrive at practical ways life. Regarding design, she emphasized that imperfections are the defining beauty of an object, a valuable natural vice, an unforeseen treasure, or "natural imperfection". Instead of creating art, she invited people to put their heart and soul into creating something with great effort and skill. Shirasu also said that folk art should be a little clumsy.

She devoted herself to studying the relationship between art and nature. Sirasu used flower arrangement as an example: once flowers are placed in a vase, for the first time we can understand the essence of a flower in a controlled and observable format, where we can appreciate it on another level and give it new life. She saw that the beauty of nature included food and art. These values ​​still live on in Japanese art and design.

The house where she lived with her husband is called Buaiso, now a museum open to the public.

Masako Katsura (1913 - 1995)

Professional billiard player

"Katsy" was Japan's only professional female pool player in the 1950s. In addition, she became the first woman to play in a world billiards tournament.

Masako learned the game at the age of 13, thanks to her older sister's husband, who owned a billiard room. She appeared on 30 shows in 1958, and appeared twice on American television the following year (once on CBS and the other on ABC). Masako married an American army sergeant and moved from Japan to the United States.

Katsy wrote two books in Japanese about billiards: Introduction to Billiards (1952) and Improving Your Pool Game (1956).

She eventually returned to Japan and lived with her sister. 5 years after returning to her homeland, she died, it happened in 1995.

Hanae Mori / Hanae Mori (1926)

Hanae Mori is Japan's most famous female designer. She is also considered an icon of free women. Maury used fashion design as a promotion of the interplay of aesthetic values ​​between East and West.

In her youth, Mori studied at a local sewing school. She later opened her own boutique in Ginza and created a clothing collection. She entered the world haute couture in Paris, influenced by Coco Chanel. In 1976, she opened a salon in Paris and was appointed a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, becoming the only designer from Japan to be included in Haute Couture.

Mori's designs have appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine. Her designs include: uniforms for Japan Airlines flight attendants, uniforms for Japanese athletes on summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, ​​as well as a kimono and wedding dress for the Japanese Princess Masako. Mori also has a perfume collection and a Hanae Mori Barbie doll.

Mori supports young designers through his Hanae Mori Foundation.

Sadako Ogata (1927)

Diplomat

Few women are as impressive as Sadako Ogata, who held a position at the Japan Agency until the age of 85. international cooperation. She was Chairperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1991-2001, UNICEF Executive Board 1978-1979, and President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, where she served from October 2003 to April 2012.

Sadako Ogata, in addition to numerous international awards, has also received the Indira Gandhi Award and the J. William Fulbright Award for International Understanding. In 2001, she accompanied then-Prime Minister Mori to Africa, marking the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to the African continent.

Sadako Ogata is dearly loved by her people for her compassion for the underprivileged.

Yayoi Kusama / Yayoi Kusama (1929)

Artist

Yayoi Kusama was a leader in the avant-garde movement shortly after she moved to the US (she was then in her 20s) and is said to have influenced artists such as Andy Warhol. She is also a direct participant in the minimalist and feminist art movements.

Kusama is known for her red polka dot artwork. This whimsical theme has become her signature. Yayoi Kusama is also known for her installation art - she turns entire rooms into living tree trunks painted with red polka dots.

In 2008, one of her works was sold at Christie's New York auction for $5.1 million, a record for a living female artist of the time.

Once you see her art, you won't be able to forget it. Kusama candidly talks about his struggle with mental illness. She is in Seiwa Hospital in Tokyo, from where she travels to her studio.

Hibari Misora ​​/ Hibari Misora ​​(1937 - 1989)

Singer, actress and cult personality

As an actress, Misora ​​appeared in Takekurabe (1955), Izu no odoriko (1954) and Hibari no mori no ishimatsu (1960). However, she is best remembered as the Enki singer. Her first performance was at the age of eight and she appeared on NHK the following year. She toured Japan for two years.

Hibari Misora ​​has recorded over 1,000 songs, including "Kawa no nagare no you ni". This song was voted by over 10 million people in an NHK poll as the greatest Japanese song of all time.

Misora ​​is one of the most commercially successful musicians. She also became the first Japanese woman to receive the Order of Honor from the Prime Minister. Misora ​​was awarded the Japanese Government's Medal of Honor for her contribution to music and public welfare, inspiring people and giving them hope after World War II.

Hibari Misora ​​died at the age of 52 from an illness. She was reported to have sold over 80 million records. Live, TV and radio concerts are still held in Japan in memory of her.

Sadako Sasaki (1943 - 1955)

Symbol of the innocent victims of war

Sadako lived 1 mile from where the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Then she was two years old. The girl and her family survived. However, when Sadako was nine years old, she developed leukemia, a disease that affected many children in the area.

Sadako's friend told her the legend of a thousand cranes: if you fold a thousand origami cranes, that person's wish will come true. Sadako painstakingly folded paper cranes from whatever material she could find. But on October 25 of the same year, she died without reaching her goal.

Sadako Sasaki serves as a symbol for children and other innocent victims of war. With the funds raised, in May 1958, a memorial was erected in honor of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park. To this day, children continue to fold paper cranes to decorate her memorial.

Sadako is a bitter reminder of why Japan included Article 9 (prohibiting war as a means of settling international disputes) in its constitution.

Kimi Iwata / Kimie Iwata (1947)

Former Executive Vice President of Shiseido Co., Ltd.

Iwata is a rare example of a female leader in Japan. The fact is that in the country of samurai, according to the Bureau of gender equality, women make up less than 1% of leaders of leading Japanese companies and only 10% of leaders in general.

After graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1971, Kimi Iwata immediately joined the Ministry of Labor, where she helped create the Equal Employment Opportunity Act in the mid-1980s.

In 2003, she joined Shiseido, the largest Japanese cosmetics company and the fourth largest in the world. Until 2012, she served as Corporate Director and Executive Vice President at the company. Iwata strongly supported female employees at Shiseido and advocated a more female-friendly corporate ethic.

Kimi Iwata also participated as the main spokesperson for the Women's Empowerment Forum. She is also a member of the Gender Equality Council.

Chiaki Mukai (1952)

Physician and astronaut JAXA

Mukai is the first female astronaut from Japan and the first citizen of the Land of the Rising Sun to fly two space shuttle missions, one aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1994 and the other aboard the Discovery in 1998. Mukai flew with US Senator John Glenn, who was 77 years old at the time and became the oldest person who went into space. Their flight was covered live on television in the United States.

You met ten of the most prominent Japanese women in the history of the country. In fact, it was very difficult to choose the best ones. And perhaps you would like to include other personalities in this top? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments.

There has long been a debate among fans of Asian films about which dramas are better: Japanese or Korean. There is no consensus and is unlikely to be, it is painfully different focus is done by screenwriters and directors. However, everyone agrees on one thing: that Korean and Japanese actors play first-class (for the most part). And they look like a dream come true: beautiful, well-groomed and charismatic. And some, in addition to filming, also sing, dance and act in commercials. Paradise for fans. In this article, we will talk about Japanese actors. It's pretty hard to choose the very best, and there will always be someone ready to challenge the list, and yet ...

Kimura Takuya

Bright, beautiful, talented, over the years, like a good wine, Captain (as his fans call him) has only gotten better. Each role is a work of art. Whether it's a historical series or a romantic melodrama - in any case, there is no doubt that the actor will give everything 100%, and the audience will see a well-drawn character.

One of the most memorable roles Kimura Takuya played in the drama "Pride". This is the story of a hockey player who dreams of playing in the big leagues, for whom sport always comes first. Love? Just a game. But only until Haru meets Aki, a modest office worker who can't even skate.

Kamenashi Kazuya

A singer, a dancer, an actor, a baseball player and just actors (the photo will not let you lie) can be damn attractive. But besides appearance, Kazuya definitely has the gift of reincarnation. Therefore, for creative activity Kamenashi is interesting to watch and see how his talent is revealed. He can do both comedy roles and images of criminals.

You can start acquaintance with this talented actor from the drama "One and Only Love".

What is the probability of a relationship between a girl from a wealthy family and a simple poor guy? Small. What kind of relationship can we talk about when you need to work to ensure a normal existence for your younger brother and mother? Yes, even with a rich girl. About none. But the feelings that flare up are very difficult to suppress, especially when they are mutual. But will Hiro and Nao be able to deal with personal problems and the opinions of others in order to be together?

Yamashita Tomohisa

Japanese actors are often attracted by their appearance, and then you start to pay attention to everything else. Yamashita Tomohisa disarms and conquers, if not at first sight, then from the second for sure. But there is no consensus about his musical and artistic activities. Someone considers him an absolute "log" with an invariable "poker face", someone praises and exalts. But there are two dramas in which Yamashita shines and once again proves that Japanese actors can do almost anything. These are Code Blue and Last Second Score.

First - medical series, showing the workdays of the department emergency care. Four applicants come to the internship, wishing to be on board the legendary "Doctor Halley" - a helicopter of the rapid response team. But only the most capable are taken there, so the guys will have to try and show their best skills and ability to work in any emergency.

“Last Second Score” is a more positive drama that tells romantic story about a young, insecure basketball player and a capable but unlucky violinist. By helping each other, they will be able to overcome their own weaknesses and, of course, find love.

Cary-Hiroyuki Takagawa

Japanese actors (men) of the second plan also know how to attract attention and surprise with unexpected actions. We are talking about Cary-Hiroyuki Takagawa, best known to moviegoers for his roles in Mortal Kombat and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Although he has a decent number of villains to his credit, Takagawa attracted public attention with a very unusual act: during the filming of the Russian film Priest-san. Confessions of a Samurai ”The 65-year-old Japanese actor decided to accept Russian citizenship. He does not worry about how such an act will be perceived in America, where Cary-Hiroyuki lives, believing that this is his own business. Takagawa plans to spend most of his time in Russia, flying to America only for winter period. In addition to citizenship, the Japanese actor converted to Orthodoxy.

Sakurai Sho

Continues the list of "Memorable Japanese Actors" Sakurai Sho. Like his many colleagues, he not only acts in films, but also sings in a popular group and hosts television shows.

The most striking works of this talented guy can be considered "Quiz 2" and "Family Game". Both series produce an ambiguous impression, but are addictive.

"Quiz" is a new entertainment show on the TV channel that promises a big cash prize for 7 correct answers and the fulfillment of any desire of the participant who reached the final and answered the last question. Only questions are sometimes more like a detective investigation. And the presenter is not at all such a sweetheart as it seems at first glance. He also has his secrets.

"Family Game" will tell the story of an unusual tutor, whose arrival will turn the whole house on its ears and turn the whole idea of ​​a good family upside down. Who is he and why climbs into someone else's personal life? Why does he force children and parents to do strange things? Does he really want to help or is he trying to destroy the family hearth?

The list of Japanese actors and the dramas they have starred in is very long. After all, everyone has their favorites, whose game will always be the best.

We are used to seeing mostly English-language films on the TV screen or in cinemas, in which, you will agree, you can rarely see a pretty girl with exotic Asian beauty. Few of us know Japanese or Chinese pop musicians and singers either. Unless oriental beauties-models have become familiar on the covers of glossy magazines.

We decided to compile a list of incomparably beautiful and far from well-known stars from different parts of Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong.

Ayumi Hamasaki

At home, she is considered the unspoken "Empress of Japanese pop music." He is one of the most successful performers in the history of the Japanese music industry. The future star was brought up mainly by her grandmother, who subsequently supported all the dreams of her beloved granddaughter, namely: to become a model (Ayumi did not get into the modeling world because of her small stature), an actress and, finally, a singer. Ten years ago, Ayu, as she is also called, began to have hearing problems - her left ear completely stopped hearing. Nevertheless, the singer continues to sing, perform and release albums.

Erika Sawajiri

Japanese model, actress and singer. Her father is Japanese and her mother is Algerian French. Erica got into show business by accident - she wanted to get an autograph of her favorite star, for this she auditioned at Stardust Productions, where beautiful girl immediately offered to become a model. Six months later, Erica already got into the television series. And in 2007, she released her debut single, which reached number one on the Oricon Charts.

Maki Goto

Japanese singer, actress and former member of the country's very popular group Morning Musume. Started in 2002 solo career, sings mainly in the style of j-pop.

Park Min Young

popular actress in South Korea. Her most notable roles in TV dramas are "Sungkyunkwan Scandal", "City Hunter", "Healer" and "Remember".

Bianca Bay

Actress and model of Taiwanese-Japanese descent. After graduating from Shi Hsin University, she went to work as a model and then became an actress. She was nominated for the Taiwanese equivalent of an Emmy for Outstanding TV Series Actress in 2010.

Bae Soo Ji

Korean actress, model and singer. Better known under the cute pseudonym Susie. She started as a model for online stores, then got into the musical group miss A, almost simultaneously began acting on television and in films. It has the unofficial title of "The Nation's First Love" due to its popularity in the country.

Lin Chilin

Taiwanese model and actress. Her incredibly fast ascent to Taiwan's showbiz Olympus has even been dubbed the "Lin Chilin Phenomenon". The girl is also often called the "First Person of Taiwan" in the press due to her delicate beauty and gentle disposition.

Lynn Hong

The actress and model was born in China but grew up and now works in Hong Kong. In 2009, ranked 4th among the highest paid models in Greater China. Recognized as the owner of the most beautiful breasts in Asia.

Zhang Ziyi

Perhaps one of the most famous actresses from our list to the Western audience. Chinese Zhang Ziyi gained popularity after the film "The Road Home", and after the release of the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" became a world-class actress.

Yang Jin Song

South Korean young and promising actress. She made her debut in 2010 in the film Wedding Dress”, became popular after the release of the series “Bride of the Century”.

Park Sin Hye

A South Korean actress who can dance, sing, and pose. She became one of the most recognizable actresses in South Korea after the release of such hits as "You are beautiful", "Strings of the soul", "Heirs".

Fan Bingbing

By the way, you also probably saw this Chinese actress and singer if you watched the movie "Iron Man 3" and the "X-Men" franchise. Fan Bingbing is known for her beauty, which is recognized by both the West and the East.

Japan- the country of the Rising Sun, the world of exotics separated from the continent by the Yellow and Japan Seas: kimono, bansai, geisha, samurai, hara-kiri, judo, sumo, anime, sake, sushi, Fuji, sakura,… in the end, Toyota and Mitsubishi. The list seems to go on forever.

A country of contrasts, where the latest achievements of science and technology coexist with magnificent castles and temples of the samurai era.

The geographical isolation of the Japanese archipelago determined the character traits of its population: calmness and restraint, but at the same time great willpower (you must admit, not every one of us would decide to commit ritual hara-kiri as revenge worst enemy); a penchant for contemplation (it’s not for nothing that one of the favorite actions of the Japanese is considered “hanami” - watching the falling sakura flowers), but at the same time, some lightness and playfulness that can be seen in our favorite Japanese anime.

The official religions of Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. In practice, it is rather difficult to determine any clear line between them, perhaps that is why the Japanese say that each of them is born a Shintoist and dies a Buddhist.

Japanese- the language spoken by about 125 million inhabitants of Japan, as well as the descendants of the Japanese who migrated in the first half of the 20th century. to other countries: to the USA, including the Hawaiian Islands (more than 800 thousand), Brazil (about 400 thousand), Peru (more than 100 thousand), China, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, etc.

This language is mysterious, like Japan itself, its family ties have long been controversial; now most researchers recognize it as related to the Altaic languages ​​​​- Korean, Tungus-Manchu, Mongolian, Turkic. There is a hypothesis about its relationship with the Austronesian ( Malayo-Polynesian) languages. During the historical period, the Japanese language has been significantly influenced by Chinese, and in recent decades by English.

Notable Japanese Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Haruki Murakami, Yasunari Kawabata, Junichiro Koizumi, Utada Hikaru.

Famous people of Japan:

- A famous Japanese director, actor, screenwriter, as well as a writer, poet and artist. He has starred in films such as Johnny Mnemonic, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Zatoichi, Kukijiro, Five, Boiling Point, Tokyo Eyes, Battle Royale. He is also a director, screenwriter and editor of the films "Fireworks", "Dolls", "Guys are back", etc.

Kurosawa Akira (1910–1998)

- Japanese film director, one of the leading representatives of the humanistic direction of art of the XX century. World fame Kurosawa brought the film "Rashomon", based on the works of R. Akutagawa "Gate of Rashomon" and "In the thicket." Innovative in terms of storytelling, the film (the story of rape and murder is told from four different points of view) won the Golden Lion Grand Prix at the Venice Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film of the Year.

Murakami Haruki(born in 1949)

- Japanese writer, who gained great popularity in the West in last years. In April 1974, he wrote his first novel, Hear the Wind Sing, which won the National Emerging Writers Literary Award. This book, together with the novels "Pinball 73" and "Sheep Hunt" made up the "Rat Trilogy". In addition, we all know such his novels as "Norwegian Forest", "Underground", "My Favorite Satellite" and "Chronicles of Clockwork Bird".

Takada Kenzo(born in 1940)

- a brilliant oriental designer, whom everyone knows only by name and is called "the most European of all Japanese fashion designers." Kenzo's favorite motifs are flowers and leaves, and even his most famous perfumes are in a leaf bottle. The designer loves animal skin prints, tartan variations and bold color combinations. Takada brought into fashion simple, even slightly childish silhouettes - knee-length shorts, mini coats, sweater dresses, huge berets and, of course, kimono sleeves. The national Japanese costume generally became the initial basis for the designer's work, but Kenzo drew inspiration not only from the history of kimonos. In his work, he reinterprets Spanish boleros, traditional Austrian jackets, Indian trousers, and Chinese tunics. Today, Kenzo is considered "the only Master who is able to weave into a single stylistic thread all the nuances of perception that a person possesses."

Kawabata Yasunari (1899–1972)

- one of the most talented Japanese writers of the twentieth century. His stories and novels "Beasts and Birds", "Snow Country", "Thousand-winged Crane" and others have been translated into many languages ​​and enjoy the unchanging love of readers. In 1968 he was awarded Nobel Prize for "writing that captures the essence of Japanese thought with great feeling."

- J-pop singer, now popular in Japan, as well as among anime fans around the world. Writes songs in Japanese and English. Her first album "First Love" sold 9 million copies in Japan. In addition, Utada is also known in the United States under the pseudonym

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A monument to the fearless commander rises in front of the emperor's palace in Tokyo Kusunoki Masashige in armor riding a war horse, ready to serve his master forever. The image of this samurai was actively used in Japan from 1868 until the end of World War II. And even now he remains the most likeable person in the history of Japan. During the Great Pacific War, kamikaze detachments chose Kusunoki Masashige as their patron saint, they considered themselves his spiritual heirs and offered their lives for their homeland and the emperor, as Kusunoki Masashige did in his time. For his loyalty to the Imperial throne, Kusunoki Masashige was nicknamed Prince Dainan.