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IMDbPro

Yōji Yamada

  • Writer
  • Director
  • Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Yoji Yamada (Yamada Yoji, born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka, Osaka) is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films and his Samurai Trilogy (The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor). Photographed by the professional filmmaker Ryota Nakanishi.
Yamada Yoji graduated Tokyo University in 1954, the year he joined Shochiku as an assistant director. In 1969, he launched the popular "Tora-san" series, the world's longest theatrical film series. "The Twilight Samurai" (The Twilight Samurai (2002)) marks his 77th film as well as his 41th year as a director since his first film in 1961: Nikai no Tanin (Stranger Upstairs).
BornSeptember 13, 1931
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornSeptember 13, 1931
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 59 wins & 52 nominations total

    Known for

    Rie Miyazawa and Hiroyuki Sanada in The Twilight Samurai (2002)
    The Twilight Samurai
    8.0
    • Writer(as Yôji Yamada)
    • 2002
    The Yellow Handkerchief (1977)
    The Yellow Handkerchief
    7.3
    • Writer(as Yôji Yamada)
    • 1977
    Where Spring Comes Late (1970)
    Where Spring Comes Late
    7.6
    • Writer(as Yôji Yamada)
    • 1970
    My Sons (1991)
    My Sons
    7.5
    • Writer(as Yôji Yamada)
    • 1991

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Writer



    • Chieko Baishō and Takuya Kimura in Tokyo Taxi (2025)
      Tokyo Taxi
      7.2
      • Writer (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2025
    • Wagaya wa tanoshi (2025)
      Wagaya wa tanoshi
      TV Movie
      • Writer
      • story (as Yôji Yamada, as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2025
    • Mom, Is That You?! (2023)
      Mom, Is That You?!
      6.7
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2023
    • It's a Flickering Life (2021)
      It's a Flickering Life
      6.5
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2021
    • Tora-san, Welcome Back! (2019)
      Tora-san, Welcome Back!
      6.7
      • Writer (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2019
    • Boy Torajiro (2019)
      Boy Torajiro
      7.0
      TV Mini Series
      • novel (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2019
    • A Distant Cry from Spring (2018)
      A Distant Cry from Spring
      6.8
      TV Movie
      • based on the 1980 screenplay by (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2018
    • Ani imôto (2018)
      Ani imôto
      TV Movie
      • Writer (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2018
    • What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life (2018)
      What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life
      6.8
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2018
    • What a Wonderful Family! (2017)
      What a Wonderful Family!
      4.4
      • based on the screenplay by (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2017
    • What a Wonderful Family (2017)
      What a Wonderful Family
      7.0
      • Writer (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2017
    • What a Wonderful Family! (2016)
      What a Wonderful Family!
      6.8
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2016
    • Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015)
      Nagasaki: Memories of My Son
      6.4
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2015
    • Takako Matsu and Haru Kuroki in The Little House (2014)
      The Little House
      7.2
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2014
    • Tokyo Family (2013)
      Tokyo Family
      7.5
      • screenplay (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2013

    Director



    • Chieko Baishō and Takuya Kimura in Tokyo Taxi (2025)
      Tokyo Taxi
      7.2
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2025
    • Mom, Is That You?! (2023)
      Mom, Is That You?!
      6.7
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2023
    • It's a Flickering Life (2021)
      It's a Flickering Life
      6.5
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2021
    • Tora-san, Welcome Back! (2019)
      Tora-san, Welcome Back!
      6.7
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2019
    • What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life (2018)
      What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life
      6.8
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2018
    • What a Wonderful Family (2017)
      What a Wonderful Family
      7.0
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2017
    • What a Wonderful Family! (2016)
      What a Wonderful Family!
      6.8
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2016
    • Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015)
      Nagasaki: Memories of My Son
      6.4
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2015
    • Takako Matsu and Haru Kuroki in The Little House (2014)
      The Little House
      7.2
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2014
    • Tokyo Family (2013)
      Tokyo Family
      7.5
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2013
    • Kyoto Story (2010)
      Kyoto Story
      6.5
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2010
    • About Her Brother (2010)
      About Her Brother
      7.0
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2010
    • Shinema kabuki: Rakuda (2008)
      Shinema kabuki: Rakuda
      8.4
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2008
    • Shinema kabuki: Renjishi (2008)
      Shinema kabuki: Renjishi
      8.0
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2008
    • Kabei: Our Mother (2008)
      Kabei: Our Mother
      7.6
      • Director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 2008

    Second Unit or Assistant Director



    • Kazuya Kosaka in One Way Ticket to Love (1960)
      One Way Ticket to Love
      6.6
      • assistant director (as Yôji Yamada)
      • 1960

    Personal details

    • Alternative name
      • Yôji Yamada
    • Born
      • September 13, 1931
      • Osaka, Japan

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