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Yoji Yamada
Writer, Director, Actor, Additional CreditsBorn September 13, 1931 (94 years)
Yoji Yamada (山田 洋次 Yamada Yōji, born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka City, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films.
He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer for the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he was brought up in Manchuria. Following the end of World War II, he came back to Japan and subsequently he lived in Ube in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
After receiving his degree from Tokyo University in 1954, he entered Shochiku and worked under Yoshitaro Nomura as a scriptwriter or as an assistant director.
He has won many awards throughout his lengthy career and is well respected in Japan and by critics throughout the world. He wrote his first screenplay in 1958, and directed his first movie in 1961. Yamada continues to make movies to this day.
He once served as president of the Directors Guild of Japan, and is currently a guest professor of Ritsumeikan University.
He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer for the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he was brought up in Manchuria. Following the end of World War II, he came back to Japan and subsequently he lived in Ube in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
After receiving his degree from Tokyo University in 1954, he entered Shochiku and worked under Yoshitaro Nomura as a scriptwriter or as an assistant director.
He has won many awards throughout his lengthy career and is well respected in Japan and by critics throughout the world. He wrote his first screenplay in 1958, and directed his first movie in 1961. Yamada continues to make movies to this day.
He once served as president of the Directors Guild of Japan, and is currently a guest professor of Ritsumeikan University.
Known For
Filmography
| 2025 | Tokyo Taxi · as Screenplay |
| 2025 | |
| 2023 | Mom, Is That You?! · as Screenplay |
| 2021 | It's a Flickering Life · as Screenplay |
| 2019 | Tora-san, Welcome Back! · as Screenplay |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life · as Screenplay |
| 2017 | What a Wonderful Family · as Screenplay |
| 2016 | What a Wonderful Family! · as Screenplay |
| 2015 | Nagasaki: Memories of My Son · as Screenplay |
| 2014 | The Little House · as Screenplay |
| 2013 | Tokyo Family · as Screenplay |
| 2011 | |
| 2010 | About Her Brother · as Screenplay |
| 2009 | Free and Easy 20: Final · as Screenplay |
| 2008 | The Yellow Handkerchief · as Original Film Writer |
| 2008 | Kabei: Our Mother · as Screenplay |
| 2006 | Love and Honor · as Screenplay |
| 2006 | Sea Without Exit · as Screenplay |
| 2006 | Free and Easy 17 · as Screenplay |
| 2005 | |
| 2004 | The Hidden Blade · as Screenplay |
| 2004 | Free and Easy 15: No Tomorrow for Hama-chan?! · as Screenplay |
| 2003 | |
| 2002 | The Twilight Samurai · as Screenplay |
| 2002 | |
| 2001 | |
| 2000 | A Class to Remember 4: Fifteen · as Screenplay |
| 2000 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1998 | A Class to Remember 3: The New Voyage · as Screenplay |
| 1998 | Free and Easy 10 · as Screenplay |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | Shin sarariiman senka · as Screenplay |
| 1997 | |
| 1996 | |
| 1996 | Salaryman Senka: Tanshin Funin · as Screenplay |
| 1996 | A Class to Remember 2 · as Screenplay |
| 1996 | |
| 1995 | |
| 1995 | Salaryman Senka · as Screenplay |
| 1994 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1993 | |
| 1993 | |
| 1993 | A Class to Remember · as Screenplay |
| 1992 | Tora-San Makes Excuses · as Screenplay |
| 1992 | |
| 1991 | |
| 1991 | Tora-san Confesses · as Screenplay |
| 1991 | My Sons · as Screenplay |
| 1990 | |
| 1990 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1988 | |
| 1988 | Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial · as Screenplay |
| 1988 | Hope and Pain · as Screenplay |
| 1988 | |
| 1987 | Tora-san Plays Daddy · as Screenplay |
| 1987 | Tora-san Goes North · as Screenplay |
| 1986 | Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shiawase no aoi tori · as Screenplay |
| 1986 | |
| 1985 | Tora-san's Island Encounter · as Screenplay |
| 1985 | Tora-san, the Go-between · as Screenplay |
| 1984 | |
| 1984 | Marriage Counselor Tora-san · as Screenplay |
| 1983 | |
| 1983 | Tora-san's Song of Love · as Screenplay |
| 1982 | Tora-san, the Expert · as Screenplay |
| 1980 | Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro kamome uta · as Screenplay |
| 1980 | |
| 1980 | A Distant Cry from Spring · as Screenplay |
| 1979 | |
| 1979 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1978 | |
| 1977 | |
| 1977 | The Yellow Handkerchief · as Screenplay |
| 1977 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1975 | |
| 1975 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1974 | The Castle of Sand · as Screenplay |
| 1974 | |
| 1973 | |
| 1972 | Home from the Sea · as Screenplay |
| 1971 | Tora-san's Love Call · as Screenplay |
| 1971 | Follow the Girls · as Screenplay |
| 1971 | Tora-san, the Good Samaritan · as Screenplay |
| 1971 | Tora-san's Shattered Romance · as Screenplay |
| 1970 | Tora-san's Runaway · as Screenplay |
| 1970 | Tora-san's Grand Scheme · as Screenplay |
| 1969 | Tora-San's Cherished Mother · as Screenplay |
| 1969 | Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp · as Screenplay |
| 1969 | |
| 1968 | |
| 1968 | |
| 1968 | Ippatsu daiboken · as Screenplay |
| 1967 | Onna no issho · as Screenplay |
| 1967 | The Greatest Challenge of All · as Screenplay |
| 1967 | Song of Love · as Screenplay |
| 1967 | |
| 1966 | Natsukashii fûraibô · as Screenplay |
| 1966 | Un ga yoke rya · as Screenplay |
| 1964 | The Donkey Comes on a Tank · as Screenplay |
| 1964 | The Irresponsible Fool · as Screenplay |
| 1964 | The Honest Fool · as Screenplay |
| 1964 | Zoku Haikei Tenno Heika Sama · as Screenplay |
| 1963 | The Sunshine Girl · as Screenplay |
| 1961 | Zero Focus · as Screenplay |