Yoji Yamada
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.
91 directing credits · 7 acting credits
Directing · 91
The Twilight Samurai
2002
Tokyo Taxi
2025
My Sons
1991
Love and Honor
2006
The Yellow Handkerchief
1977
Tokyo Family
2013
A Distant Cry from Spring
1980
The Little House
2014
Tora-san, My Uncle
1989
Kabei: Our Mother
2008
About Her Brother
2010
What a Wonderful Family!
2016
It's a Flickering Life
2021
The Greatest Challenge of All
1967
What a Wonderful Family! 2
2017
Tora-san's Lullaby
1974
Tora-san's Love Call
1971
Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp
1969
Tora-san Plays Daddy
1987
Tora-san's Love in Osaka
1981
Talk of the Town Tora-san
1978
A Trap
1965
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
1976
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies
1986
The Hidden Blade
2004
Tora-san Goes North
1987
Where Spring Comes Late
1970
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy
1986
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here
2019
Tora-san's Dream of Spring
1979
Tora-san Goes to Vienna
1989
Tora-san, the Go-Between
1985
Mom, Is That You?!
2023
Nagasaki: Memories of My Son
2015
Tora-san's Pure Love
1976
Marriage Counselor Tora-san
1984
Downtown Heroes
1988
What a Wonderful Family! 3
2018
The Rainbow Seeker
1996
Tora-san's Runaway
1970
Tora-san's Song of Love
1983
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san
1982
A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen
2000
Tora-san's Forbidden Love
1984
Tora-san, the Expert
1982
A Class to Remember
1993
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan
1971
The Rainbow Seeker 2
1997
The Sunshine Girl
1963
Tora-san to the Rescue
1995
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage
1998
Tora-san Plays Cupid
1977
Tora-san Goes Religious?
1983
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version
1997
Song of Love
1967
The Shy Deceiver
1968
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972
The Honest Fool
1964
Tora-san Meets His Lordship
1977
Tora-san Takes a Vacation
1990
Foster Daddy, Tora!
1980
Tora-san Loves an Artist
1973
Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again
1975
Tora-san Confesses
1991
Tora-san's Cherished Mother
1969
Tora-san Makes Excuses
1992
Tora-san's Island Encounter
1985
The Million Dollar Pursuit
1968
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial
1988
Tora-san's Matchmaker
1993
Tora-san's Tropical Fever
1980
Tora-san's Lovesick
1974
Tora-san's Easy Advice
1994
Tora-san, the Intellectual
1975
The Strangers Upstairs
1961
Tora-san's Shattered Romance
1971
The Irresponsible Fool
1964
Tora-san's Dear Old Home
1972
The Donkey Comes on a Tank
1964
Home from the Sea
1972
Tora-san, the Matchmaker
1979
A Class to Remember II
1996
Tora-san's Promise
1981
Tora-san's Forget Me Not
1973
Gamblers' Luck
1966
The Village
1975
Vagabond Schemer
1969
Stage-Struck Tora-san
1978
Let's Have A Dream
1967
The Lovable Tramp
1966
Kyoto Story
2010
Acting · 7
I Lived, But...
1983
Ken San
2016
Sat-chan Tadashi-chan: Sengo minshu-teki dokuritsu pro funtō-ki
2015
Seijo Story: 60 Years of Making Films
2019
700 Days with Ryuichi Sakamoto
2015
55th anniversary performance of Tora-San: Rakugo, Talk and Tora Jiro Returns
2024
Film Director Satsuo Yamamoto
1993