is a Japanese actress and singer.
In Japan, she is well known for her performance as Sakura in the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series from 1969 until 1995. In addition, she has acted in many films directed by Yōji Yamada since the 1960s. She won the award for Best Actress at the 5th Hochi Film Award for A Distant Cry from Spring.
Career
Voice acting She sometimes performs as a voice actress, such as "Sophie" in Howl's Moving Castle in 2004. Although different voice actresses usually played young and old Sophie in the foreign dubs of the film, Baisho performed both roles alone, as well as the film's theme song.
Singing career She has had a career as a singer since her debut with the song "Shitamachi no Taiyō" in 1962, for which she won the "newcomer award" of the Japan Record Award. Her 1965 single, "Sayonara wa dance atoni", a cha-cha ballad, later had its melody inspire the 1992 song Moonlight Densetsu, the theme song of the first four seasons for the anime adaption of Sailor Moon. A cover by Mariko Takahashi would later appear in another Ghibli film, Only Yesterday.
She is also in the Kagurazaka Women's Choir, a choir consisting of celebrities performing for charity events.
Personal life She is the older sister of Mitsuko Baisho, who is also an actress.
She is married to the Japanese composer .
Selected filmography
+YearFilmRoleNotesRef1965Kiri no Hata1968I, the ExecutionerHaruko1969–2019Otoko wa Tsurai yo seriesSakura Suwa1970Where Spring Comes LateTamiko KazamiLead role1977The Yellow HandkerchiefMitsue Shima1980A Distant Cry from SpringTamiko Kazami1981Station Kiriko MichioMobile Suit Gundam - Movie IKamaria Ray (voice)UnicoWest Wind (voice)1986Final TakeYukiLost in the WildernessKimiko Uemura1988Hope and PainTamiko Shima1997Jungle Emperor LeoLyre (voice)2004Howl's Moving CastleSophie (voice)The Hidden BladeMrs. Katagiri2008Kabei: Our MotherAdult Hatsuko2010Zatoichi: The LastMitsu2013Tokyo NewcomerKimie IgarashiIt All Began When I Met You Kotoko Oshima2014The Little House2019Dad, Chibi is GoneYukiko TakeiWeathering with YouFumi Tachibana (voice)2020461 Days of Bento: A Promise Between Father and SonNatsuko Suzumoto2021Arcelderly Rina2022Plan 75Michi Lead role 2025Tokyo TaxiSumire TakanoLead role 2026Till We Meet Again on the Starry HillChiyo (old)
Honours Kinuyo Tanaka Award (2001) Medal with Purple Ribbon (2005) Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (2013)
References
External links
Talent Databank profile