Yoji Yamada
Biography
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 Yamagata 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
Personal Info
Known For
Directing
Known Credits
273
Gender
Male
Birthday
1931-09-13 (93 years old)
Place of Birth
Osaka, Japan
Acting
2024
55th anniversary performance of Tora-San: Rakugo, Talk and Tora Jiro Returns as Not available2019
Seijo Story: 60 Years of Making Films as Self2015
700 Days with Ryuichi Sakamoto as Self1983
I Lived, But... as SelfCrew
2025
TOKYO Taxi Director2025
TOKYO Taxi Screenplay2025
Home Sweet Home Writer2023
Mom, Is That You?! Director2023
Mom, Is That You?! Screenplay2022
The Call of a Faraway Mountain Screenplay2021
It's a Flickering Life Screenplay2021
It's a Flickering Life Director2019
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here Director2019
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here Screenplay2019
Shounen Torajirou Original Story2018
What a Wonderful Family! 3 Director2018
What a Wonderful Family! 3 Screenplay2018
A Distant Cry from Spring Writer2018
Older Brother, Younger Sister Screenplay2017
What a Wonderful Family! 2 Director2017
What a Wonderful Family! 2 Writer2016
What a Wonderful Family! Director2016
What a Wonderful Family! Screenplay2015
Nagasaki: Memories of My Son Director2015
Nagasaki: Memories of My Son Screenplay2014
The Little House Director2014
The Little House Screenplay2013
Tokyo Family Screenplay2013
Tokyo Family Director2011
The Yellow Handkerchief Writer2010
Kyoto Story Screenplay2010
Kyoto Story Story2010
About Her Brother Director2010
Kyoto Story Director2010
About Her Brother Screenplay2009
Free and Easy 20: Final Screenplay2009
The Yellow Handkerchief Original Film Writer2008
Kabei: Our Mother Director2008
Kabei: Our Mother Writer2006
Love and Honor Director2006
Sea Without Exit Screenplay2006
Love and Honor Screenplay2006
Free and Easy 17 Screenplay2005
Free and Easy 16 Writer2004
The Hidden Blade Director2004
The Hidden Blade Screenplay2003
Free and Easy 14 Writer2002
The Twilight Samurai Director2002
The Twilight Samurai Screenplay2002
Free and Easy 13 Writer2001
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project Writer2000
A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen Director1998
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage Writer1998
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage Director1998
Otoko wa Tsurai yo: Torajirou Wasurenagusa Creator1998
Free and Easy 10 Screenplay1998
Free and Easy: Samurai Edition Writer1997
Shin Salaryman Senka Screenplay1997
The Rainbow Seeker 2 Director1997
The Rainbow Seeker 2 Writer1997
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version Director1997
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version Writer1996
A Class to Remember II Director1996
The Rainbow Seeker Director1996
Free and Easy 8 Writer1996
Salaryman Senka: Tanshin Funin Screenplay1996
The Rainbow Seeker Writer1996
A Class to Remember II Screenplay1995
Tora-san to the Rescue Director1995
Toki no kagayaki Screenplay1995
Salaryman Senka Screenplay1994
Free and Easy Special Writer1994
Tora-san's Easy Advice Director1994
Free and Easy 7 Writer1993
A Class to Remember Director1993
Tora-san's Matchmaker Director1993
Free and Easy 6 Writer1993
A Class to Remember Screenplay1992
Tora-san Makes Excuses Director1992
Free and Easy 5 Writer1992
Tora-san Makes Excuses Screenplay1991
My Sons Director1991
Tora-san Confesses Director1991
Free and Easy 4 Writer1991
My Sons Screenplay1991
Tora-san Confesses Screenplay1990
Tora-san Takes a Vacation Director1989
Days with Harasu Writer1989
Tora-san, My Uncle Writer1989
Tora-san, My Uncle Director1989
Free and Easy 2 Writer1989
Tora-san Goes to Vienna Director1988
Free and Easy Writer1988
Downtown Heroes Director1988
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial Director1988
Downtown Heroes Screenplay1988
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial Screenplay1988
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial Original Story1987
Tora-san Goes North Director1987
Tora-san Plays Daddy Director1987
Tora-san Goes North Screenplay1987
Tora-san Plays Daddy Screenplay1987
Tora-san Plays Daddy Original Story1987
Tora-san Goes North Original Story1986
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies Director1986
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy Director1986
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies Writer1986
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy Screenplay1986
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy Original Story1985
Tora-san's Island Encounter Director1985
Tora-san, the Go-Between Director1985
Tora-san, the Go-Between Screenplay1985
Tora-san's Island Encounter Original Story1985
Tora-san's Island Encounter Screenplay1985
Tora-san, the Go-Between Original Story1984
Tora-san's Forbidden Love Director1984
Tora-san's Forbidden Love Writer1984
Marriage Counselor Tora-san Director1984
Marriage Counselor Tora-san Original Story1984
Marriage Counselor Tora-san Screenplay1984
Tora-san's Forbidden Love Original Story1983
Tora-san Goes Religious? Writer1983
Tora-san Goes Religious? Director1983
Itoshi no Lahaina Original Story1983
Tora-san's Song of Love Director1983
Tora-san's Song of Love Screenplay1983
Tora-san Goes Religious? Original Story1983
Tora-san's Song of Love Original Story1982
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san Director1982
Tora-san, the Expert Director1982
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san Screenplay1982
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san Original Story1982
Tora-san, the Expert Screenplay1982
Tora-san, the Expert Original Story1981
Tora-san's Love in Osaka Director1981
Tora-san's Promise Director1981
Xiongmao Monogatari TaoTao Story1981
Tora-san's Promise Original Story1981
Tora-san's Promise Screenplay1981
Tora-san's Love in Osaka Original Story1981
Tora-san's Love in Osaka Screenplay1981
Fuusen no Doratarou Original Story1980
A Distant Cry from Spring Director1980
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Writer1980
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Director1980
Foster Daddy, Tora! Director1980
A Distant Cry from Spring Screenplay1980
Foster Daddy, Tora! Screenplay1980
Foster Daddy, Tora! Original Story1979
Tora-san's Dream of Spring Director1979
Tora-san's Dream of Spring Writer1979
Our Symphony Original Story1979
Tora-san, the Matchmaker Director1979
Tora-san, the Matchmaker Writer1978
Stage-Struck Tora-san Writer1978
Stage-Struck Tora-san Director1978
Talk of the Town Tora-san Director1978
Talk of the Town Tora-san Writer1978
Ore wa inaka no puresurī Story1978
Ore wa Ueno no puresurī Story1977
The Yellow Handkerchief Director1977
Tora-san Meets His Lordship Director1977
Tora-san Meets His Lordship Writer1977
Tora-san Plays Cupid Director1977
Tora-san Plays Cupid Writer1977
The Yellow Handkerchief Screenplay1976
The Village Director1976
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset Director1976
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset Writer1976
Tora-san's Pure Love Director1976
Tora-san's Pure Love Writer1976
Two Iida Co-Writer1976
The Village Writer1976
Oretachi no toki Original Story1975
Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again Director1975
Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again Writer1975
Tora-san, the Intellectual Director1975
Tora-san, the Intellectual Writer1974
Tora-san's Lovesick Director1974
Tora-san's Lovesick Writer1974
Tora-san's Lullaby Writer1974
Tora-san's Lullaby Director1974
The Castle of Sand Writer1974
Tokyo do mannaka Screenplay1973
Tora-san Loves an Artist Writer1973
Tora-san Loves an Artist Director1973
Tora-san's Forget Me Not Director1973
Tora-san's Forget Me Not Original Story1973
Tora-san's Forget Me Not Screenplay1972
Home from the Sea Director1972
Tora-san's Dear Old Home Director1972
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True Director1972
Home from the Sea Screenplay1972
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True Original Story1972
Tora-san's Dear Old Home Original Story1972
Tora-san's Dear Old Home Screenplay1972
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True Screenplay1971
Tora-san's Love Call Director1971
Tora-san's Shattered Romance Director1971
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan Director1971
Tora-san's Shattered Romance Screenplay1971
Follow the Girls Screenplay1971
Tora-san's Love Call Screenplay1971
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan Screenplay1971
Tora-san's Shattered Romance Original Story1971
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan Original Story1971
Tora-san's Love Call Original Story1970
Tora-san's Runaway Writer1970
Tora-san's Runaway Director1970
Where Spring Comes Late Director1970
Tora-san's Grand Scheme Screenplay1970
Tora-san's Grand Scheme Original Story1970
Where Spring Comes Late Screenplay1970
Where Spring Comes Late Story1970
Tora-san, His Tender Love Original Story1970
Tora-san, His Tender Love Screenplay1969
It's Tough Being a Man Director1969
Tora-san's Cherished Mother Director1969
Tora-san's Cherished Mother Screenplay1969
It's Tough Being a Man Screenplay1969
Vagabond Schemer Director1969
Tora-san's Cherished Mother Original Story1969
Vagabond Schemer Writer1969
Women Can't Be Beaten Original Story1968
I, the Executioner Writer1968
The Million Dollar Pursuit Screenplay1968
It's Tough Being a Man (Television Drama DVD Edit Edition) Adaptation1968
It's Tough Being a Man (Television Drama DVD Edit Edition) Original Story1968
The Shy Deceiver Director1968
The Million Dollar Pursuit Director1968
The Shy Deceiver Writer1968
It's Tough Being a Man Original Story1968
It's Tough Being a Man Adaptation1967
The Greatest Challenge of All Screenplay1967
Song of Love Screenplay1967
The Greatest Challenge of All Director1967
Let's Have A Dream Director1967
Song of Love Director1967
Let's Have A Dream Writer1967
Onna no issho Screenplay1966
The Lovable Tramp Director1966
The Lovable Tramp Screenplay1966
Gamblers' Luck Director1966
Gamblers' Luck Screenplay1966
Warm Current Writer1966
Ohana han Screenplay1966
Ohana han: Dai ni bu Screenplay1965
A Trap Director1964
To Your Majesty, The Emperor 2 Screenplay1964
The Irresponsible Fool Director1964
The Honest Fool Director1964
The Donkey Comes on a Tank Director1964
The Honest Fool Screenplay1964
The Donkey Comes on a Tank Screenplay1964
The Irresponsible Fool Screenplay1963
The Sunshine Girl Director1963
The Sunshine Girl Screenplay1963
At the Side of the Bridge 3 Screenplay1963
At the Side of the Bridge 4 Screenplay1962
At the Side of the Bridge Screenplay1962
Kyū-chan ondo Screenplay1962
At the Side of the Bridge 2 Screenplay1962
Kanbi no ware koso wa ittō shain Screenplay1961
The Strangers Upstairs Director1961
Zero Focus Screenplay1961
Koi no gashū Screenplay1960
One Way Ticket to Love Assistant Director1960
Yellow Cherries Screenplay1959
Akatsuki no chiheisen Screenplay1958
Monthly Salary: 13,000 Yen Screenplay1958
Modan dôchû: Sono koi matta nashi Screenplay1958
The Girl Who Creates Tomorrow Screenplay