Kirin Kiki

Kirin Kii was a celebrated Japanese actress whose career spanned nearly six decades, making her one of the most recognizable faces in post‑war Japanese cinema and television. Born Keiko Nakatani on January 15, 1943 in Kanda, Tokyo, she grew up in a culturally rich household; her father was a master of the biwa lute and a former police officer, while her mother ran a café in Jinbōchō and a restaurant in Noge, Yokohama. After completing high school she joined the prestigious Bungakuza theatre troupe under the stage name Chiho Yūki and quickly attracted attention for her uncanny ability to blend comedy with eccentricity in TV series such as Jikan desu yo and Terauchi Kantarō ikka. A spontaneous auction on a television program led her to abandon her first stage name and adopt the unforgettable moniker Kirin Kiki, a name that would become synonymous with both quirky supporting roles and powerful leading performances. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s she appeared in a prolific array of films, from early works like Lake of Tears (1966) to cult classics such as Zigeunerweisen (1980), consistently showcasing her versatility. Even as she faced serious health challenges—a detached retina in 2003 and a battle with breast cancer diagnosed in 2004—Kiri​n Kiki continued to work, earning prestigious accolades including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress for Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad (2008) and a Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actress for Still Walking (2008). Her later years saw memorable performances in internationally acclaimed films such as Shoplifters (2018), proving that her talent remained undiminished until her death from cancer on September 15, 2018 in Tokyo. Beyond her screen legacy, she was married to actor Shin Kishida (1964‑1968) and to musician Yuya Uchida (1973‑2019), and she is survived by her daughter, essayist and musician Yayako Uchida, as well as three grandchildren who are continuing the family’s artistic tradition.