Kōji Yakusho Biography: Age, Wife, Siblings, Net Worth, Height, Movies, Children, TV Shows, Awards, Instagram

Kōji Hashimoto, better known as Kōji Yakusho, is a Japanese actor acclaimed for his profound depth and versatility across decades of film and television.

Internationally recognized for standout performances in Shall We Dance? (1996), Cure (1997), and his Cannes Best Actor-winning role as Hirayama in Wim Wenders‘ Perfect Days (2023), he has collaborated with masters like Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Shohei Imamura, and Takashi Miike.

Kōji Yakusho
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Kōji Hashimoto
Stage Name:	Kōji Yakusho
Born:	January 1, 1956 (age 70 years old)
Place of Birth:	Isahaya, Nagasaki, Japan
Nationality:	Japanese
Ethnicity:	Japanese
Height:	1.79 m
Parents:	Mr. and Mrs. Hashimoto
Siblings:	Four
Spouse:	Saeko Kawazu (m. 1982)
Relationship:	Married
Children:	Ichirō Hashimoto
Occupation:	Actor
Net Worth:	$10 million

Early Life and Education

Kōji Yakusho, born Kōji Hashimoto on January 1, 1956, in Isahaya, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, to Mr. and Mrs. Hashimoto. He grew up as the youngest of five brothers in a post-war environment.

After graduating from Nagasaki Prefectural High School of Technology in 1974, he moved to Tokyo and worked as a civil servant at a municipal ward office (inspiring his stage name “Yakusho,” meaning government office).

He later joined the Mumeijuku acting school, where he met his future wife, forgoing formal university education in favor of practical training in the performing arts.

Personal Life

Kōji Yakusho, the 70-year-old actor standing 1.79 m tall, has enjoyed a stable family life since marrying actress Saeko Kawazu in 1982. The couple shares one son, Ichirō Hashimoto.

He maintains a low public profile regarding personal matters, focusing on a disciplined approach to his craft while valuing privacy.

Career

Kōji Yakusho began his acting journey in the late 1970s after leaving civil service, inspired by a theater performance.

Early television success came in 1983 with the NHK Taiga drama Tokugawa Ieyasu as Oda Nobunaga, followed by notable film appearances like Tampopo (1985).

He achieved his major breakthrough in the mid-1990s with Shall We Dance?, a massive hit that swept Japanese awards.

Yakusho‘s career expanded through acclaimed collaborations, including multiple films with Kiyoshi Kurosawa such as Cure, and international recognition via The Eel (Palme d’Or winner) and Hollywood-adjacent projects like Babel.

Later highlights include 13 Assassins, Under the Open Sky, and Perfect Days, for which he won Cannes Best Actor.

He has secured four Japan Academy Best Actor wins among numerous honors, directed Toad’s Oil (2009), and continues to influence Japanese and world cinema with powerful, understated performances.

Awards

• Best Actor – Cannes Film Festival (2023) for Perfect Days
• Japan Academy Film Prize – Best Actor (four wins, including for Perfect Days, The Blood of Wolves, Shall We Dance?, and others; most-nominated actor in its history)
• Hochi Film Award – Best Actor (multiple wins)
• Mainichi Film Awards, Blue Ribbon Awards, and additional international honors

Net Worth

Kōji Yakusho has an estimated net worth of around $10 million USD through his prolific acting career spanning film, television, and stage.

Additional sources include leading roles in major Japanese productions, international features, awards recognition, and occasional directing work.

Social Media

• Instagram: @koji_yakusho_oficial

Filmography

• Tampopo (1985)
• Shall We Dance? (1996)
• Cure (1997)
• The Eel / Unagi (1997)
• 13 Assassins (2010)
• Under the Open Sky (2020)
• Perfect Days (2023) – Hirayama