Kimiko Yo was born on May 12th, 1956, in Yokohama, a city located just south of Tokyo, to a Japanese mother and a Taiwanese father. Her cousin, Bunjaku Han, was an actress. Yo began her acting career on the theatre stage in 1976, before transitioning to television and film in 1987.
She is perhaps most well-known for her supporting roles in films such as Shin Gojira, Departures, which won an Academy Award, and Ramen Girl, in which she played a kind wife and waitress. However, she has amassed nearly 200 credits throughout her career, which includes an array of diverse roles.
These roles have spanned a range of genres, from the abnormal neighbour in The Drugstore Girl to the serene presence in Café Lumière, which was directed by a Taiwanese director in Japan. Her performance in Dear Doctor, released in 2009, helped to further establish her as a prominent figure in Japanese cinema, and she received numerous awards for her work.
In addition to her film and television appearances, Yo has also been involved in various commercial ventures, promoting products for telephone companies, shampoos, and cosmetics manufacturers, among others. She is married to a man who was employed by NHK at the time of their marriage in 2006 and is managed by the Alpha Agency.
