# Kaori Momoi

Kaori Momoi (桃井 かおり, Momoi Kaori, born 8 April 1951) is a Japanese actress.

## Life and career

Momoi was born in Tokyo, Japan. At the age of 12, she traveled to London to study dance at the Royal Ballet Academy. After three years, she returned to Tokyo. She graduated from Japan's Bungakuza School of Dramatic Arts. In 1971, Momoi debuted in director Kon Ichikawa's Ai Futatabi (To Love Again). Her career has spanned 52 years and over 60 films.
As an actress, she has worked with directors including Akira Kurosawa (Kagemusha, 1980), Tatsumi Kumashiro (Seishun no Satetsu, 1974), Yoji Yamada (The Yellow Handkerchief, 1977 and Otoko wa Tsuraiyo, 1979), Shohei Imamura (Why Not?, 1981), Shunji Iwai (Swallowtail Butterfly, 1996), Jun Ichikawa (Tokyo Yakyoku, 1997), Mitani Koki (Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald, 1997), Yoshimitsu Morita (Like Asura, 2003) and Takashi Miike (Izo, Sukiyaki Western Django).
She performed in The Sun (2005) directed by Alexander Sokurov and appeared in director Rob Marshall's film Memoirs of a Geisha.
For her film performances in Japan, Momoi has won many awards. She has won the Japanese Academy Awards for Best Actress twice and Best Supporting Actress once and was selected Best Actress at the 1983 New York International Film Festival for her role in Giwaku (Suspicion).
Momoi has pursued various projects in producing, directing, screenwriting, and design in addition to her acting. She has also released 15 record albums as a singer and is an essayist.
She won the award for best actress at the 7th Hochi Film Award for Giwaku.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1971 | To Love Again | Momoyo | |
| 1974 | Ryoma Ansatsu | | |
| 1977 | The Yellow Handkerchief | Akemi Ogawa | |
| 1979 | Tora-san, the Matchmaker | Hitomi | |
| 1979 | Kamisama No Kureta Akanbô | Sayoko Morisaki | Japanese: 神様のくれた赤ん坊 |
| 1979 | Mo hozue wa tsukanai | Mariko | |
| 1980 | Kagemusha | Otsuyanokata | |
| 1980 | Yūgure made | Sugiko Emori | |
| 1981 | Eijanaika | Ine | |
| 1982 | Suspicion | Kumako Onizawa | |
| 1982 | The Gate of Youth: Part 2 | Kaoru | |
| 1984 | Main Theme | Kayoko Ise | |
| 1986 | Final Take | Empress Akiko | |
| 1986 | Comic Magazine | Herself | |
| 1988 | Kimurake no Hitobito | Noriko Kimura | |
| 1988 | Tomorrow | Tsuruko | |
| 1990 | Ready to Shoot | Ritsuko | |
| 1994 | Like a Rolling Stone | | |
| 1996 | Swallowtail Butterfly | Suzukino | |
| 1997 | Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald | Takako Nakaura | |
| 1997 | Bounce Ko Gals | Saleswoman | |
| 1998 | Daikaijū Tōkyō ni arawaru | Kimie Tadokoro | |
| 2000 | Crossfire | Chikako Ishizu | |
| 2003 | Like Asura | | |
| 2004 | Izo | | |
| 2005 | Memoirs of a Geisha | Mother | American film |
| 2005 | The Sun | Empress Kojun | Russian film |
| 2006 | Love and Honor | Ine Hatano | |
| 2007 | Sukiyaki Western Django | Ruriko | |
| 2008 | The Yellow Handkerchief | Motel Owner | American film |
| 2008 | Dreaming Awake | | |
| 2008 | The Ramen Girl | Mamasan (scenes deleted) | American film |
| 2010 | Hong Kong Confidential | Amaya | Latvian film |
| 2014 | Oki - in the middle of the ocean | Oki | American-Latvian film |
| 2016 | Greetings from Fukushima | | German film |
| 2016 | Magic Kimono | Keiko | Latvian-Japanese film |
| 2016 | Tales of Mexico | | Mexican film |
| 2017 | Ghost in the Shell | Hairi Kusanagi | American Film |
| 2020 | I Never Shot Anyone | | |
| 2020 | The Brightest Roof in the Universe | | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes |
| 1973–76 | Taiyō ni Hoero! | Emi Akiyama and Keiko Murai | NTV | Episodes 60 and 199 |
| 1975 | Hissatsu Hitchū Shigotoya Kagyō | Ohatsu | TV Asahi | Episode 3; Hissatsu series |
| 1975–76 | Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun | Ochiyo | Fuji TV | |
| 1994 | Furuhata Ninzaburō | Takako Nakaura | Fuji TV | Episode 11 |
| 1997 | Gift | Rie Kikkawa | Fuji TV | Episode 4 |
| 2001 | R-17 | Sakurako Matsuzaki | TV Asahi | |
| 2021 | Emergency Interrogation Room | Toko Okuni | TV Asahi | Season 4, episodes 1 and 2 |

## Honours

* Medal with Purple Ribbon (2008)
* Kinuyo Tanaka Award (2015)
* Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (2022)