About Noriko Honma
Lived 1911 – 2009 (aged 97). Noriko Honma was a Japanese actor.
Noriko Honma (本間文子 Honma Noriko) (29 November 1911 – 12 April 2009) was a Japanese actress whose film work occurred primarily during the 1950s. She was born in Hokkaido. She worked in many of Akira Kurosawa's films, first appearing in Kurosawa's Stray Dog, then in Rashomon as the Miko, also in Ikiru, The Seven Samurai, Akahige, and Dreams. Noriko died in April 2009 at the age of 97.
Partial filmography
Tsuzurikata Kyoshitsu (1938) - Mrs. Tanno The Whole Family Works (1939) - Mrs. Ishimura Stray Dog (1949) - Woman of wooden tub shop Sasameyuki (1950) - Itakura's mother Rashomon (1950) - Miko Mizuiro no waltz (1952) - Ms. Omachi Atakake no hitobito (1952) Mother (1952) - Mino Hirai Ikiru (1952) - Housewife Fūfu (1953) Where Chimneys Are Seen (1953) Tsuma (1953) Haha to Musume (1953) Botchan (1953) - Uranari's mother Ani imōto (1953) Amongst the Girls in the Flowers (1953) - Yone Ishii Seven Samurai (1954) - Woman Farmer #1 Shiosai (1954) - Old Woman of O-Haru Wakaki hi no takuboku: Kumo wa tensai de aru (1954) - Katsuko, Takuboku's mother Izumi e no michi (1955) The Lone Journey (1955) Meoto zenzai (1955) I Live in Fear (1955) - Family member of workers (uncredited) Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956) Tsuma no Kokoro (1956) People of Tokyo, Goodbye (1956) - Natsu, Chiyo's Mother Women in Prison (1956) - Natsu Tosaka, prisoner Arakure (1957) A Rainbow Plays in My Heart (1957) - Nanny Zokuzoku Ōban: Dotō hen (1957) - Hostess Onna de aru koto (1958) - Boutique Owner Kekkon no Subete (1958) Iwashi-gumo (1958) Daikaju Baran (1958) - Ken's Mom Yajikita dōchū sugoroku (1958) Ankokugai no Kaoyuku (1959) Kitsune to Tanuki (1959) Aruhi Watashi wa (1959) - The woman of the rooming house Kaitei kara kita onna (1959) - Nurse When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) Yojimbo (1961) - Farmer's Ex-wife Fundoshi isha (1961) - Sugi Taiheiyō Sensō to Himeyuri Butai (1962) Varan the Unbelievable (1962) - Screaming Woman Gekkyū dorobo (1962) Aa bakudan (1964) - Matsuko - Shiitake's wife Red Beard (1965) - Resident Akogare (1966) Big Duel in the North (1966) - Spiritualist Namida gawa (1967) - Tea shop old woman Nihonkai Daikaisen (1969) The Wild Sea (1969) Kiki kaikai ore wa dareda?! (1969) - Fusa The Water Margin (1973, TV Series) - Lu Ta's Mother (1977) G.I. Samurai (1979) - Old Woman Dreams (1990) Rhapsody in August (1991) - Mourner Madadayo (1993) - Old lady holding a cat (uncredited) (final film role)
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Important facts
People in Noriko Honma's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Noriko Honma's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Noriko Honma?
Japanese actress
When was Noriko Honma born?
Noriko Honma was born on 29 November 1911 in Hokkaidō.
When did Noriko Honma die?
Noriko Honma died on 12 April 2009 in Tokyo.
What was Noriko Honma's occupation?
Noriko Honma was an actor.
What nationality was Noriko Honma?
Noriko Honma was Japanese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Noriko Honma. https://biography.guide/noriko-honma/
MLA: "Noriko Honma." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/noriko-honma/.
Chicago: "Noriko Honma." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/noriko-honma/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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