Â鶹APP

Top 10 Facts about Setsuko Hara

Photo of Setsuko Hara. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Setsuko Hara was a Japanese actress. She was born on 17th June 1920 in Hodogaya-Ku, Yokohama.
Her birth name was Masae Aida. Setsuko was born in a family of eight siblings (three brothers and five sisters).

She is widely known for her best performances in Late Spring and Tokyo Story films which were major hits. Her career in film acting was influenced by the husband of her sister.

Setsuko appeared in several films during her career acting leaving behind a great legacy across the world.

Let’s take you through the top 10 Facts about Setsuko Hara:

1. Setsuko’s Family was Financially Stable until a Later Date

Yoko Sugi and Setsuko Hara and Setsuko Wakayama in Aoi Sanmyaku. Courtesy: Toho.

Setsuko Hara was the last born in her family. Her father was a silk wholesaler who was assisted by his wife.

The family of Setsuko Hara was financially stable and was able to provide education and other basic things. However, in 1929 during the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression, everything went bad for the family business.

The silk export market was brought down due to the adverse effects of the two disrupting events. This contributed to the financial instability of Setsuko’s family which led to her dropping out of school.

2. Setsuko Dropped Out of School to Act

Setsuko Hara in Meshi. Courtesy: Mikio Naruse.

Setsuko Hara had been enrolled in school to study. However, she was encouraged to drop out of school and start acting in films which she agreed with.

The elder sister of Setsuko Hara was married to a film director known as Hisatora Kumagai. History gave Setsuko a clear entry into the film world as he had many opportunities for her.

The renowned film director encouraged Setsuko Hara to drop out of school which she did not hesitate to. In 1935, Setsuko Hara then went on to work for Nikkatsu studios in Tamagawa, outside Tokyo City.

3. Her Acting Career Began at a Tender Age of 15

Setsuko Hara. Courtesy: J.O. Studios and Dr. Arnold Fanck-Fi.

The influence from her elder sister’s film director husband was irresistible. Setsuko Hara dropped out of school and was given the platform to showcase her talent in the film industry.

In 1935 at the age of 15, Setsuko Hara made her debut in the film industry. She had traveled outside Tokyo City to debut in the film Do Not Hesitate Young Folks.

Setsuko Hara was given the stage name Tamerau Nakare Wakodo yo as she debuted at the age of 15.

4. She Rose to Prominence in a German-Japanese Movie

Setsuko Hara as Noriko, in an angry mood, in Yasujiro Ozu’s Late Spring.

After her debut at the age of 15, Setsuko Hara went ahead to make several other films. In 1937, she quickly rose to prominence through a very interesting film.

Setsuko Hara appeared in the German-Japanese coproduced movie, The Daughter of the Samurai. This film was directed by Arnold Fanck and Mansaku Itami.

Setsuko played a woman who unsuccessfully attempted to immolate herself in a volcano.

5. Setsuko Worked Closely with Director Ozu for 12 Years

Setsuko Hara in one of the movies.

Setsuko Hara worked with various film directors during her acting period. However, she was directed majorly by Yasujiro Ozu who was also close to her.

Setsuko Hara worked for twelve years with director Yasujiro Ozu. In the movies directed by Ozu, Setsuko acted the role of a typical Japanese woman.

The roles were either a daughter, wife, or mother. One of the major hit films Setsuko Hara worked on with Yasujiro Ozu was Late Spring.
In this film, she acted like a devoted daughter who never wanted to get married to stay home and take care of her father.

6. She was Never Married and had no Children

Setsuko Hara had committed her life to acting and working closely with her director Ozu. Surprisingly, she was never married to anyone until she passed on.

She got the nickname ‘the Eternal Virgin’ in Japan in the 1950s. This was a symbol of the golden era of the Japanese cinema world.

7. She Quit her Acting Career after the Death of Ozu

Setsuko Hara. Photo by Wikimedia Commons.

In 1963, Setsuko Hara decided to quit acting when her director Ozu passed away. She then went ahead to live a secluded life in Kamakura.

Kamakura was the region where many films of Setsuko Hara and Ozu were made in. She refused to appear in any interviews as well as never wanted her photographs to be taken.

This led to various speculations by people who raised questions about why Setsuko Hara refused to appear in the public eye. During her final interview, Setsuko confessed that she never enjoyed acting and used thus career to support her family.

People concluded that Setsuko Hara might have had a possible romantic involvement with director Yasujiro Ozu.

8. Setsuko’s Relatives Turned Away Popular Journalist who Visited Regularly

After completely coming out from acting, Setsuko Hara decided to live a calm life at her home. There was a renowned journalist known as Ishii who visited her regularly to talk to her about the past.

At this moment, Setsuko Hara was living with her nephew and his wife. Each time Ishi visited, the nephew welcomed her but turned her away from interviewing Hara.

She made at least three unsuccessful visits. On her 95th birthday, Ishi visited with some flowers and a letter which were received, but she was turned away again.

9. She Died from Pneumonia at the Age of 95

For nearly more than half a century, Setsuko Hara managed to live a seclusion life away from the public. She enjoyed good health until the last days of her life.

Setsuko Hara was admitted to a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture after she was diagnosed with pneumonia. On 5th September 2015, Setsuko Hara passed away at the age of ninety-five.

10. Her Family never Reported her Death until Two Months Later

Setsuko Hara passed away on 5th September 2015, but the news of her demise was not announced to the public. The family of Setsuko Hara organized and gave her a decent send-off.

The news of the death of Setsuko Hara was reported to the media two months later, on 25th November of the same year. It is believed that her family wanted to mourn her in privacy without the disturbance of the media.

Setsuko Hara will always be a role model and a great influence on the Japanese film industry even though she passed away silently.