Yoko Yamamoto, Star of Nikkatsu's Kaiju Feature 'Gappa,' Passes Away at Age 81

A 1977 portrait of actress Yoko Yamamoto on display at the Yamamoto Noriten shop in Nihombashi, Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Actress Yoko Yamamoto passed away on February 20 at a hospital in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture (where she had been living since turning 70), at the age of 81. The exact cause of her passing has not been disclosed, with most sources simply reporting that it was due to an illness. Notably, she appeared on the television talk show Tetsuko's Room on February 2, and, according to media reports, her passing was sudden and unexpected by those who knew her. The same articles indicate that a funeral has not yet been held.

Yoko Yamamoto welcomes you to the Yamamoto Noriten shop in Nihombashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yoko Yamamoto was born on March 17, 1942, and joined Nikkatsu Studios in 1963 (debuting in 1964) as part of the studio's 7th New Face class. While never quite reaching the levels of stardom attained by some of her contemporaries like Sayuri Yoshinaga, she went on to star in Nikkatsu's sole kaiju outing, 1967's Gappa the Triphibian Monster (a.k.a. Monster from a Prehistoric Planet). Also in 1967, Yamamoto signed a contract with Yamamoto Noriten, a company that specializes in seaweed products.

The Guinness World Records certificate om display at the Yamamoto Noriten shop in Nihombashi, Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Almost 60 years later, Yamamoto remained the face of the company. In November 2009, she was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as being the longest-serving house model for the same company. In 2023, she celebrated her 60th anniversary in the entertainment business.

A 1975 portrait of actress Yoko Yamamoto on display at the Yamamoto Noriten shop in Nihombashi, Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In March 2018, I visited the Yamamoto Noriten shop in Nihombashi and took some photos relevant to Ms. Yamamoto's career, which you can see in this blog post. While I never had the privilege of meeting Ms. Yamamoto in the flesh, I've always enjoyed her performance in Gappa, which is a perennial favorite of mine.

A 1975 portrait of actress Yoko Yamamoto on display at the Yamamoto Noriten shop in Nihombashi, Tokyo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

RIP, Yoko Yamamoto.