Japanese Actress Kaoru Yachigusa Passes Away at 88

Actress Kaoru Yachigusa died of pancreatic cancer on October 24 at 7:45 a.m. She was 88. Ms. Yachigusa began her acting career in 1947 and remained in demand as a performer the rest of her life. She married Toho director Senkichi (The Killing Bottle) Taniguchi in 1957, and the couple remained married until his death in 2007.

Ms. Yachigusa is best known among genre fans for her leading role in The Human Vapor (1960), as the object of Yoshio Tsuchiya’s affection, the ethereal dancer Fujichiyo. She would return to the science fiction genre in the late 1970s under the direction of Kihachi Okamoto in Toho’s Blue Christmas (1978) as the wife of Eiji Okada’s scientist character. This, of course, only scratches the surface of her celebrated acting career.

Rest in peace, Ms. Yachigusa.

Yoshio Tsuchiya: 1927-2017

Actor Yoshio Tsuchiya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to a reliable source in Japan, veteran Toho actor Yoshio Tsuchiya (Seven Samurai, The Human Vapor, Monster Zero) passed away at age 89. No other details are available at this time.

RIP, Tsuchiya-san.

UPDATE (9/7): Yoshio Tsuchiya passed away on February 8 of lung cancer, a few months shy of his 90th birthday. 

DINNER WITH ULTRAMAN! Bin Furuya Holds Court in Kichijoji!

Ultraman suit actor Bin Furuya signs an Ultraman mask for a lucky fan in Kichijoji. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, February 19, I hightailed it to Kichijoji, Tokyo, after work to attend a dinner with Ultraman suit actor Bin Furuya. Several fans were in attendance, and a great time was had by all. When I arrived, I was invited to sit next to Furuya-san, so he and I got to chat quite a bit throughout the evening.

Only the Controller of Planet X could come up with a signature like this! Photo by Brett Homenick.

One fan brought several Toho pamphlets from the '60s, and there was a montage of many familiar Toho stars with their autographs. Yoshio Tsuchiya's signature was so interesting that I had to photograph it. Take a look for yourself!

As always, Furuya-san was extremely outgoing and fan-friendly, going out of his way to make sure I was eating enough food. (I ate enough and then some!) I particularly enjoyed throwing out the names of Toho/Tsuburaya actors and getting his memories of them. Furuya-san has worked with so many legends!

This is what fandom is all about, and I can think of no better place to celebrate it than Japan. Many thanks to Furuya-san and my fellow tokusatsu fans for making Friday night one for the history books!

A VERY TOHO CHRISTMAS! More Photos from the Christmas Eve Event!

Akira Kubo and Yoshio Tsuchiya pal around with an old friend.

Yoshio Tsuchiya and Yukiko Kobayashi talk shop with each other.

Three Toho legends pose for the camera.

Akira Kubo lights a cigarette for an old friend.

Yoshio Tsuchiya watches himself at work over 50 years ago in The Human Vapor (1960).

Akira Kubo holds up a Japanese program booklet for A Star Is Born (1954).

Return of Ultraman suit actor Eiichi Kikuchi honors Akira Kubo at the event.

Yours truly, posing with Akira Kubo, Yoshio Tsuchiya, and Yukiko Kobayashi.

With Akira Kubo.

With Yukiko Kobayashi.

Yukiko Kobayashi assists Yoshio Tsuchiya with his signings.

With Yoshio Tsuchiya.

A CHRISTMAS EVE TOHO ALL-STAR EVENT! Three Godzilla Series Bring the Holiday Cheer!

Actors Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akira Kubo, and Yukiko Kobayashi pose for pictures during a special event on Christmas Eve. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Thursday, December 24, saw an all-star reunion of three major Toho stars at a restaurant called Nano in Shinjuku. The three actors were Yoshio Tsuchiya (Seven Samurai, The Human Vapor), Akira Kubo (Gorath, Monster Zero), and Yukiko Kobayashi (Detroy All Monsters, The Vampire Doll).

Yoshio Tsuchiya reacts to the ovation he receives from the audience. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In particular, it was a rare opportunity to meet Yoshio Tsuchiya, who doesn't often appear at events in Tokyo. I was very excited to meet him, as he acting credits are among the most impressive of any Toho actor. He's one of the principal cast members of Seven Samurai (1954)!

Akira Kubo enjoyed mingling with the fans. Photo by Brett Homenick.

During the Q&A, I was privileged to ask the only question from the audience, and I asked it of all three quests. I asked them what their favorite childhood memories are. Kubo-san replied that joining Toho as a 15-year-old actor was his favorite.

Kobayashi-san then told the audience that when she was born, her father (an actor in his own right) wanted a boy, and so she grew up dressing like a boy, and even enjoyed playing with guns rather than dolls.

Tsuchiya-san talked about being afraid of King Kong (1933) as a boy. He also went on to talk about how many actors left Tokyo and went to Yamanashi Prefecture to escape the war. Since Tsuchiya-san lived there, he got to know many actors during that time. One of the actors he got to know turned out to be Kobayashi-san's father!

Yukiko Kobayashi talks about her acting credits at Toho Studios and Tsuburaya Productions. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After the interview session wrapped, the three guests joined the audience in singing "Silent Night" in both Japanese and English. During the English portion, I was invited to join the guests onstage (so to speak) and to sing along with them. It was quite a surprise for me!

Yours truly with the three guests of honor, after singing "Silent Night" with them.

Following that, it was time for autographs. Since Tsuchiya-san is a rare presence at events, he signed more autographs than the other guests by far. Despite it all, he remained in good spirits.

This was my fourth time meeting Akira Kubo, and I was gratified to know that he recognized me. He mentioned that we first met in Kyoto at a screening of Monster Zero, which took place four years ago in 2011. Kubo-san was very kind and was a joy to speak with.

Kobayashi-san was also great to see again. The Vampire Doll is a great Japanese horror film, and she is excellent as the film's vampire.

It was my first time to meet Yoshio Tsuchiya, and what can I say? He's a legend, and it was very exciting to speak with him.

I had an excellent time at the event, and I must commend the organizers on a job well done. What better way to close out 2015 than with three Toho legends?