THE STAR GALLERY! Toho Stars Triumphantly Return to Hibiya!

The Star Gallery in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

By sheer coincidence, I found The Star Gallery in the basement of Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. On Saturday, November 4, an advertisement for Godzilla Minus One (2023) caught my eye, and, as I approached it to take a picture of it, I suddenly discovered The Star Gallery, which was right next to it.

The Star Gallery contains all the hand casts of Toho stars that was removed from the old Hibiya Chanter Square in late 2017 in anticipation of the area's renovation. I never found out what had happened to those hand casts and figured they were tossed into storage somewhere or worse. 

So you could imagine my surprise when I accidentally stumbled upon those same hand casts on the wall of Tokyo Midtown Hibiya some six years later. I was ecstatic to find it and snapped some photos. I'll highlight some of the names below.

With Izumi Yukimura's hand cast.

With Yuriko Hoshi's hand cast.

With Frankie Sakai's hand cast.

With Yosuke Natsuki's hand cast.

With Akira Takarada's hand cast.

Yuriko Hoshi Passes Away at 74

Actress Yuriko Hoshi in May 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Japanese media is reporting that Toho actress Yuriko Hoshi passed away on May 16 in Kyoto due to lung cancer. She was 74. Making her screen debut in 1959, Hoshi-san was best known in the West for her starring roles in The Last War (1961), Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964), and Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964). She returned to the Godzilla series many years later in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000).

From left to right: Yuriko Hoshi, Yosuke Natsuki, and Yumi Shirakawa. All have since passed away. Photo by Brett Homenick.

When I received the invitation to attend Yosuke Natsuki's memorial event in April of this year, Hoshi-san was listed as one of the guest speakers, so I was surprised when she didn't appear. Now it seems I know why.

RIP, Hoshi-san.

BANDITS ON THE WIND! Attending a Special Screening with a Very Special Guest!

Nami Tamura. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Today, I was able to take in a special screening of a 35mm print of Hiroshi Inagaki's Bandits on the Wind (1961), starring Yosuke Natsuki and Makoto Sato. The screening was in celebration of Natsuki-san's life, and the film itself is one of Natsuki-san's favorite movies of his career. The event's guest of honor, Nami Tamura, appears in the film alongside Izumi Yukimura and Akiko Wakabayashi.

Nami Tamura joined Toho in 1959 and began her acting career the same year. In her early days at Toho, she belonged to a trio with Yuriko Hoshi and Mie Hama called Toho's Three Pets, which emphasized the youth and cuteness of the three actresses. Her film acting credits include: Jun Fukuda's The Merciless Trap (1961), Frank Sinatra's None But the Brave (1965), Kihachi Okamoto's Samurai Assassin (1965) and Kill! (1968), and Michio Yamamoto's Terror in the Streets (1970). On television, Tamura-san can be seen in episode 5 of Ultra Q (1966), episode 35 of Ultraman (1966-67), episode 26 of Ultra Seven (1967-68), episode 17 of Space Giants (1966-67), and episode 8 of Operation: Mystery! (1968-69).

It was a great opportunity to see a film that's rarely seen these days. Additionally, Tamura-san shared many fun stories from her Toho days. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening, and a great way to celebrate the life and career of Yosuke Natsuki. 

A Memorial Celebration of Yosuke Natsuki

Toward the end of March, I received an invitation in the mail to attend a memorial celebration of Yosuke Natsuki. Naturally, I immediately decided to attend, and so I made the necessary arrangements.

The celebration was held today (April 12) at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu in Nagatacho, Tokyo. Many of Natsuki-san's colleagues from his acting days were in attendance, and there were a few I got to meet for the first time.

Many of Natsuki-san's personal items were on display in the entrance, but once you got to the main ballroom, it was filled with about 320 people who knew Natsuki-san onscreen and off-.

Many familiar faces were on hand, and it was certainly great to see them again. Below, I will talk about some of my personal experiences and encounters at this memorial event.

Yasuhiko Saijo. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

The first person I ran into was actor Yasuhiko Saijo, a supporting actor at Toho and one of the stars of Ultra Q (1966). While on my way to the main ballroom, I had a (very brief) encounter with Toho actress Yoko Tsukasa. After entering the main ballroom, I encountered director Tom Kotani and had a brief chat with him.

Machiko Naka. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Toho actress Machiko Naka was also in attendance, as were a number of folks I hadn't met before. Director Minoru Kawasaki came up to me to say hello, and I later bumped into producer Shogo Tomiyama.

Akira Takarada and Yoko Tsukasa. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Many of the event's VIPs spoke in honor of Natsuki-san. While Akira Takarada and Yoko Tsukasa's comments struck a lighter tone, Tom Kotani's comments underscored the sadness of Natsuki-san's passing.

With Akira Wakamatsu. 

Early on in the event, I approached Toho actor Akira Wakamatsu, whom I met for the first and only time three years ago. I was surprised to find that he immediately recognized me. He came all the way from Fukushima to attend.

With Daijiro Harada. 

I had an amusing chat with Natsuki-san's G-Men '75 (1975-82) co-star Daijiro Harada. He's better known in the West as Mechagodzilla's pilot in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993). We had a fun chat about the English he spoke in the film. We snapped the above photo right before Harada-san had to leave to be interviewed by the Japanese media.

With Yumi Mizusawa. 

One actress I met for the first time was Yumi Mizusawa, one of the regulars on Natsuki-san's popular TV series What Is Youth? (1965-66). She was selected as a member of Toho New Talent's 5th class in 1965 (along with Son of Godzilla's Bibari Maeda) and went on to become a prolific television actress and singer. While her credits are mostly non-genre, she appeared in episode 91 of Kamen Rider (1971-73) and episode 16 of Iron King (1972-73). Her most notable film appearance is in Kihachi Okamoto's Epoch of Murder Madness (1967).

During the event, a slide show was projected onto a big screen that featured many photos from Natsuki-san's life and career. One interesting photo was of Gene Hackman's visit to the set of a period piece with Natsuki-san and Toshiro Mifune. Another notable shot was a candid of Natsuki-san (in full Professor Hayashida garb) and Yasuko Sawaguchi that was taken (presumably with Natsuki-san's personal camera) on the set of Godzilla (1984). One of the final photos in the presentation was one that I took. You can see it above. Suffice it to say, it was quite an honor that one of my photos was used in the tribute to Natsuki-san's life.

Overall, it was an excellent event, and the organizers did a top-notch job. While the reason we gathered in this hotel ballroom was especially sad, the warmth and  kindness of those in attendance truly made this a celebration of a great man.

Yosuke Natsuki, Star of the Godzilla Series, Passes Away at 81

Actor Yosuke Natsuki in his office in September 2014. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Japanese media is reporting that former Toho actor Yosuke Natsuki passed away on January 14 of renal cell carcinoma. He was 81.

Mr. Natsuki starred in three of Toho's monster movies: Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964), Dogora the Space Monster (1964), and Godzilla 1985 (1984). He also appears in Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961). 

I'll always miss his kindness and rebellious spirit. Rest in peace.

WHO'S WHO IN HIBIYA CHANTER! Identifying the Japanese Actors!

 The Godzilla statue in Hibiya Chanter. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Hibiya Chanter is known to fans in the West for its Godzilla statue, which was erected there in 1995. There's also an area very similar to Hollywood's Walk of Fame, which honors several Japanese actors. But who are they? Which ones might Westerners want to see? Here's a handy guide.

Akira Takarada -- the star of Godzilla (1954), Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964), Monster Zero (1965), and Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966).

Yosuke Natsuki -- the star of Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964), Dogora the Space Monster (1964), and Godzilla 1985 (1984).

Toshiro Mifune -- the star of numerous Akira Kurosawa films, as well as The Three Treasures (1959), The Lost World of Sinbad (1963), Adventure in Kigan Castle (1966), and Princess from the Moon (1987).

Izumi Yukimura -- the Japanese singing star who appeared in many films for Toho, including the genre-ish The Princess of Badger Palace (1958) and Ichimatsu Travels with Ghosts (1959).

Keiju Kobayashi -- one of the stars of Submersion of Japan (1973) and Godzilla 1985.

Ken Takakura -- one of Japan's most popular leading men, whose yakuza films are still widely seen in Japan.

Tadao Takashima -- the star of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Atragon (1963), Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), and Son of Godzilla (1967).

Ken Uehara -- one of Japan's leading men in the 1930s, but better known in the West for his supporting roles in Mothra (1961), Gorath (1962), and Atragon.

Hisaya Morishige -- one of Toho's most bankable actors during the Showa era, starring in the long-running Shacho series. He appears in Sayonara Jupiter (1984) as the Earth Federation President.

Yuzo Kayama -- the handsome star of Toho's Young Guy series, who also appeared in several war films with SFX by Eiji Tsuburaya.

Yuriko Hoshi -- the female lead of The Last War (1961), Godzilla vs. the Thing, and Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster.

Frankie Sakai -- a successful comedy actor whom Westerners would know best as the star of the original Mothra.

Yasuko Sawaguchi -- Godzilla 1985's leading lady, who also had turns in Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon (1994).

Kyoko Kagawa -- one of the stars of Yasujiro Ozu's seminal Tokyo Story (1953) and the sci-fi classic Mothra.

DINING WITH A TOHO LEGEND! A Great Time with a Fan Favorite!

Today I enjoyed a great lunch with Toho star Yosuke Natsuki that lasted several hours. Naturally, we discussed a myriad of topics, including some interesting Toho history. For one thing, Natsuki-san revealed that he was originally approached to play the Japanese lead in the Frank Sinatra-directed None But the Brave (1965), but declined the offer due to the low salary. (The role was eventually played by Tatsuya Mihashi.) Even Toho advised against accepting the role at the time.

Many thanks to Natsuki-san for a fun and memorable afternoon. It was truly a great time, as it always is.

Yumi Shirakawa: One Glorious Day

Toho star Yumi Shirakawa in May 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Writing this blog entry will be difficult for a few reasons. First, there's a lot to say. Second, I don't want to say too much. Third, the news of Shirakawa-san's passing is still a bit too fresh in my mind. Still, some of my blog readers requested more details about my meeting Shirakawa-san, and I thought it was a splendid idea. Here goes.

Yumi Shirakawa breaks into laughter when presented with a piece of memorabilia for her to sign, as Yosuke Natsuki looks on. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

I met Yumi Shirakawa for the first and only time on Sunday, May 3, 2015. The event was Akira Takarada's 81st birthday celebration, which took place in a restaurant high up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (a.k.a. the Tax Towers). The event was a star-studded one, and it featured several celebrity guests who rarely (if ever) make personal appearances. The luminaries included: Yumi Shirakawa, Yuriko Hoshi, Yosuke Natsuki, Machiko Naka, Akira Wakamatsu, and several others. The guest who jumped immediately out to me was Yumi Shirakawa. There's a reason for that.

Yosuke Natsuki and Yumi Shirakawa, two Toho stars who remained close friends for decades. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Yumi Shirakawa is my favorite actress. She an aura and a presence onscreen unlike any other actress I've seen. Watch her in The H-Man (1958) and The Secret of the Telegian (1960), and you're likely to see what I mean. She was beautiful, feminine, vulnerable, and ethereal. There was something about her that appealed to me more than any other Toho actress. She seemed a bit mysterious to me, and I liked that.

In fact, when I was planning a move to Japan, Yumi Shirakawa was at the top of the list of actors and actresses I wanted to meet. No joke. She was always in the number-one spot. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was a challenge I couldn't refuse. It was worth doing.

A fun group shot featuring Yumi Shirakawa and many of her co-stars. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

I didn't get my opportunity until four years into my stay. Yosuke Natsuki gave me a big assist, and I will always be grateful for his help. Not only did Natsuki-san personally introduce me to her, but he invited me to sit at the table reserved for the special guests with him and Shirakawa-san. I was the only fan at the event invited to do so. So I essentially got to spend the entire afternoon with Shirakawa-san, and even though she didn't speak English, I most certainly enjoyed our time together.

Actresses Yuriko Hoshi and Yumi Shirakawa listen to a speech. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

What impressed me most was how unlike her screen persona she was. She was open-minded, down-to-earth, and friendly -- not at all like the reserved and shy presence I saw in the movies. She also seemed to have an impish sense of humor. She was very close with Natsuki-san, and I snapped many photos of the two of them together on her camera. Of course, I was more than happy to make myself available to her for anything she needed.

Bin Furuya and Yumi Shirakawa pose for pictures. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

When the party moved to a nearby restaurant, Shirakawa-san was the only female guest to join us. When attendees and guests were taking seats, I intentionally tried to sit at a different table from Shirakawa-san and Natsuki-san (in order to give other fans a chance), but Natsuki-san wouldn't hear of it, and he insisted I sit with them. At the restaurant, Shirakawa-san posed for many photos (including a few with Bin Furuya) and signed many shikishi boards and DVDs. She seemed amused by seeing so many fans of her movies. When I asked a few of my friends who their favorite guest of the day was, they unanimously said Yumi Shirakawa. I agreed.

Yours truly with Yumi Shirakawa.

Look at this picture, and you'll see why. A picture truly does speak a thousand words -- and more. I couldn't tell you how excited I was to meet her, but she looks much more excited than I do! Unfortunately for them, a lot of tokusatsu fans in the Western world never seemed very interested in Shirakawa-san, probably because she never starred in a Godzilla movie. Those people truly missed out on an exceptional person, someone I am honored to have met.

And now she's gone. I took the news of her passing pretty hard. She gave me a lot to look forward to, as I was confident our paths would cross again. The world seems like a darker place without her. Seems like? Okay, I'll say it. It is a darker place without her.

Rest in peace, Shirakawa-san. Your life brought joy to so many others. I'll always remember.