Takako Irie

Takako Irie (入江 たか子, Irie Takako), born on February 7, 1911, in Tokyo, was a prominent Japanese film actress. Coming from the distinguished Higashibōjō family, her birth name was Hideko Higashibōjō (東坊城 英子). After graduating from Bunka Gakuin, she made her acting debut with Nikkatsu in 1927, quickly rising to stardom. In 1932, she established her own production company, Irie Productions, which produced several notable films, including Kenji Mizoguchi's silent classic, The Water Magician, in which she starred.

Irie's influence extended beyond film; she became a familiar face in advertisements and was featured on various commercial products, including fans. Her likeness was also captured by Nihonga artist Nakamura Daizaburō in a folding screen painting for the 1930 Teiten (Imperial Exhibition), which is now housed in the Honolulu Museum of Art. Additionally, dolls modeled after her image became popular collectibles.

In the post-World War II era, Irie earned the nickname "ghost cat actress" (bakeneko joyū) due to her roles in a series of kaidan (ghost story) films. One of her notable later performances was in Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro, where she portrayed Mutsuta's wife, famously advising Sanjuro (played by Toshirō Mifune) that "the best sword stays in its scabbard." Takako Irie passed away on January 12, 1995, leaving behind a significant legacy in Japanese cinema.