Portrait of Yoji Yamada

Directing

Yoji Yamada

Career

Active from 1957 to 2025, busiest in 1966 with 5 main titles.

Average score
GoodWatch score71/100
Highest rated
Poster for The Twilight Samurai
The Twilight Samurai
GoodWatch score87/100

What stands out

Compared with the average well-known movie, over 22 of their titles. Select a trait to filter titles.

Energy: 2.7 versus catalog average 4.6EnergyHeart: 5.8 versus catalog average 4.2HeartHumor: 2.2 versus catalog average 2.6HumorWorld: 5.9 versus catalog average 5.6WorldCraft: 5.5 versus catalog average 5.3CraftStyle: 5.7 versus catalog average 5.9Style
Yoji Yamada Catalog average

Rarely in their work

  • Adrenaline
    2.5, average 4.8
  • Crime
    1.7, average 3.6
  • Violence
    2.3, average 4.1
  • Scare
    0.8, average 2.6

Main genres

Select a genre to see those titles.

Recurring tags

  • Character-Driven 16
  • Japanese Cinema 11
  • Gentle Humor 8
  • Nostalgic 8
  • Coming-of-Age 6
  • Nostalgic Charm 6
  • Situational Humor 6
  • Melancholy 6
  • Slice of Life 5
  • Tora-san Series 5
  • Japanese Comedy 5
  • Family Dynamics 5

Works often with

People in at least two of their main titles.

Movies and TV shows

158
Type
Role
Score
Decade
Genre
Group by

2020s

6 titles · average score 67
Tokyo Taxi
Tokyo Taxi (2025)
GoodWatch score 73

Screenplay, Director

Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home (2025)

Writer

Mom, Is That You?!
Mom, Is That You?! (2023)
GoodWatch score 64

Director, Screenplay

The Call of a Faraway Mountain
The Call of a Faraway Mountain (2022)

Screenplay

It's a Flickering Life
It's a Flickering Life (2021)
GoodWatch score 64

Director, Screenplay

戦争童画集 ~75年目のショートストーリー~
戦争童画集 ~75年目のショートストーリー~ (2020)

Director

2010s

13 titles · average score 68
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here (2019)
GoodWatch score 73

Director, Screenplay

What a Wonderful Family! 3
What a Wonderful Family! 3 (2018)
GoodWatch score 72

Director, Screenplay

A Distant Cry from Spring
A Distant Cry from Spring (2018)

Writer

Older Brother, Younger Sister
Older Brother, Younger Sister (2018)

Screenplay

What a Wonderful Family! 2
What a Wonderful Family! 2 (2017)
GoodWatch score 70

Screenplay, Director

What a Wonderful Family!
What a Wonderful Family! (2016)
GoodWatch score 46

Director, Screenplay

Nagasaki: Memories of My Son
Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015)
GoodWatch score 68

Director, Screenplay

The Little House
The Little House (2014)
GoodWatch score 75

Screenplay, Director

Tokyo Family
Tokyo Family (2013)
GoodWatch score 79

Director, Screenplay

The Yellow Handkerchief
The Yellow Handkerchief (2011)

Writer

About Her Brother
About Her Brother (2010)
GoodWatch score 67

Director, Screenplay

Kyoto Story
Kyoto Story (2010)
GoodWatch score 65

Screenplay, Story

2000s

13 titles · average score 78
Free and Easy 20: Final
Free and Easy 20: Final (2009)

Screenplay

The Yellow Handkerchief
The Yellow Handkerchief (2009)
GoodWatch score 63

Original Film Writer

Kabei: Our Mother
Kabei: Our Mother (2008)
GoodWatch score 82

Director, Screenplay

Love and Honor
Love and Honor (2006)
GoodWatch score 79

Director, Screenplay

Sea Without Exit
Sea Without Exit (2006)

Screenplay

Free and Easy 17
Free and Easy 17 (2006)

Screenplay

Free and Easy 16
Free and Easy 16 (2005)

Writer

The Hidden Blade
The Hidden Blade (2004)
GoodWatch score 78

Screenplay, Director

The Twilight Samurai
The Twilight Samurai (2002)
GoodWatch score 87

Director, Screenplay

Free and Easy 13
Free and Easy 13 (2002)

Writer

Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project (2001)

Writer

A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen
A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen (2000)

Director, Screenplay

1990s

26 titles · average score 74
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage (1998)

Story, Director

Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version (1997)

Writer, Director

A Class to Remember II
A Class to Remember II (1996)

Director, Screenplay

The Rainbow Seeker
The Rainbow Seeker (1996)

Writer, Director

Tora-san to the Rescue
Tora-san to the Rescue (1995)

Director, Writer

Tora-san's Easy Advice
Tora-san's Easy Advice (1994)

Director, Writer

A Class to Remember
A Class to Remember (1993)
GoodWatch score 72

Screenplay, Director

Tora-san's Matchmaker
Tora-san's Matchmaker (1993)

Screenplay, Director

Tora-san Makes Excuses
Tora-san Makes Excuses (1992)

Screenplay, Director

My Sons
My Sons (1991)
GoodWatch score 76

Screenplay, Director

Tora-san Confesses
Tora-san Confesses (1991)

Screenplay, Director

Tora-san Takes a Vacation
Tora-san Takes a Vacation (1990)

Writer, Director

1980s

27 titles · average score 71
Tora-san, My Uncle
Tora-san, My Uncle (1989)

Director, Writer

Tora-san Goes North
Tora-san Goes North (1987)

Screenplay, Director

Tora-san Plays Daddy
Tora-san Plays Daddy (1987)

Director, Original Story

Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies (1986)
GoodWatch score 68

Director, Writer

Tora-san, the Go-Between
Tora-san, the Go-Between (1985)

Screenplay, Original Story

Tora-san's Forbidden Love
Tora-san's Forbidden Love (1984)

Director, Writer

Tora-san Goes Religious?
Tora-san Goes Religious? (1983)

Writer, Director

Tora-san, the Expert
Tora-san, the Expert (1982)

Screenplay, Director

Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san (1982)

Original Story, Director

A Distant Cry from Spring
A Distant Cry from Spring (1980)
GoodWatch score 75

Director, Screenplay

Tora-san's Tropical Fever
Tora-san's Tropical Fever (1980)

Director, Writer

Foster Daddy, Tora!
Foster Daddy, Tora! (1980)

Original Story, Director

1970s

34 titles · average score 73
Talk of the Town Tora-san
Talk of the Town Tora-san (1978)

Writer, Director

The Yellow Handkerchief
The Yellow Handkerchief (1977)
GoodWatch score 72

Director, Screenplay

Tora-san Plays Cupid
Tora-san Plays Cupid (1977)

Director, Writer

Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset (1976)

Writer, Director

Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again
Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again (1975)

Screenplay, Director

The Castle of Sand
The Castle of Sand (1974)
GoodWatch score 73

Screenplay

Tora-san's Forget Me Not
Tora-san's Forget Me Not (1973)

Screenplay, Director

Home from the Sea
Home from the Sea (1972)
GoodWatch score 72

Director, Screenplay

Tora-san, the Good Samaritan
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan (1971)

Original Story, Director

Tora-san's Love Call
Tora-san's Love Call (1971)

Screenplay, Director

Where Spring Comes Late
Where Spring Comes Late (1970)
GoodWatch score 76

Screenplay, Director

Tora-san's Runaway
Tora-san's Runaway (1970)
GoodWatch score 73

Screenplay, Director

1960s

34 titles · average score 69
Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp
Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp (1969)
GoodWatch score 73

Director, Screenplay

Tora-san's Cherished Mother
Tora-san's Cherished Mother (1969)
GoodWatch score 69

Original Story, Director

Vagabond Schemer
Vagabond Schemer (1969)

Director, Writer

I, the Executioner
I, the Executioner (1968)
GoodWatch score 72

Writer

The Million Dollar Pursuit
The Million Dollar Pursuit (1968)

Screenplay, Director

The Shy Deceiver
The Shy Deceiver (1968)

Director, Writer

Song of Love
Song of Love (1967)

Screenplay, Director

The Lovable Tramp
The Lovable Tramp (1966)

Director, Screenplay

A Trap
A Trap (1965)
GoodWatch score 72

Director

The Sunshine Girl
The Sunshine Girl (1963)

Director, Screenplay

Zero Focus
Zero Focus (1961)
GoodWatch score 65

Screenplay

The Strangers Upstairs
The Strangers Upstairs (1961)

Director, Writer

1950s

5 titles
Akatsuki no chiheisen
Akatsuki no chiheisen (1959)

Screenplay

Monthly Salary: 13,000 Yen
Monthly Salary: 13,000 Yen (1958)

Screenplay

Modan dôchû: Sono koi matta nashi
Modan dôchû: Sono koi matta nashi (1958)

Screenplay

The Girl Who Creates Tomorrow
The Girl Who Creates Tomorrow (1958)

Screenplay

Hachi no ko
Hachi no ko (1957)

Screenplay