Koyuki

Actress · Tokyo

Koyuki

From The Last Samurai to Netflix’s Sanctuary — film, television and streaming, in Japan and abroad.

From
Kanagawa, Japan
Born
December 18, 1976
Height
172 cm (5′8″)
Languages
Japanese · English

Selected Works

2026 on air, and career-defining

About

CareerModel since 1995 / Actress since 1998 Known forThe Last Samurai · Always: Sunset on Third Street · Warau Iemon · The Naked Director · Sanctuary RepresentationCamino Real LinksIMDb  ·  Instagram @koyuki_official

Born in Kanagawa, Japan, Koyuki began her career in 1995 as an exclusive fashion model, working across major editorial and runway platforms before transitioning into acting in 1998. She gained international recognition with The Last Samurai, establishing her presence in global cinema early in her career.

Since then she has built a substantial body of work across film and television — from Warau Iemon and the Always: Sunset on Third Street trilogy to Persona Non Grata, and on television Fumō Chitai, Kimi wa Petto, and Netflix’s The Naked Director and Sanctuary.

With over two decades of experience, she brings on-screen elegance, emotional precision, and cross-cultural adaptability. Her work bridges Japanese and international productions, and she continues to expand internationally across film and streaming.

Filmography

Click a title for details

Film

2022A Mother’s TouchLead role / GAGA / Dir. Junpei Matsumoto2015Persona Non GrataToho / Dir. Cellin Gluck2012Always: Sunset on Third Street ’64Toho / Dir. Takashi Yamazaki2012Snow White and the HuntsmanJapanese dub, voice of Queen Ravenna2011Detective in the BarToei / Dir. Hajime Hashimoto2010Shin-san: A Serenade in a Coalmine TownDir. Hideyuki Hirayama2010Onnatachi wa Nido AsobuLimited release2009Blood: The Last VampireDir. Chris Nahon2009Kamui: The Lone NinjaShochiku / Dir. Yoichi Sai2009Watashi DasuwaDir. Yoshimitsu Morita2007KitaroShochiku / Dir. Katsuhide Motoki2007Always: Sunset on Third Street 2Toho / Dir. Takashi Yamazaki2006EragonJapanese dub, voice of Arya2005Always: Sunset on Third StreetToho / Dir. Takashi Yamazaki2005Jam Films SDir. Hitoshi Ishikawa2004Warau IemonToho / Dir. Yukio Ninagawa2003The Last SamuraiDir. Edward Zwick / Warner Bros.2003AliveDir. Ryuhei Kitamura2003Spy SorgeDir. Masahiro Shinoda2002LaundryDir. Junichi Mori2001PulseDir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa2000Keizoku: The MovieToho / Dir. Yukihiko Tsutsumi

Television & Streaming

2026Legal Beat (TV Tokyo) / Crossroad (TV Asahi) / Ginga no Ippyō (Fuji TV) / Panda yori Koi ga Nigate na Watashitachi (NTV)
2025Shiawase na Kekkon (TV Asahi) / Dr. Ashura (Fuji TV) / Non-REM no Mado (NTV)
2024Sky Castle (TV Asahi)
2023Boogie Woogie (NHK) / Sanctuary (Netflix)
2021The Naked Director Season 2 (Netflix)
2020Tetsu no Hone (WOWOW) / Kyō no Nekomura-san (TV Tokyo)
2019Top League (WOWOW) / Jikō Keisatsu Hajimemashita (TV Asahi) / The Naked Director (Netflix) / Trace (Fuji TV)
2018Keibuho Usui Kōichi (TV Asahi) / Princess Jellyfish (Fuji TV)
2017Daibinbō (Fuji TV)
2016Gold Woman (TV Asahi) / Fragile (Fuji TV)
2014The Long Goodbye (NHK)
2013Legal High (Fuji TV)
2012Onna Nobunaga (Fuji TV)
2010Unubore Deka (TBS)
2009Mr. Brain (TBS) / Fumō Chitai — The Waste Land (Fuji TV)
2008Sasaki Fusai no Jingi Naki Tatakai (TBS)
2006Ai to Shi o Mitsumete (TV Asahi)
2005Engine (Fuji TV)
2004Boku to Kanojo to Kanojo no Ikiru Michi (Fuji TV)
2003Kimi wa Petto (TBS) / Suekko Chōnan Ane Sannin (TBS)
2002Tentai Kansoku (Fuji TV) / Psycho Doctor (NTV)
2001Omae no Yukichi ga Naiteiru / Mukodono (Fuji TV) / Koi ga Shitai ×3 (TBS) / Antique (Fuji TV) / Mayonaka wa Betsu no Kao (NHK)
2000Komatta Hitobito (Fuji TV) / Beautiful Life (TBS) / Ikebukuro West Gate Park (TBS) / Love Complex (Fuji TV)
1999Kowai Dōwa (TBS) / Ren’ai Kekkon no Hōsoku (Fuji TV) / Lucky — lead (Nagoya TV)
1998Koi wa Aserazu (Fuji TV) / Tabloid (Fuji TV) / Koko de Kiss Shite (NTV)

Awards

12th Hashida AwardsNewcomer Award
Élan d’or Awards 2004Newcomer of the Year
17th Nikkan Sports Film AwardsBest Actress
Bulgari Aurora Awards 2019Honoree
Regular program2022– NHK E-Tele “Koyuki and the Fermentation Grandmas” (book edition, Nov 2025)
NarrationFuji TV “The Nonfiction” and others
EditorialColumn in Shogakukan “Waraku” (2019–) / covers of “Precious” (2004–2016) and many others
Stage“Tengoku no Honya” (2002), Ginza Hakuhinkan Theater
AdvertisingMomotani Juntenkan, MSD, M-Style Japan “Bisu”, Meiji, Kao, P&G Pantene, Suntory, Toyota, Shiseido and others
RunwayHiromichi Nakano / Jean-Louis Scherrer / Calvin Klein and others

Work Inquiries

For casting, advertising, press and all other professional inquiries, please contact her agency, Camino Real. Inquiries in English are welcome from anywhere in the world.

Agency Camino Real Contact Lyena Yonekura [email protected]