Yuki Ninagawa

Yuki Ninagawa

Ninagawa Yuki (蜷川 有紀; born 1960 in Yokohama, Japan) is a Japanese actress, daughter of the poet Mizuno Akiyoshi.

She made her debut as an actress in 1978 as she was chosen out of 3000 candidatesto play the heroine in Kohei Tsuka’s Rock Opera “Salome” while she was still inhigh school. She received The Best New Actress Award in 1981 for her performancein “Kurutta Kajitsu”. She established her screen actress career by playing leading rolesin “Himeyuri Monument” (1982), “Modori Gawa”(1983), “Hitodenashi No Koi”(1992)as well as appearing on TV program “Kiryuin Hanako No Shogai”. Ninagawa challenged theatre works, appearing Yukio Ninagawa’s modern adaptation of famousKabuki masterpiece“Kanadehon Chushingura”, “Nigori -E”etc. and her steady performance was highly acclaimed by many theatre critics. In 2004, she wrote, directed and played her first film “BARAMERABA”, based on a short story by Seijun Suzuki. And her novelization was published as well as DVD of the film. Ms.Ninagawa continued to explore her artistic talent. In 2008 her graphic art exhibition, titled “BARAMEKUTOKI ”was held at Tokyu Bunkamura gallery, which brought her Art of The Year Award from JICS(Japan Information Culturology Society). And in 2010, her passionate pursuit of the theme “Strange & Enchanting” resulted as a selected event “Yuki Ninagawa Drawing Exhibition :BARAMANDARA” commemorating 100thanniversary of Matsuzakaya Department Store at Ueno and Daimaru Shinsaibashi. Her attractive drawings, using natural mineral pigments “IWA ENOGU” have become popular among many women in Japan, when her work used as title visual for TV-TOKYO 45th Anniversary Special Drama “Nene―Onna Taikouki” and appeared front page cover of Wacoal PR magazine. Her recent works will be seen at Shibuya Tokyu Bunkamura art gallery in June 2012. Ms. Ninagawa has contributed to many art activities of this country, as a member of Japan Inter Design Forum as well as an art council board member of CATA (Regional Culture Tax Accountants Fund).