Umeko Sakuragi
- Actress
Sakuragi Umeko was born in Yokohama in 1908. In 1925 she joined
Shochiku Kamata but after that moved to Nikkatsu period drama, where as
one of the first actresses to replace men playing women at Nikkatsu,
she was chosen to play opposite Onoe Matsunosuke in Jiraiya, and
Kunisada Chuji, directed by Ikeda Tomiyasu. She was noted for her
performance as Yosenin in Sanpa Godo's Chushingura, and also appeared
in Jiraika Gumi (Jiraika Gumi) and Teru hi Kumoru hi. In Tsurugi to Koi
and Yarikuyo (Yarikuyo), she played alongside the popular actor Okochi
Denjiro. In 1928 she moved to Yamato Pictures, but after that company's
collapse she moved to Makino. Costarring in Tsuzure Tobadama, Senhime
Kyoran, and Fuunji among others she was ranked with other popular
actresses like Makino Tomoko and Matsuura Tsukie. She was also active
in modern dramas in the role of a geisha. In 1932 she joined Bantsuma
Productions and played opposite Bando Tsumasaburo in Jonetsu Jigoku and
Tengu no Yasu. Her most fitting role was though to be that of Okon in
Chifubuki Ise Ondo. With the advent of talking pictures she returned to
Nikkatsu and appeared as a geisha in Omatsuri Sashichi, and as Ofuku in
Tojin Okichi - Kurofune Jowa.
