Best Japanese Actresses. In the current scenario, Japanese popular culture stands as one of the leading and most prominent popular cultures worldwide, and Japan’s entertainment industry is an integral part of that. Even in western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, Asian entertainment is taking flight. With huge fans of Korean entertainment such as Kpop and K-Dramas present in this area, it is no surprise that now the interests are moving toward Japanese tv shows and movies.
The country has some of the best actors the world has to offer. Japanese actresses are some of the most beautiful and talented women in the world. Some of them have even been nominated for the Academy Awards, the most prestigious acting award that exists. They are beauty queens known for their cute looks and action stars, powerhouses of acting who have vowed the world with their talent. Hence they are multidimensional and cannot be judged based on just one thing. This is why we have kept all their attributes in mind while ranking them.
Most Beautiful Female Japanese Celebrities
Among the numerous J-actors, some are more accomplished and widely acclaimed than the rest. Even among those, some are veterans of the industry while some are newbies. Japanese actors and actresses are known for their acting skills based on how much emotion they show with very few expressions. They are some of the most good-looking people in the world, but they do not solely depend on physical attributes to make a mark. Their star presence includes all that, along with hard work and raw talent that is molded to fit the role perfectly. In this list, you will find the names of the most talented, successful, and famous Japanese actresses who have been ranked by the public.
How Did We Decide?
These actresses have been ranked at the top by multiple internet forums due to the critical acclaim they’ve received. We cross-referenced different popular ranking websites and have brought you this list of famous Japanese celebrities.
20- Suzu Hirose
19- Ai Hashimoto
18- Haruna Kawaguchi
17- Emi Takei
16- Fumi Nikaido
15- Kasumi Arimura
14- Mirei Kiritani
13- Yui Aragaki
12- Juri Ueno
11- Kanna Hashimoto
10- Mikako Tabe
9- Tao Tsuchiya
8- Mei Nagano
7- Mitsuki Takahata
6- Airi Matsui
5- Tsubasa Honda
4- Yuna Taira
3- Marie Iitoyo
2- Nana Komatsu
1- Ayami Nakajo
↓ 20 – Suzu Hirose
About Her: Suzu Hirose (born June 19, 1998) is a Japanese actress and model. Her real name is Ooishi Suzuka, but in order to match her name with her sister Alice Hirose, she changed her stage name to Suzu Hirose. Interested in sports at high school, Suzu later came to model for Japan’s Seventeen Magazine. Her sister modeled for the same magazine, and she got her opportunity while visiting one of her modeling shows with their mother. Her role in 2015’s Umimachi Diary (a.k.a. ‘Our Little Sister’) got her the recognition she needed while her actual career started in 2013. The film received several nominations in Japan; Hirose won the Newcomer Of The Year award at the Japan Academy Awards for her role. The film was lucky enough to be shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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Instagram: suzu.hirose.official
↓ 19 – Ai Hashimoto
About Her: Ai Hashimoto (born January 12, 1996) made her debut in the Japanese media industry by participating in the HUAHUA audition and winning the grand prize in 2008. Her first acting credits were in the film Confessions in 2010. She has been a part of numerous films since, her most recent film being Parks which came out in 2017. She entered the television industry in 2013 with the show Hard Nuts. The drama earned her numerous prestigious awards, including the Yokohama Film Festival, the Kinema Junpo Award, and the Japan Academy Prize.
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Instagram: ai__hashimoto
↓ 18 – Haruna Kawaguchi
About Her: Haruna Kawaguchi (born February 10, 1995) is an actress and model. She began her career as a model in 2007. She started playing lead roles at the very beginning of her acting career. Her first acting credit is the 2009 drama Tokyo Dogs, while her very first film was Moshidora (2011). She worked as an exclusive model for Nicola magazine from 2007-2011. She has also released several photo books. She has endorsed multiple Japanese products throughout her modeling years.
Instagram: haruna_kawaguchi_official
↓ 17 – Another Popular Japanese Actress- Emi Takei
About Her: Emi Takei (born December 25, 1993) is an actress, model, and singer. An aspiring model, she entered a modeling contest at the age of 16 and won in two categories. Following her success, she had her first job in the entertainment industry in the same year for Seventeen magazine. She remained a model for the magazine from 2006 to 2012. She has numerous acting credits with appearances in both television dramas and films. She has done radio programs, commercials, voice acting, and numerous television programs. She has received about a dozen awards in her career. Her first single was released in 2011. She has been married to Takahiro since 2017. The couple has a child.
Instagram: emitakei_official
↓ 16 – Fumi Nikaido
About Her: Born September 21, 1994, Fumi Nikaido is an actress and fashion model. She started her career as a model despite being petite of st at 5’2. She was nominated at the Venice International Film Festival for the Young Actress award for her performance in the 2011 Japanese drama film Himizu. She most recently received a nomination at the 28th Tokyo Sports Film Award in 2019 for her role in River’s Edge, a teen comedy-drama based on a manga of the same name. With multiple acting credits to her name, the 24-year-old actress is a rising star.
Instagram: fumi_nikaido
↓ 15 – Kasumi Arimura
About Her: Kasumi is a Japanese actress born on February 13, 1993, in Itami, Japan. She initiated her acting career in 2010 in the television show The Woman of Steel. Her first film was the 2011 Hankyū udensha, in which she had a supporting role. She is also known for playing the young Haruko Amano in Amachan (2013) and the lead role in Strobe Edge (2015) and Flying Colors (2015). She was called for many prestigious awards and has won quite a few of them.
Instagram: kasumi_arimura.official
↓ 14 – Mirei Kiritani
About Her: Born on December 16, 1989, Mirei Kiritani is a Japanese actress, model, and news anchor. She has been acting on the small and big screens since 2006. From 2012 until 2018, she anchored the NTV’s news program News Zero every Tuesday. She was a model for Seventeen Magazine prior to becoming an actress. She has been on TC Candler’s The 100 Most Beautiful Faces list. She issued a single called Sweet & Bitter in 2012, which was issued in Japan through Epic. Kiritani won the Nail Queen 2014 Award at the Tokyo Nail Expo. She is the most famously known for her performances in Joshi Zu, Koisuru Vampire, Heroine Shikkaku, and Sukinahito ga Iru Koto. She has been married to Shohei Miura since 2018.
Instagram: mirei_kiritani_
↓ 13 -Another Famous Japanese Actress – Yui Aragaki
About Her: Yui Aragaki was born in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, on June 11, 1988. The 31-year-old is a model, radio show host, actress, and singer. She has two sisters. With her stunning height, she landed a modeling job at Nicola fashion magazine at the young age of 13 years. Yui also attended a private high school, which was popular because many celebrities attended it. One of her first roles as an actress came in the live-action film Dragon Sakura. In the 2005 film, she acted alongside other popular Japanese actors, and this role of hers was a breakthrough. She has won almost every award she’s been nominated for. She has also done numerous commercials.
Instagram: Although she isn’t on Instagram herself, this popular fan page of hers is the talk of the town as it offers brand new content about her life every single day. Follow it at, aragakiyui_fanspage.
↓ 12 – Juri Ueno
About Her: Born on May 25, 1986, Juri Ueno is a Japanese actress who started her career in the Japanese entertainment industry in the year 2002 with the television show Seizon. Her first famous role was in the 2004 film called Swing Girls. The film is a comedy-drama about a group of young high school girls. She received acclaim for her role as Tomoko Suzuki and won accolades. Another notable role of hers is in the film series Nodame Cantabile as Noda Megumi. She has been married to Sho Wada of the Triceratops band since 2016.
Instagram: _juri_art_
↓ 11 – Kanna Hashimoto
About Her: Born on February 3, 1999, Kanna is a Japanese actress and former singer. She set foot in the entertainment industry as a member of the Japanese idol girl group Rev. from DVL. She has done many films, many of which are live-action adaptations of popular manga and anime series. Hashimoto starred as teenage alien girl Kagura in the Gintama live-action film in 2017 and is slated to reprise the role in a sequel film in 2018.
Instagram: kannahashimoto.mg
↓ 10 – Mikako Tabe
About Her: Mikako Tabe (born January 25, 1989) is a Japanese actress who hails from Tokyo. She has also done theatre, being a part of the Sailor Moon musicals. She began acting by the early 2000s and has been a part of several films, short films, dramas, plays, and animations. Mikako has won every single award she’s been nominated for, which is proof of her talent and prowess as an entertainer. Her hobbies include a lot of sports and music. She can speak Japanese and English. Hinokio and Fish Story are two of her more popular acting credits. Since we’re talking about beautiful women, we also recommend that you have a look at these Most Beautiful Sportswomen.
Instagram: mikakotabee
↓ 9 – Another Talented Japanese Actress and Model – Tao Tsuchiya
About Her: Born in Tokyo, Japan, on February 3, 1995, Tao Tsuchiya is a young Japanese model and actress. She has an actor’s brother and a sister. Her first role was in the 2008 film Tokyo Sonata. She’s set to play Yuzuha Usagi in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the manga Alice in Borderland in 2020. The 24-year-old actress has been nominated for several best actress awards since the start of her career. She did exclusive modeling for Hanachu magazine from 2008 to 2010. The multi-talented celebrity is also a dancer.
Instagram: taotsuchiya_official
↓ 8 – Mei Nagano
About Her: Mei Nagano was born on September 24, 1999, in Tokyo. She’s a relatively young actress who began acting in 2009. She began receiving lead roles in film and television by 2015. She’s done modeling for popular Japanese magazines Nicola and Seventeen. In 2019, she had roles in films such as Ni no Kuni, and You Shine in the Moonlit Night, and the television drama Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom. She’s been a part of music videos as well. The actress won the Newcomer of the Year award at the 43rd Elan d’Or Awards in 2019.
Instagram: mei_nagano0924official
↓ 7 – Japanese Singer and Actress- Mitsuki Takahata
About Her: Born in Higashiosaka, Japan, on December 14, 1991, Mitsuki Takahata is a Japanese actress and singer. The actress won the Newcomer of the Year award at the 41st Elan d’Or Awards in 2017. She has impressive theatre credits to her name, such as Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Sweeny Todd, and the Little Mermaid. She made her television debut in 2007 and film debut in 2013. She is slated to play lead roles in both films and television dramas in the year 2019. She was a student at Hosei University.
Instagram: mitsuki_takahata
↓ 6 – Famous Japanese Model and Actress- Airi Matsui
About Her: Airi Matsui, born on December 26, 1996, is a Japanese idol, model, and actress. She has acted in films and television as well. Her talent agency is Amuse, Inc. She used to be a member of the Japanese idol group Sakura Gakuin. She currently endorses Ghana. and released her first photo book on March 27, 2015. The photo book contains swimsuits and lingerie shots from Guam and Fukushima.
Instagram: airi1226_official
↓ 5 – Tsubasa Honda
About Her: Tsubasa Honda (born June 27, 1992, in Tokyo) is a Japanese actress and model. She began her career as a model in 2006 after being spotted by seven different people on the exact same day. She did modeling for magazines such as Seventeen, Love Berry, and Non-no. Her list of work is extensive, from small roles to lead roles in film, television, web series, commercials, and music videos.
Instagram: tsubasa_0627official
↓ 4 – Yuna Taira
About Her: Born on November 12, 1998, Yuna Taira is a 20-year-old Japanese actress. She has two siblings, a brother, and a sister, who is married. Yuna debuted in the 2011 film I Wish. Her mother and grandmother applied for an audition for her when she was in sixth grade. Recently, she’s played a number of lead roles in films. She’s also an idol and member of the girl group Oha Girl Chu! Chu! Chu!
Instagram: yunataira_official
↓ 3 – Talented Japanese Model & Actress- Marie Iitoyo
About Her: She was born on January 5, 1998, in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Marie is a Japanese model and actress. She’s slated to play several roles in films in 2019, including live-action adaptations of mangas such as Flowers of Evil and City Hunter. In 2018, she played Megumi Nishidome in Boys over Flowers Season 2, an extremely popular manga that’s been adapted for television in several Asian countries.
Instagram: marie_iitoyo
↓ 2 – Young Japaneese Face- Nana Komatsu
About Her: The Japanese actress was born on February 16, 1996, in Tokyo. Starting her career as a model, she started modeling at the tender age of 12. At 5’6, the 23-year-old has now been a part of an impressive number of films and television dramas, and even more impressive is the fact that she has mostly played lead roles. She won the Rising Star Award in 2019 at the New York Asian Film Festival for her role in Samurai Marathon. She also won the Japan Academy Prize, also called the Japan Academy Award, in 2015 for The World of Konako.
Instagram: konichan7
↓ 1 – Ayami Nakajo
About Her: Another talented young actress, Ayami Nakajo was born on February 4, 1997, in Osaka. She is of mixed-race with a Japanese mother and a British father. She also has two sisters. She began her career as a model. She debuted as an actress in 2012 with a television role in Miss Double-faced Teacher. Her first lead role was in her very first film called Fatal Frame. She won the 41st Japan Academy Prize in the Newcomer of the Year category for her role as Ayano Tamaki in Let’s Go, Jets! in 2018.
Instagram: nakajo_ayami
FAQs
Q. Is Nana Komatsu popular in Japan?
A. Nana Komatsu is one of the top actresses in Japan, and she is very popular. She has been getting international; recognition as well, and that makes her extra famous and popular! She is a young face in the industry, and as we all know, young actresses get more attention in the film industry than older ones. Hence her position is further highlighted.
Q. Is Constance Wu Japanese?
A. Constance Wu is a Taiwanese American actress who is best known for her work in Crazy Rich Asians. She is not a Japanese actress and was actually born and raised in America. western viewers often tend to confuse Asian actresses with one another, which can be considered quite offensive, so everyone should take special care in making sure they make no such generalizations or mistakes.
Q. Is Parasite a Japanese Movie?
A. Parasite is an Oscar Award-winning South Koran movie. It is not a Japanese movie. The film won the Academy Award for Best Film and made history as it was the first Asian movie to ever win the title. The film is very dark and very interesting, and a must-watch in our opinion.
Q. Are Japanese Voice Actresses Well Known?
A. Japanese voice actors and actresses are just as well known as their visual counterparts because of how well they deliver the dialogues. These actors and actresses voice anime, which is a very popular form of media around the world and a lot more than mere cartoons. They are famous all over the world, and people are obsessed with anime as well as the actors that voice their characters.
The Arigaki Yui photo is Toda Erika of course.
I was gonna say that as well.