Light in Tranquility: The Image of the "Adult Woman" Reflected by Hisaho Yuki in the 1970s

Light in Tranquility: The Image of the "Adult Woman" Reflected by Hisaho Yuki in the 1970s

The 1970s was a time when television and movies were beginning to be fully integrated into the lives of ordinary people as entertainment. Rather than flashy stars, actors who exuded inner depth and a gentle humanity were in demand. In the midst of this trend was Kuho Yuki. She was an actress whose weapon of choice was tranquility rather than glamor, and she supported her stories with her restrained performance and the power of her eyes. The women she played were not vocally assertive, but had a core strength that reflected the reality of mothers and wives who lived through the postwar period.

At the time, the film industry was at a major turning point. The golden age of TV dramas had arrived, and the film industry was seeking "literary films" and "new realism" in the midst of a slowdown. While major film studios such as Toho and Shochiku were shifting their focus to family-oriented human dramas, Yuuki's neat appearance made him a favorite of many directors. In particular, the quiet presence she displayed in domestic and period dramas left audiences with "lingering emotions that cannot be expressed in words.

The image of women in the 1970s was divided into two extremes: glamorous symbols of freedom (Ruriko Asaoka and Reiko Ohara) and "shadow women" who supported the family and ethics. Kuho Yuki was somewhere in between, and although not glamorous, she brought "stability" and "sincerity" to every scene. Her performance quietly embodied the psychology of an era in which society is seeking stability while individuals are wavering.

Many of her television productions depicted family conflicts and small happiness, and viewers at the time found their "real selves" in them. Tired of the flashy stars of the day, the era chose actors like Kuho Yuuki who lived "the truth in everyday life.