**Kyôko Kagawa** (born in 1931) is a celebrated Japanese actress, an icon of classic Japanese cinema. Her career has been marked by collaborations with the greatest masters.

She has played memorable roles in masterpieces such as Kenji Mizoguchi's *Sansho dayu* (Sansho the Bailiff, 1954), where she delivers a moving performance. She was one of Akira Kurosawa's favorite actresses, appearing in key films like *Tengoku to Jigoku* (High and Low, 1963) and *Akahige* (Red Beard, 1965). She also worked with Yasujirō Ozu (*Tokyo monogatari*, 1953) and Mikio Naruse (*Okasan*, 1952).

Kagawa is appreciated for her versatility and for her ability to embody complex women, often resilient in the face of adversity, with a measured and deeply human acting style.