Yoji Yamada (山田 洋次 Yamada Yōji, born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka City, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films. He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer for the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he was brought up in Manchuria. Following the end of World War II, he came back to Japan and subsequently he lived in Yamagata Prefecture. After receiving his degree from Tokyo University in 1954, he entered Shochiku and worked under Yoshitaro Nomura as a scriptwriter or as an assistant director. He has won many awards throughout his lengthy career and is well respected in Japan and by critics throughout the world. He wrote his first screenplay in 1958, and directed his first movie in 1961. Yamada continues to make movies to this day. He once served as president of the Directors Guild of Japan, and is currently a guest professor of Ritsumeikan University.
Love and Honor
(Director)
The Yellow Handkerchief
(Director)
Kabei: Our Mother
(Director)
Kabei: Our Mother
(Writer)
The Twilight Samurai
(Director)
The Twilight Samurai
(Screenplay)
Kyoto Story
(Screenplay)
Kyoto Story
(Story)
The Hidden Blade
(Director)
To Your Majesty, The Emperor 2
(Screenplay)
The Hidden Blade
(Screenplay)
The Yellow Handkerchief
(Writer)
About Her Brother
(Director)
The Village
(Director)
Sea Without Exit
(Screenplay)
Free and Easy 13
(Writer)
Free and Easy 14
(Writer)
I, the Executioner
(Writer)
It's Tough Being a Man
(Director)
Free and Easy 20: Final
(Screenplay)
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project
(Writer)
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage
(Writer)
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage
(Director)
Free and Easy
(Writer)
A Class to Remember
(Director)
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
(Director)
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
(Writer)
Home from the Sea
(Director)
Kyoto Story
(Director)
Tora-san Loves an Artist
(Writer)
Tora-san Loves an Artist
(Director)
Tora-san's Cherished Mother
(Director)
Tokyo Family
(Screenplay)
Tokyo Family
(Director)
Tora-san's Forget Me Not
(Director)
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies
(Director)
Tora-san Goes Religious?
(Writer)
Tora-san Goes Religious?
(Director)
Tora-san's Dream of Spring
(Director)
Tora-san's Dream of Spring
(Writer)
Tora-san's Runaway
(Writer)
Tora-san's Runaway
(Director)
Tora-san's Love Call
(Director)
A Trap
(Director)
Tora-san's Shattered Romance
(Director)
Tora-san's Dear Old Home
(Director)
Tora-san's Forbidden Love
(Director)
Tora-san's Forbidden Love
(Writer)
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan
(Director)
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
(Director)
Tora-san's Lovesick
(Director)
Tora-san's Lovesick
(Writer)
The Little House
(Director)
My Sons
(Director)
Tora-san's Lullaby
(Writer)
Tora-san's Lullaby
(Director)
Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again
(Director)
Where Spring Comes Late
(Director)
Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again
(Writer)
Downtown Heroes
(Director)
The Greatest Challenge of All
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, the Intellectual
(Director)
Tora-san, the Intellectual
(Writer)
Home from the Sea
(Screenplay)
At the Side of the Bridge
(Screenplay)
Kyū-chan ondo
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Pure Love
(Director)
A Distant Cry from Spring
(Director)
Tora-san Meets His Lordship
(Director)
Tora-san Meets His Lordship
(Writer)
A Class to Remember II
(Director)
Tora-san Plays Cupid
(Director)
Tora-san Plays Cupid
(Writer)
Days with Harasu
(Writer)
It's a Flickering Life
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Pure Love
(Writer)
Tora-san, My Uncle
(Writer)
Tora-san, My Uncle
(Director)
Tora-san Makes Excuses
(Director)
The Rainbow Seeker
(Director)
Stage-Struck Tora-san
(Writer)
Stage-Struck Tora-san
(Director)
Tora-san's Tropical Fever
(Writer)
Tora-san's Tropical Fever
(Director)
Tora-san's Shattered Romance
(Screenplay)
The Little House
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Forget Me Not
(Original Story)
Free and Easy Special
(Writer)
Tora-san's Forget Me Not
(Screenplay)
The Million Dollar Pursuit
(Screenplay)
Talk of the Town Tora-san
(Director)
Talk of the Town Tora-san
(Writer)
Our Symphony
(Original Story)
The Castle of Sand
(Writer)
Two Iida
(Co-Writer)
One Way Ticket to Love
(Assistant Director)
Tora-san, the Matchmaker
(Director)
Tora-san, the Matchmaker
(Writer)
The Lovable Tramp
(Director)
At the Side of the Bridge 2
(Screenplay)
It's Tough Being a Man (Television Drama DVD Edit Edition)
(Adaptation)
It's Tough Being a Man (Television Drama DVD Edit Edition)
(Original Story)
Free and Easy 2
(Writer)
Tora-san Confesses
(Director)
A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen
(Director)
Nagasaki: Memories of My Son
(Director)
What a Wonderful Family!
(Director)
The Call of a Faraway Mountain
(Screenplay)
Itoshi no Lahaina
(Original Story)
Nagasaki: Memories of My Son
(Screenplay)
Tora-san Goes North
(Director)
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san
(Director)
Tora-san, the Expert
(Director)
Tora-san's Island Encounter
(Director)
Tora-san Takes a Vacation
(Director)
Foster Daddy, Tora!
(Director)
Tora-san, the Go-Between
(Director)
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy
(Director)
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial
(Director)
Marriage Counselor Tora-san
(Director)
Tora-san Plays Daddy
(Director)
Tora-san's Matchmaker
(Director)
Tora-san Goes to Vienna
(Director)
Tora-san's Love in Osaka
(Director)
Tora-san's Promise
(Director)
Tora-san's Song of Love
(Director)
Tora-san's Easy Advice
(Director)
Tora-san to the Rescue
(Director)
The Yellow Handkerchief
(Screenplay)
Ore wa inaka no puresurī
(Story)
Ore wa Ueno no puresurī
(Story)
Xiongmao Monogatari TaoTao
(Story)
Free and Easy 6
(Writer)
Otoko wa Tsurai yo: Torajirou Wasurenagusa
(Creator)
What a Wonderful Family! 2
(Director)
What a Wonderful Family! 2
(Writer)
寛美の我こそは一等社員
(Screenplay)
The Village
(Writer)
Mom, Is That You?!
(Director)
A Distant Cry from Spring
(Screenplay)
Toki no kagayaki
(Screenplay)
Free and Easy 10
(Screenplay)
Oretachi no toki
(Original Story)
Free and Easy 4
(Writer)
Free and Easy 8
(Writer)
Free and Easy 5
(Writer)
Free and Easy 7
(Writer)
Free and Easy 16
(Writer)
Salaryman Senka: Tanshin Funin
(Screenplay)
Shin Salaryman Senka
(Screenplay)
Salaryman Senka
(Screenplay)
The Sunshine Girl
(Director)
The Rainbow Seeker
(Writer)
The Rainbow Seeker 2
(Director)
The Rainbow Seeker 2
(Writer)
What a Wonderful Family! 3
(Director)
What a Wonderful Family! 3
(Screenplay)
The Strangers Upstairs
(Director)
The Sunshine Girl
(Screenplay)
The Lovable Tramp
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Grand Scheme
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Grand Scheme
(Original Story)
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies
(Writer)
Downtown Heroes
(Screenplay)
Love and Honor
(Writer)
Follow the Girls
(Screenplay)
The Irresponsible Fool
(Director)
Tora-san Makes Excuses
(Screenplay)
Where Spring Comes Late
(Screenplay)
Where Spring Comes Late
(Story)
The Yellow Handkerchief
(Original Film Writer)
A Class to Remember
(Screenplay)
Song of Love
(Screenplay)
Zero Focus
(Screenplay)
Gamblers' Luck
(Director)
Gamblers' Luck
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Love Call
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Cherished Mother
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, His Tender Love
(Original Story)
Tora-san, His Tender Love
(Screenplay)
A Distant Cry from Spring
(Writer)
It's Tough Being a Man
(Screenplay)
Older Brother, Younger Sister
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here
(Director)
The Honest Fool
(Director)
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version
(Director)
Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version
(Writer)
The Donkey Comes on a Tank
(Director)
The Shy Deceiver
(Director)
The Greatest Challenge of All
(Director)
The Million Dollar Pursuit
(Director)
Vagabond Schemer
(Director)
Let's Have A Dream
(Director)
Song of Love
(Director)
About Her Brother
(Screenplay)
The Honest Fool
(Screenplay)
The Donkey Comes on a Tank
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Cherished Mother
(Original Story)
Foster Daddy, Tora!
(Screenplay)
Foster Daddy, Tora!
(Original Story)
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san
(Screenplay)
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Promise
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Promise
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, the Expert
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, the Expert
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Love in Osaka
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Love in Osaka
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Song of Love
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Shattered Romance
(Original Story)
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Dear Old Home
(Original Story)
Tora-san Goes Religious?
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Love Call
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Song of Love
(Original Story)
Marriage Counselor Tora-san
(Original Story)
Marriage Counselor Tora-san
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Forbidden Love
(Original Story)
Tora-san, the Go-Between
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Island Encounter
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Island Encounter
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, the Go-Between
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy
(Original Story)
Tora-san Goes North
(Screenplay)
Tora-san Plays Daddy
(Screenplay)
Tora-san Plays Daddy
(Original Story)
Tora-san Goes North
(Original Story)
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial
(Original Story)
What a Wonderful Family!
(Screenplay)
It's a Flickering Life
(Director)
Free and Easy: Samurai Edition
(Writer)
Let's Have A Dream
(Writer)
The Shy Deceiver
(Writer)
Vagabond Schemer
(Writer)
Warm Current
(Writer)
Tora-san's Dear Old Home
(Screenplay)
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
(Screenplay)
My Sons
(Screenplay)
At the Side of the Bridge 3
(Screenplay)
At the Side of the Bridge 4
(Screenplay)
Mom, Is That You?!
(Screenplay)
A Class to Remember II
(Screenplay)
TOKYO Taxi
(Director)
TOKYO Taxi
(Screenplay)
Tora-san, Wish You Were Here
(Screenplay)
Fuusen no Doratarou
(Original Story)
Shounen Torajirou
(Original Story)
It's Tough Being a Man
(Original Story)
It's Tough Being a Man
(Adaptation)