Actress Aki Takejo dies at 75

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:00 JST, December 21, 2022

Actress Aki Takejo, who gained popularity for the friendly way she spoke in her distinct Yamagata dialect, died on Dec. 15. She was 75.

Takejo had been battling cancer of the large intestine for about two years. Her funeral took place with close relatives in attendance.

Takejo, whose real name was Akiko Takeda, was born in Yamagata Prefecture. She appeared in a long list of films, including “Narayamabushiko” (“The Ballad of Narayama”) and the “Otoko wa Tsuraiyo” (It’s tough being a man) series, as well as many TV dramas, often as a supporting character with great charm.

Her cheerful personality also made her much loved on TV variety shows such as “Himitsu no Kenmin Show” (The show of prefectural folks) and “Hono no Taiikukai TV” (Fiery sports day TV).