Actress Kyoko Kagawa has starred in some of Japan's most successful films, over an impressive acting career that has spanned more than 60 years. She was the First Lady during the so-called golden age of the Japanese film industry in the 1950s and '60s, appearing in such classics as 1953's "Tokyo Monogatari (Tokyo Story)" and "Tengoku to Jigoku (High and Low)" a decade later. Her versatility as an actress and humble beauty brought a breath of fresh air to the film industry that helped her to become a pinup star.
Her allure is now the subject of an exhibition at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, through a collection of stills, portraits, photo albums and memorabilia from her films.
Born and raised in Tokyo, Kagawa found herself in limbo following graduation from high school, initially having her heart set on becoming a ballerina. It was after being nominated for a "new face" beauty competition in a newspaper that she was spotted by a film studio and her fate was decided. Director Koji Shima soon gave her her first major film role in 1950's "Mado Kara Tobidase" ("Jump Out of the Window").