Mieko Harada

Acting

Mieko Harada

Born December 26, 1958 · Toshima, Tokyo, Japan (age 67)

Mieko Harada (原田 美枝子, Harada Mieko, born on December 26, 1958) is a Japanese actress from Tokyo. She has played various roles in many motion pictures, television shows and television dramas since her debut in 1974. She most notably portrayed Lady Kaede in Akira Kurosawa's 1985 film Ran, and further collaborated with him in his 1990 film Dreams. Harada also most notably provided the voice for Kagu…

Known For

RanRan · 1985
Ran
8.01985
MovieActionDrama
Shakespeare's King Lear is reimagined as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan where an aging warlord divides his kingdom between his three sons.
Love Is in the Green WindLove Is in the Green Wind · 1974
Love Is in the Green Wind
7.01974
MovieDrama
A youthful film depicting the sexual awakening of a boy who has just entered adolescence and his heartbreaking romance during the summer holidays with a young sprightly girl.
DreamsDreams · 1990
Dreams
7.81990
MovieFantasyDrama
Eight visually rich vignettes drawn from Kurosawa’s own dreams—fox weddings and vanished orchards, a soldier’s ghosts, a walk through Van Gogh’s canvases, nuclear nightmares, and a water-mill utopia—meditate on childhood, art, mortality, and humanity’s uneasy bond with nature.
Helter SkelterHelter Skelter · 2012
Helter Skelter
6.72012
MovieDramaHorror
Top model Lilico, having recently undergone multiple cosmetic surgeries, begins to experience troubling side effects. As she desperately tries to retain her perfect image, Lilico descends into a world of nightmares and makes those around her miserable.
LeonieLeonie · 2010
Leonie
5.92010
MovieDrama
The true life story of Leonie Gilmour, whose life crossed continents, wars and cultures, embodied with courage and passion in search of art and freedom. A tender and inspiring story of a remarkable woman who nurtures the amazing artistic talent of her son who has only one way to succeed and one person to guide him, as he grows into the world renown artist, Isamu Noguchi.
Modori RiverModori River · 1983
Modori River
5.71983
Movie
The story of Takeha, a free-spirited genius poet who lived through Taisho Romanticism, and the women who gave themselves over to his ambitions.
Chacha: The Princess of HeavenChacha: The Princess of Heaven · 2007
Chacha: The Princess of Heaven
8.32007
MovieHistoryDrama
Chacha, the woman of the blood of Nobunaga, who loved with Hideyoshi, and feared Tokugawa.
Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking GlassInuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass · 2002
Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
7.72002
MovieActionAnimation
With their most formidable foe vanquished, Inuyasha and his comrades begin returning to their everyday lives. But their peace is fleeting as another adversary emerges: Kaguya, the self-proclaimed princess from the Moon of Legend, hatches a plot to plunge the world into an eternal night of the full moon. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippou must reunite to confront the new menace.

Movies

RanRan · 1985
Ran
8.01985
MovieActionDrama
Shakespeare's King Lear is reimagined as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan where an aging warlord divides his kingdom between his three sons.
Love Is in the Green WindLove Is in the Green Wind · 1974
Love Is in the Green Wind
7.01974
MovieDrama
A youthful film depicting the sexual awakening of a boy who has just entered adolescence and his heartbreaking romance during the summer holidays with a young sprightly girl.
DreamsDreams · 1990
Dreams
7.81990
MovieFantasyDrama
Eight visually rich vignettes drawn from Kurosawa’s own dreams—fox weddings and vanished orchards, a soldier’s ghosts, a walk through Van Gogh’s canvases, nuclear nightmares, and a water-mill utopia—meditate on childhood, art, mortality, and humanity’s uneasy bond with nature.
Helter SkelterHelter Skelter · 2012
Helter Skelter
6.72012
MovieDramaHorror
Top model Lilico, having recently undergone multiple cosmetic surgeries, begins to experience troubling side effects. As she desperately tries to retain her perfect image, Lilico descends into a world of nightmares and makes those around her miserable.
LeonieLeonie · 2010
Leonie
5.92010
MovieDrama
The true life story of Leonie Gilmour, whose life crossed continents, wars and cultures, embodied with courage and passion in search of art and freedom. A tender and inspiring story of a remarkable woman who nurtures the amazing artistic talent of her son who has only one way to succeed and one person to guide him, as he grows into the world renown artist, Isamu Noguchi.
Modori RiverModori River · 1983
Modori River
5.71983
Movie
The story of Takeha, a free-spirited genius poet who lived through Taisho Romanticism, and the women who gave themselves over to his ambitions.
Chacha: The Princess of HeavenChacha: The Princess of Heaven · 2007
Chacha: The Princess of Heaven
8.32007
MovieHistoryDrama
Chacha, the woman of the blood of Nobunaga, who loved with Hideyoshi, and feared Tokugawa.
Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking GlassInuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass · 2002
Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
7.72002
MovieActionAnimation
With their most formidable foe vanquished, Inuyasha and his comrades begin returning to their everyday lives. But their peace is fleeting as another adversary emerges: Kaguya, the self-proclaimed princess from the Moon of Legend, hatches a plot to plunge the world into an eternal night of the full moon. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippou must reunite to confront the new menace.
Village of DreamsVillage of Dreams · 1996
Village of Dreams
6.01996
MovieFamilyDrama
Tells of the childhood of two nine-year-old twins in a rural village in Japan after World War 2. Includes the boys relationships with their schoolteacher mother, civil servant father, elderly landlord, a rough new boy at the school, and three mysterious spirits in the form of old women.
DororoDororo · 2007
Dororo
7.12007
MovieActionFantasy
Hyakkimaru, a warrior on a quest to reclaim 48 of his body parts which were each taken by a demon, is joined by Dororo, a thief on a quest to avenge the death of her parents.
After the RainAfter the Rain · 2000
After the Rain
7.32000
MovieDrama
A group of travelers is stranded in a small country inn when the river floods during heavy rains. As the bad weather continues, tensions rise amongst the trapped travelers.
The InfernoThe Inferno · 1979
The Inferno
6.91979
MovieHorror
Hell manifests itself through the sins, shame and desires of an upper class rural family and a mother's grief from beyond the grave.
House on FireHouse on Fire · 1986
House on Fire
4.51986
MovieDrama
In the 50s, the complicated life of a popular writer who must share his life with his family, his numerous mistresses and his work
If Cats Disappeared from the WorldIf Cats Disappeared from the World · 2016
If Cats Disappeared from the World
6.82016
MovieDramaFantasy
A postman learns that he doesn't have much time left to live due to a terminal illness. A devil then appears in front of him and offers to extend his life if he picks something in the world that will disappear. The man thinks about his relationships with ex-friends, ex-lovers, relatives and colleagues who will be sincerely sad when he dies.
OutOut · 2002
Out
5.62002
MovieDrama
When pregnant lunchbox factory worker Yayoi has finally taken all the abuse she can handle, she strangles her brutish husband and disposes of the body parts, piece by piece. She's soon joined by three down on their luck housewives who murder their own husbands and find various ways to hide the evidence.
The Dump Truck RascalThe Dump Truck Rascal · 1981
The Dump Truck Rascal
7.51981
MovieActionThriller
Depicting the turbulent life of truck driver Takashi, his fellow drivers, and the women he meets.
Uneasy EncountersUneasy Encounters · 1994
Uneasy Encounters
8.01994
MovieComedyHorror
A five-part comedy and horror anthology
Our FamilyOur Family · 2014
Our Family
7.22014
MovieDrama
The emotional journey of a four-member family that fails to recognize that it is rapidly growing apart until the mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
I Don't Know You
Aug 28, 2026
I Don't Know You · 2026
I Don't Know You
2026
MovieDrama
An emotional drama about teenage Asako and her relationship with Yuhei, a man who became a father figure to her for six months when she was five years old after he started dating her mother. Thirteen years later, she discovers he is serving a prison sentence, having been convicted of her mother’s murder.
Trespassing BergmanTrespassing Bergman · 2013
Trespassing Bergman
6.62013
MovieDocumentaryHistory
In the sixties, Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) built a house on the remote island of Fårö, located in the Baltic Sea, and left Stockholm to live there. When he died, the house was preserved. A group of very special film buffs, came from all over the world, travel to Fårö in search of the genius and his legacy. (An abridged version of Bergman's Video, 2012.)
A Samurai ChronicleA Samurai Chronicle · 2014
A Samurai Chronicle
7.12014
MovieDrama
A retired samurai must redeem himself for a crime that he committed earlier in his life.
The Fall of Ako CastleThe Fall of Ako Castle · 1978
The Fall of Ako Castle
6.71978
MovieActionDrama
This is the story of "The Forty-Seven Ronin." Based on historical events in 1701-2, the movie tells the tale of the Asano clan's downfall and the revenge of its former samurai on the perpetrator of the catastrophe. Lord Asano was goaded, or tricked, into drawing his sword inside the Shogun's palace -- a crime which carried the death penalty. The newly installed Shogun was furious at Asano and ordered all his clan's assets seized, meaning some 20,000 samurai and commoners were unemployed and landless at a stroke. Forty-seven of these ronin (masterless samurai) banded together to take attempt revenge on Lord Kira, who had goaded Asano into drawing his sword.
The Youth KillerThe Youth Killer · 1976
The Youth Killer
6.51976
MovieDramaCrime
Though his parents help him run the family business, Jun still feels persecuted by their love; when they bar him from meeting with his girlfriend, tensions increase.
KoiKoi · 2013
Koi
7.52013
MovieRomance
The story is set in the 70s where Ishihara plays Fumiko, an university student, who gets involved romantically with her assistant professor Katase Shintaro (Iura Arata) and his wife Hinako (Tanaka Rena). However, on 28 February 1972, the police finds Shintaro seriously injured and a young man working in a electronics store (Saito Takumi) dead in a bungalow at Karuizawawhile Fumiko and Hinako are also present at the scene. The truth behind the case is not known and the case is quickly classified as a crime of passion which leads to Fumiko being sent to prison. 40 years later, a report writer Torigai Mitsuhiko (Watabe Atsuro) comes to know about this case and goes to interview the elderly Fumiko (Harada Mieko) in prison which leads him to find out what really happened at the bungalow.

TV Shows

SMAP×SMAPSMAP×SMAP · 1996
SMAP×SMAP
8.51996
SeriesComedy
SMAP×SMAP was an ongoing weekly Japanese variety show on Kansai TV and Fuji TV starring the members of SMAP. The show began on April 15, 1996 and it aired from 22:00 to 22:54 every Monday. The show's usual ratings were higher than 20%, which is considered high since most variety shows range from 10-20%. Each episode begins a variety of skits, comedic performances, and/or games.  These are followed by Bistro SMAP, in which the SMAP members compete against each other to impress celebrity judges with their gourmet cooking.  Last is a musical performance by SMAP which may include celebrity guests, as well.
Mozart in the JungleMozart in the Jungle · 2014
Mozart in the Jungle
7.52014
SeriesComedyDrama
In the tradition of Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" and Gelsey Kirkland's "Dancing on my Grave" comes an insider’s look into the secret world of classical musicians. From her debut recital at Carnegie Recital Hall to the Broadway pits of "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon," Blair Tindall has played with some of the biggest names in classical music for twenty-five years. Now in "Mozart in the Jungle," Tindall exposes the scandalous rock and roll lifestyles of the musicians, conductors, and administrators who inhabit the insular world of classical music.
Viral HitViral Hit · 2026
Viral Hit
7.92026
SeriesDrama
A bullied high schooler becomes an overnight sensation after a viral video. But when his newfound fame turns sour, he must learn to fight for himself.
Kumokiri NizaemonKumokiri Nizaemon · 2013
Kumokiri Nizaemon
9.02013
SeriesDramaMystery
During the Kyoho period in the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, there is a gang of thieves active not just in Edo but also the Tokaido and the Nakasendo, and all across the Kansai region, stealing large sums of money with skillful techniques. They only target the very wealthy and never kill or injure people. They appear with the clouds and disappear like the mist. On the night that the beautiful Ochiyo is to become the bride of a dry goods dealer, a large amount of money hidden inside the shop is stolen. The gang disappears without injuring anyone. It was a two-year plan to marry Ochiyo off so that she could bring them in. The leader of this gang is Kumokiri Nizaemon, the greatest bandit of all time. He keeps a rein on his highly-skilled and notorious followers Nanabake no Ochiyo, Kinezumi no Kichigoro, Subashiri no Kumagoro, Ingakozo Rokunosuke and others.
Clouds Over the HillClouds Over the Hill · 2009
Clouds Over the Hill
7.72009
SeriesDrama
Saka no Ue no Kumo is an NHK 21st Century special drama which was aired over three years starting from November 29, 2009. The series runs 13 episodes at 90 minutes each. The first series, with 5 episodes, was broadcast in 2009, while series two and three, each with 4 episodes, were broadcast in late 2010 and 2011. While most episodes were shot in Japan, one of the episodes in series two was shot in Latvia. The TV series is based on the novel Saka no ue no kumo by Ryōtarō Shiba and adopted by Hisashi Nozawa. The theme song of the drama series is titled "Stand Alone". It was composed by Joe Hisaishi, written by Kundo Koyama and performed by British soprano singer Sarah Brightman.
Mizuiro no tokiMizuiro no toki · 1975
Mizuiro no toki
1975
SeriesFamilyDrama
The 15th NHK Asadora. Starring Shinobu Otake in a story about a young woman striving to become a doctor and her mother, who is a nurse. The first six-month Asadora. Average rating of 40.1%.
RebootReboot · 2026
Reboot
8.02026
SeriesMysteryCrime
A regular pastry chef, framed for his wife's murder, embarks on a suspenseful journey to prove his innocence by manipulating the detective in charge of the case and uncovering the truth.
Kekkonshiki no Zenjitsu niKekkonshiki no Zenjitsu ni · 2015
Kekkonshiki no Zenjitsu ni
7.52015
SeriesDrama
Hitomi Ashizawa works at a real estate corporation as a team leader. She is engaged to physician. On the 100th day before the wedding, Hitomi Ashizawa is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her mother appears even though they have not seen each other for the past 28 years. Her mothers with her bright personality offers Hitomi encouragement and she tries to live positively.
House of the OwlHouse of the Owl · 2024
House of the Owl
6.52024
SeriesDrama
At the height of his career and powers, Japan's master fixer, who has guided politicians and business heads through some of Japan's biggest scandals, discovers that fixing his family is harder than fixing a country.
Romantics AnonymousRomantics Anonymous · 2025
Romantics Anonymous
8.22025
SeriesComedyDrama
A brilliant chocolatier who's afraid of making eye contact meets an heir who can't touch others — but somehow, they're immune to each other.
My Story Is LongMy Story Is Long · 2019
My Story Is Long
8.62019
SeriesComedyDrama
A young man has college and a failed business behind him. Unemployed and planning his next steps he is lodging with is mother, a small business owner. His sister and her family also move in with the two, albeit temporarily. She sees him as a loser and a lush and wants him out. She also whispers in their mother's ear to ask him to leave the house in order to find his own way and begin the rest of his life. She probably has noble intentions, but is she right and will she succeed?
ShinzanmonoShinzanmono · 2010
Shinzanmono
7.12010
SeriesCrimeDrama
In the Ningyo-cho area of Nihonbashi, Tokyo - a woman was murdered. Detective Kaga Kyoichiro, who just transferred to the Nihonbashi police precinct, is placed in charge of the murder case. With virtually the entire residents of Ningyo-cho's shopping street emerging as suspects, Detective Kaga must use his keen sense of deductive reasoning to uncover the truth.
The Hours of My LifeThe Hours of My Life · 2014
The Hours of My Life
7.82014
SeriesDramaFamily
Your whole outlook on life can change in an instant. Takuto Sawada (Haruma Miura) is your average college student. But one day, he finds out that he has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and only has a short time to live. How will he choose to spend the remaining days of his precious life?
A Sleeping ForestA Sleeping Forest · 1998
A Sleeping Forest
7.31998
SeriesDrama
Nemureru Mori is a drama that aired on Fuji TV. It first aired in Japan from 8 October 1998 to 24 December 1998. It is written by Nozawa Hisashi, starring Miho Nakayama and Takuya Kimura, and features music by Mariya Takeuchi and U2.
AikurushiiAikurushii · 2005
Aikurushii
9.02005
SeriesDrama
Yuki, mother of the Mashiba family, is the grease that keeps this well-oiled machine running and its seven members happy and healthy. But when Yuki herself falls ill and needs to be hospitalized, the rest of the family must cooperate and make sacrifices in order to keep everything running smoothly and make ends meet.
Shooting StarShooting Star · 2010
Shooting Star
10.02010
SeriesDrama
Takenouchi plays an aquarium employee named Kengo, who seems ordinary at first glance but actually possesses a secret that he would sacrifice everything in order to protect. Meanwhile, Ueto plays Risa, a young woman working in the sex trade in order to pay off her brother's debt, though her situation has led her to contemplate suicide. These two characters, both full of despair, meet each other and end up entering a contract marriage purely for its benefits. However, as they overcome various troubles, their relationship begins turning into true love.
Kaiki Daisakusen: Mystery FileKaiki Daisakusen: Mystery File · 2013
Kaiki Daisakusen: Mystery File
6.02013
SeriesMysterySci-Fi & Fantasy
Second modern remake of the Kaiki Daisakusen tv show.
InnocentInnocent · 2012
Innocent
2012
Series
RUNAWAYRUNAWAY · 2004
RUNAWAY
8.02004
SeriesCrimeMystery
Tetsuo Nagai (Yosuke Eguchi) is a probation officer who specializes in helping offenders who have just been released from prison and are reintegrating into society. To outsiders, this work may seem contradictory:while the law provides such safeguards for the future lives of criminals, it often overlooks the families of victims... He questions the slogan that “all are equal before the law,” but Nagai does this work because he, too, has made mistakes in the past. Society gave him a chance, allowing him to start a new life, so he believes that no matter what kind of criminal they are... people can start over. He hopes the general public will accept them with an open mind... but~~~ it is precisely because of this philosophy that he finds himself in an inescapable crisis!
An Invisible CradleAn Invisible Cradle · 2018
An Invisible Cradle
7.02018
SeriesDrama
17-year-old Aoi came to Yui Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic as a part-time nurse apprentice in Summer 1997. Right after her entry, she is shocked after witnessing an abortion surgery. However, she also met staff members like Yui, the head of the clinic who is careful about everything, Sayako, a reliable and experienced nurse, and Sakaki, the gentle head nurse, who face each pregnant patient and support them after surgeries. Fumika, Aoi's mother, is worried about her clumsy nature and poor communication skills, but Aoi's unique compassion and kindness draws patients' hearts. "I wonder what's life..." Aoi matures while looking at the newborn babies' overwhelming life and asking herself that question.
My Story Is Long : 2025 SpringMy Story Is Long : 2025 Spring · 2025
My Story Is Long : 2025 Spring
7.52025
SeriesDramaComedy
The Marriage CounselorThe Marriage Counselor · 2011
The Marriage Counselor
8.52011
SeriesDrama
Hey Detective, Your Backpack is Open!Hey Detective, Your Backpack is Open! · 2026
Hey Detective, Your Backpack is Open!
7.52026
SeriesDramaComedy
A quirky detective-inventor tackles bizarre cases with a laid-back style, surrounded by his outrageous inventions.
Atypical Crime Investigator, Hinako TodoAtypical Crime Investigator, Hinako Todo · 2016
Atypical Crime Investigator, Hinako Todo
6.52016
SeriesCrimeDrama
Hinako Todo (Haru) is a first-year detective who graduated from the police academy at the top of her class. She always carries with herself a bottle of shichimi chili peppers which was left by her late mother and sprinkles shichimi over everything she eats. Despite her a bit quirky/cheerful demeanor, she holds dark secrets locked deep within her heart… Hinako became a detective, because she wants to find the line between people who kill and those who don't. Once her "crime-solving switch" is on, nothing can stop Hinako from tackling even the most bizarre crime cases. Armed with her overwhelming memory and unstoppable curiously, will Hinako be able to find answers to her question through seeking to solve various crimes?