[In Memoriam] Tamao Nakamura: “Why This Trailblazing Woman in Show Business Was So Beloved”
Ken Matsudaira, Akiko Wada, Miyoko Asada, Sanma Akashiya, and 400 Others Attend a Grand Farewell
Remembering the days gone by
Even two hours after the wake began, the stream of mourners showed no sign of letting up—.
On June 16, the wake for actress Tamao Nakamura (aged 86) was held at the Kirigaya Funeral Hall in Tokyo, where approximately 400 people gathered to pay their final respects.
Prominent figures such as Sadaharu Oh (86), Ken Matsudaira (72), and Miyoko Asada (70) also attended one after another.Akiko Wada (76), who was close friends with the deceased, spotted Sanma Akashiya (70) inside the venue and was seen chatting with him. However, when faced with the press cameras and asked about her final memories of the deceased, she could not hold back her tears and choked up.
Entertainment reporter Toshio Ishikawa explains why Tamao was loved by so many people.
“I hear Akko-san often played pachinko side by side with Tamao-san at a parlor in Akasaka. Tamao-san would say, ‘How’s it going?’, and if she saw that Akko-san looked hungry, she’d hand her a piece of bread and say, ‘Here, have this.’ Akko-san was deeply moved by that pure, uncalculating kindness.Her charm and unpretentious personality are surely the reasons Tamao was so beloved by so many people.”
Her husband was the late Shintaro Katsu, a world-famous movie star. Due to his boisterous personality, she faced constant hardships.
“When Shin Katsu’s company went bankrupt and Tamao was left with 1.4 billion yen in debt, she energetically appeared on variety shows and paid off the entire amount—yet she never once showed a sign of distress. That noble spirit also earned her great respect,” (ibid.)
The smile and laughter of this remarkable woman, who supported Japan’s entertainment industry for over half a century, continue to live on in the hearts of many people today.
From the July 10, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*
PHOTO： Kazuhiko Nakamura