(born on June 10, 1977) is a Japanese actress and pop singer.

Personal life

Matsu was born to a family of buyō and kabuki actors, including her father Matsumoto Hakuō II, her mother and businesswoman Noriko Fujima, her uncle, Nakamura Kichiemon II, her elder brother Matsumoto Kōshirō X, her sister Kio Matsumoto, and stage director Kazuhisa Kawahara. She married guitarist and record producer Yoshiyuki Sahashi on December 28, 2007. Her married name is . She has the name of Natori of the Matsumoto school of Nippon Buyō (Japanese dancing); . She chose the surname "Matsu" to honor the family. In an interview, she said she and her siblings are close to their mother.

Career

Matsu starred in her stage debut Ninjō-banashi: Bunshichi Mottoi at Kabuki-za. Her first television role was in the NHK Drama Hana no Ran and starred in the NHK drama Kura. Because Shirayuri Gakuen, her high school, prohibited working in the industry, she moved to Horikoshi High School. Matsu starred in the drama Long Vacation after matriculating to college. She had a supporting role, but established in full-scale her position, because the drama was a major hit. She hosted the 47th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen and debuted with the single "Ashita, Haru ga Kitara". She returned to the show as a singer on the last day of the year. In an interview with NHK, Matsu recalled the incident with her musical debut. She sang karaoke which was heard by the director who suggested she gave a song. Although she declined it and was not confident enough with the song, she accepted because she saw it as "[a] chance that not everyone got".

In the same year, she starred in the drama Love Generation in a leading role. She starred in Hero. She published a photo essay book, Matsu no Hitorigoto, through Asahi Shimbun Publishers. She released "Toki no Fune" in September 2004, which was composed by Akeboshi. It is similar to the song, "A nine days' wonder", which was released after the "Toki no Fune" single. The single contained a cover of Akeboshi's "White Reply" previously recorded on her sixth album, Harvest Songs.

Matsu won the Best Actress of the Year of the 29th Hochi Film Award and the 28th Japan Academy Prize at the same time for The Hidden Blade. In July 2006, she and Takuya Kimura starred in a special one-night edition of Hero. In October 2006, Matsu and Makoto Fujita starred in a weekly drama Yakusha Damashii. Matsu left the third concert tour in May 2007 to commemorate her tenth year as a singer. In her album Cherish You, the song "Ashita Haru ga Kitara" was redone to combine her voice on her youth.

On November 27, 2014, Matsu revealed on her official website that she was pregnant with her first child. Her daughter was born on March 30, 2015, and weighed 3466 grams. On February 9, 2020, Matsu was called to join Idina Menzel, Aurora and eight more of Elsa's international dubbers to perform the song "Into the Unknown" at the 92nd Academy Awards. Every international performer sang one line of the song in a different languages, including Maria Lucia Rosenberg, Willemijn Verkaik, Carmen Sarahí, Lisa Stokke, Katarzyna Łaska, Anna Buturlina, Gisela and Wichayanee Pearklin. Matsu worked with the producers. Her third album, Sakura no Ame, Itsuka was released at Universal Music.

Filmography

Film

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" |Notes

! class="unsortable" |

|-

<!-- NEED SOURCE

|rowspan=3|2011

|The Tale connecting a Life

|Narrator

|Documentary

|

|-

|Imawano Kiyoshiro Naniwa Sullivan Show: Kando Saikō!!!

|

|Concert film

|

|-

|rowspan=2|2015

|A Farewell to Jinu

|Akiko Amano

|

|

|-

-->

|1997

|Tokyo Fair Weather

|Mizutani

|

|

|-

|1998

|April Story

|Uzuki Nireno

|Lead role

|

|-

|2003

|9 Souls

|Yuki

|

|

|-

|2004

|The Hidden Blade

|Kie

|

|

|-

|Brave Story

|Wataru (voice)

|Lead role

|

|-

|rowspan=2|2007

|Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad

|Mizue

|

|

|-

|2008

|K-20: Legend of the Mask

|Yoko Hashiba

|

|

|-

|2009

|Villon's Wife

|Sachi

|Lead role

|

|-

|2010

|Confessions

|Yuko Moriguchi

|Lead role

|

|-

|2011

|Someday

|Mie Orii

|

|

|-

|2012

|Dreams for Sale

|Satoko Ichizawa

|Lead role

|

|-

|2015

|Hero

|Maiko Amamiya

|

|

|-

|2017

|Fireworks

|Nazuna's mother (voice)

|

|

|-

|The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan

|Yoshiko

|

|

|-

|It Comes

|Kotoko Higa

|

|

|-

|2019

|Masquerade Hotel

|Maki Nagakura

|

|

|-

|2020

|Last Letter

|Yuri Kishibeno

|Lead role

|

|-

|rowspan=2|2022

|The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai

|Osuga

|

|

|-

|The Zen Diary

|Machiko

|

|

|-

|rowspan=2|2025

|1st Kiss

|Kanna Suzuri

|Lead role

|

|-

|On Summer Sand

|Keiko

|

|

|-

|2026

|Nagi Notes

|Yoriko Endo

|Lead role

|

|-

|}

TV dramas

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" |Notes

! class="unsortable" |

|-

<!-- NEED SOURCE

|1995

|Kura

|Retsu Tanouchi

|Lead role; miniseries

|

|-

|Who Did This to Someone like Me

|Natsuko Iwasaki

|

|

|-

|rowspan=6|1997

|For I to be Myself

|Hiroko Muranaka

|

|

|-

|Love Song of the Old Capital

|Momoyo Naito

|

|

|-

|Spring Light

|Ayako Tomita

|

|

|-

|rowspan=2|1998

|Crow Carp

|Kaoruko Yamashita

|

|

|-

|rowspan=2|1999

|Oar

|Kiwa Tomita

|Lead role

|

|-

|Open Tonight

|Kanako Takamatsu

|Television film

|

|-

|Towards the Brighter Side, Towards the Brighter Side

|Teru Kaneko

|Lead role

|

|-

|2002

|Tokyo Story

|Noriko Hirayama

|Television film

|

|-

|2004

|Ryoma Goes

|Okei Ōura

|Television film

|

|-

|rowspan=2|2006

|Hero (Special edition)

|Maiko Amamiya

|Television film

|

|-

|

|Hitomi Karasuyama

|

|

|-

|2016

|Usually the Best

|Kazuko Kosuge

|Television film

|

|-

|Côte d'Azur Nﾟ10

|Shimako Shibata

|Episode 1

|

|-

|2020

|Switch

|Madoka Tsutaya

|

|-

|2023

|Matsuo Suzuki and the 30-minutes actress 3

|

|

|-

-->

|1994

|Hana no Ran

|Tsubaki

|Taiga drama

|

|-

|rowspan=3|1996

|Furuhata Ninzaburō

|Saki Mōri

|Episode 21

|

|-

|Long Vacation

|Ryoko Okusawa

|

|

|-

|Hideyoshi

|Cha-cha

|Taiga drama

|

|-

|rowspan=3|1997

|Under the Same Roof

|Miki Mochizuki

|Season 2

|

|-

|Love Generation

|Riko Uesugi

|Lead role

|

|-

|Ryoma Goes

|Sanako Chiba

|Television film

|

|-

|1998

|Jinbē

|Miku Takanashi

|

|

|-

|2000

|Match Making

|Setsuko Nakatani

|Lead role

|

|-

|rowspan=2|2001

|Hero

|Maiko Amamiya

|

|

|-

|Chūshingura 1/47

|Aguri (Yōzen-in)

|Television film

|

|-

|2003

|The Always the Two of Us

|Mizuho Tanimachi

|Lead role

|

|-

|2005

|Hiroshima, August 6, 1945

|Shinobu Yajima

|Lead role; television film

|

|-

|2009–11

|Clouds Over the Hill

|Tami Akiyama

|

|

|-

|2012

|Man of Destiny

|Yuriko Yuminari

|

|

|-

|2014

|Father's Back

|Hitomiko Higuchi

|Episode 1

|

|-

|2017

|Quartet

|Maki Maki

|Lead role

|

|-

|2019

|No Side Manager

|Maki Kimishima

|

|

|-

|2021

|My Dear Exes

|Towako Omameda

|Lead role

|

|-

|2025

|Their Marriage

|Nella Suzuki

|

|

|-

|2026–27

|Blossom

|Yuko Fujikawa

|Asadora

|

|-

|}

Japanese dub

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

!

|-

|2013

|Frozen

|Elsa

|

|

|-

|2015

|Frozen Fever

|Elsa

|

|

|-

|2017

|Olaf's Frozen Adventure

|Elsa

|

|

|-

|2018

|Ralph Breaks the Internet

|Elsa

|

|

|-

|2019

|Frozen II

|Elsa

|

|

|-

|}

Television

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

!

|-

|1996

|The 47th Kōhaku Uta Gassen

|Red team host

|

|

|-

|1997

|The 48th Kōhaku Uta Gassen

|Contestant

|

|

|-

|}

Video games

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Voice role

! Notes

!

|-

|2019

|Kingdom Hearts III

|Elsa

|

|

|-

|}

Theater

  • (Kabuki-za, 1993) - Ohisa
  • (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Botan
  • (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Omitsu
  • (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Kikyō
  • (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1994) - Oume
  • Man of La Mancha
  • (Aoyama Theater 1995) (Meitetsu Hall/ Aoyama Theatre, 1997) (Theater Hiten/ Aoyama Theatre, 1999) - Antonia
  • (Hakata-za/ Imperial Garden Theater, 2002), (Meitetsu Hall/ Imperial Garden Theater, 2005), (Imperial Garden Theater, 2008), (Theater Brava!, 2009) - Aldonza
  • Hamlet (Ginza Cezon Theater 1995, 1998, etc.) - Ophelia
  • (Shinbashi Enbujō, 1999) - Tamako Taira
  • The Good Person of Szechwan (New National Theater, 1999/ Akasaka ACT Theater 2001) - Shen Te/ Shui Ta
  • Okepi (Aoyama Theatre, 2000) - Shinonome
  • Voyage (Theater Cocoon, 2000) - (lead role)
  • (Parco Theater 2001) - Kaoru
  • Wuthering Heights (Shinbashi Enbujō, 2002) - Catherine Earnshaw
  • Mozart! (Nissei Theater; 2002) - Constanze Mozart
  • Noda Map: Oil (Theater Cocoon, 2003/ Kintetsu Theater 2003) - Fuji
  • (Shinbashi Enbujō, 2004) - Ohatsu
  • Roningai (Aoyama Theatre, 2004) - Oshin
  • Miss Saigon (Imperial Garden Theater, 2004) - Kim
  • The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Setagaya Public Theater, 2005) - Gursha
  • Noda Map: Fake Crime and Punishment (Theater Cocoon 2005–6, Theater Brava!, 2005–6) - Hanabusa Sanjo
  • Metal Macbeth (Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre/ Aoyama Theatre/ Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan, 2006) - Mrs. RandomStar
  • (Theater Cocoon, 2007) - Joan of Arc
  • Romance (Setagaya Public Theater, 2007) - Maria Chekhova
  • Sisters (Parco Theater, 2008) - Kaoru Ozaki
  • Noda Map: Piper (Theater Cocoon, 2009) - Deimos
  • Jane Eyre (Nissei Theater, 2009, 2012) - Jane Eyre
  • (Original title: Home and Beauty) (Theater Cocoon, 2010) - Victoria
  • Twelfth Night (Theater Cocoon, 2011) - Sebastian/ Viola
  • (New National Theatre, 2012–2013) - Sei
  • (Theater Cocoon, 2014) - Trunk Jill
  • (New National Theatre, 2015, 2017–2018) - Keiko
  • Noda Map: (Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, 2016) - Ningyo(Mermaid)
  • Metropolis (Theater Cocoon, 2016) - Maria/ Parody
  • (Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, 2019) - Miko Tanaka/ Kazue Mori
  • Noda Map: Q: A Night At The Kabuki (Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, 2019) - Sore kara no Julie(Juliet)
  • Inubito-Inujin-(イヌビト犬人)(New National Theatre, 2020) - Guide / Mazda Takeko / Petit
  • Pa Lapa Pan Pan (COCOON PRODUCTION 2021+大人計画『パ・ラパパンパン』2021) - novelist for teens

Awards and nominations

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Award

! Category

! Work(s)

! Result

!

|-

|rowspan="2"|1997

|21st Elan d'or Awards

|Newcomer of the Year

|Herself

|

|

|-

|22nd Hochi Film Awards

|Best New Artist

|Tokyo Fair Weather

|

|

|-

|2004

|29th Hochi Film Awards

|Best Actress

|rowspan="2"|The Hidden Blade

|

|

|-

|2008

|31st Japan Academy Film Prize

|Best Supporting Actress

|Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad

|

|

|-

|rowspan="2"|2009

|34th Hochi Film Awards

|Best Actress

|rowspan="4"|Villon's Wife

|

|

|-

|rowspan="2"|2010

|33rd Japan Academy Film Prize

|Best Actress

|

|

|-

|83rd Kinema Junpo Awards

|Best Actress

|

|

|-

|2011

|34th Japan Academy Film Prize

|Best Actress

|Confessions

|

|

|-

|rowspan="2"|2013

|34th Yokohama Film Festival

|Best Actress

|rowspan="2"|Dreams for Sale

|

|

|-

|36th Japan Academy Film Prize

|Best Actress

|

|

|-

|2017

|7th Confidence Award Drama Prizes

|Best Actress

|Quartet

|

|

|-

|2025

|38th Nikkan Sports Film Awards

|Best Actress

|rowspan="3"|1st Kiss

|

|

|-

|rowspan="2"|2026

|68th Blue Ribbon Awards

|Best Actress

|

|

|-

|49th Japan Academy Film Prize

|Best Actress

|

|

|-

|}

Discography

Studio albums

  • Sora no Kagami (1997)
  • Ai no Tobira (1998)
  • Itsuka, Sakura no Ame ni... (2000)
  • A Piece of Life (2001)
  • Home Grown (2003)
  • Harvest Songs (2003)
  • Bokura ga Ita (2006)
  • Cherish You (2007)
  • Time for Music (2009)
  • Ashita wa Doko kara (2017)

Compilation albums

  • Five Years: Singles (2001)
  • Takako Matsu Single Collection 1999–2005 (2006)
  • Footsteps: 10th Anniversary Complete Best (2008)

Live albums

  • Takako Matsu Concert Tour Vol. 1 "A Piece of Life" (2002)
  • Takako Matsu Concert Tour 2003 "Second Wave" (2004)

Music Video/Concert DVD

  • film Sora no Kagami (1997)
  • Film Itsuka, Sakura no Ame ni... (2000)
  • MATSU TAKAKO concert tour vol.1 "a piece of life" on film (2002)
  • 「tour documentary film "diary"」〜 concert tour vol.1 "apiece of life"〜 (2002)
  • matsu takako concert tour 2003 "second wave" on film (2004)
  • MATSU TAKAKO concert tour 2007 "I Cherish You" on film (2007)
  • Takako Matsu Concert Tour 2010 "Time for Music" (2010)

Bibliography

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Title

! Original publication date

! Publisher

! Category

|-

|

|November 14, 2003<br />(October 7, 2009)

|Asahi Shimbun Publications

|Independent book<br />(paperback)

|-

| (with Kōshirō Matsumoto)

|October 10, 2008<br />(January 10, 2011)

|Bungeishunjū

|Independent book<br />(paperback)

|}

References

  • "As I Discovered a New Myself in this Album, I Wish If New Listeners Find me" (Japanese), MSN, April 26, 2006, retrieved July 14, 2006
  • "In-depth on an Unprecedented Collaboration with Sukima Switch" (Japanese), "Oricon", March 22, 2006, retrieved July 14, 2006
  • "Natural and Certain Feeling" (Japanese), "Oricon", April 6, 2005, retrieved July 14, 2006
  • Sony Music artist profile