Keiko Kitagawa

She has appeared in several films, including The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) and Handsome Suit (2008), and has played leading roles in the TV Dramas Mop Girl (2007), Homeroom on the Beachside (2008), Buzzer Beat (2009), Lady Saigo no Hanzai Profile (2011), and Akumu-chan (2012).

• Name — Keiko Kitagawa • Native Name — 北川 景子 • Born — 22 August 1986 • Birthplace — Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan • Education — Meiji University • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 2003–present • Agent — Stardust Promotion • Children — 2

Kitagawa was born on August 22, 1986, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. She grew up in Kobe, and lost many friends in the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995. As a child, she wanted to be a doctor, but by the time she reached high school she was uncertain of what to do in the future. Around this time, she was scouted by a talent agency, and decided to try the entertainment world. Her parents were initially opposed, but they gave their permission on two conditions: that she give up if she was making no progress within a year, and that she put her studies first and graduate from university. She graduated from Meiji University in Tokyo in March 2009.

Within a week of joining an agency, Kitagawa was selected as a model and an actress. She was chosen as Miss Seventeen in 2003, which led to her working as a model with the Japanese Seventeen until she graduated from the magazine in September 2006. In the latter part of the run, she had her regular feature, "Keiko's Beauty Honey". As an actress, Kitagawa was given the role of Rei Hino in the live action television series of Sailor Moon, which began her acting career. Her first significant film role was in Mamiya Kyōdai, and because of the influence of the director, Yoshimitsu Morita, she decided to concentrate on acting rather than modeling. She initially concentrated on films, including the leading roles in Cherry Pie and Dear Friends. In late 2007, she had her first leading role in a TV drama, in the late-night drama Mop Girl. In 2008, she was given the role of the heroine in Homeroom on the Beachside, Fuji Television's Monday 9pm drama for the summer season. Kitagawa moved to Tokyo when she started working as an actress and model, and has lived there since. She traveled to California to film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and returned there to study English for a couple of months early in 2006. From May to December 2007, she wrote a column entitled "Keytan Hakusho" for the Japanese weekly television listings magazine Weekly The Television. Kitagawa has described herself as a stay-at-home person who likes watching DVDs, listening to music, and reading books. When asked what she would do if the world were going to end tomorrow, she said "read books". She is managed by Stardust Promotion. She has appeared in the films Mizu ni Sumu Hana (2006), Mamiya Kyōdai (2006), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Cherry Pie (lead role) (2006), Dear Friends (lead role) (2007), Sono Toki ha Kare ni Yoroshiku (2007), Southbound (2007), Heat Island (2007), Handsome Suit (2008), Orion in Midsummer (2009), I'll Pay (2009), After the Flowers (lead role) (2010), and Matataki (lead role) (2010), and Elevator to the Scaffold (2010). She appeared in the TV dramas Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (2003–4), Mop Girl (lead role) (2007), Homeroom on the Beachside (2008), Buzzer Beat (2009), and Moon Lovers (2010), The After-Dinner Mysteries (2011), Hero (2014), and Detective versus Detectives (2015).

In 2016, Kitagawa married singer-songwriter Daigo. The same year, Kitagawa won the Japanese Television Academy Award for Best Actress for Ie Uru Onna. On April 22, 2020, she announced her first pregnancy. On September 7, she gave birth to her daughter. On September 25, 2023, Kitagawa and her husband jointly announced through their agency that they are expecting their second child. On January 31, 2024, she gave birth to a son.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref(s) Reference(s) • 2003–04 — Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon — Rei Hino / Sailor Mars — Tokusatsu drama based on the manga Sailor Moon • 2007 — Mop Girl — Momoko Hasegawa — Lead role • 2008 — Taiyo to Umi no Kyoshitsu — Enokido Wakaba • 2009 — Buzzer Beat — Riko Shirakawa — Lead role • 2010 — Hostess with a Pen — Rie Saito — Lead role; television film; based on a true story of Rie Saito • Tsuki no Koibito — Ōnuki Yuzuki • 2011 — Lady: Saigo no Hanzai Profile — Kazuki Shōko — Lead role • The After-Dinner Mysteries — Reiko Hosho — Lead role • Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni — Suzu — Lead role; television film • 2012 — The After-Dinner Mysteries SP — Reiko Hosho — Lead role • My Little Nightmare — Mutoi Ayami — Lead role • Mi o Tsukushi Ryoricho — Mio — Lead role; television film • 2013 — A Swinging Single — Haruno Yuki • 2014 — Mi o Tsukushi Ryoricho 2 — Mio — Lead role; television film • Hero — Chika Asagi • 2015 — Detective versus Detectives — Rena Sasaki — Lead role • 2016 — Kuroi Jukai — Shōko Kasahara — Lead role; television film • Hippocratic Oath — Makoto Tsugano — Lead role; mini-series • 2016–19 — Your Home is My Business! — Machi Sangen'ya — Lead role; 2 seasons • 2017 — Happiness's Memory — Nanami Tsushima — Television film • True Horror Stories: Summer 2017 — Kyoka Fukagawa — Lead role; short drama • 2018 — Segodon — Atsuhime — Taiga drama • Shitei Bengoshi — Yui Hitotsugi — Lead role; television film • Fake News — Itsuki Shinonome — Lead role; mini-series • 2021 — How to Get a Divorce for the Whole Family! — Saki Mizuguchi — Lead role • 2023 — What Will You Do, Ieyasu? — Oichi and Yodo-dono — Taiga drama • Themis's Law School Classroom — Shizuku Hiiragi — Lead role • Sunset — Kaori Hasebe — Lead role; mini-series • 2025 — Hana Noren — Taka Kawashima — Lead role; television film • Since I Took You Away — Hiromi Nakagoshi — Lead role • 2025–26 — The Ghost Writer's Wife — Tae Ushimizu — Asadora • 2026 — Shiawase wa Aru — Kanako Idemitsu — Lead role; television film

• Year — Title — Network — Notes • 2012 — Kagayaku On'na `Kitagawa Keiko — NHK BS Premium • 2013 — Kitagawa Keiko × Chichūkai Megami-tachi o Sagashite — NHK BS Premium — in 2 parts • 2014 — Kitagawa Keiko Yuukyuu No Miyako Turkey Istanbul -futari No Kougou Ai No Kiseki Wo Tadoru- — BS Fuji • 2015 — The Premium Kitagawa Keiko Suichoku Time Travel in Rome — NHK BS Premium — in 2 parts • 2018 — Iyoiyo start! BS4K BS8K Kaikyoku Special — NHK — Broadcast in Rome • 2019 — Nihon ni koi shita Van Gogh ~ Kitagawa Keiko ga Aruku Tensai Gaka no Tabiji ~ — BS Nippon Television • 2020 — NHK Special: `Ano Ni~Tsu kara 25-nen Daishinsai no Kodomo-tachi — NHK

• 2013: Kitagawa Keiko Making Documentary "27+" - Documentary

• 2006: Tanabata Nananenkai - As Naomi Setsuraku/Midori Fujikura

• 2004: Sakura Fubuki ("Cherry Blossom Storm")/Hoshi Furu Yoake ("Stars Fall at Dawn") (as Rei Hino)

Keiko Kitagawa is recorded as actress and model.