A multi-lingual American actor, stunt woman and 3rd generation traditional Japanese stage actor, Ikumi Yoshimatsu is a best-selling author and human rights activist. She is also a wildlife activist, TED talks presenter, weapons specialist, and the first “Miss Japan” ever to win the world pageant title of Miss International. Ikumi’s personal story was the 4th most-read story in the Daily Beast and her 2014 online internet petition on change.org broke all previous records for participation in Asia. Known for her unforgettable roles as geisha in the TV series Westworld and 6 Underground, and as Hikari in Lightstinger, Ikumi has an impressive resume in film, stage, and television.
As an athlete, Ikumi was a regional champion in the 100m hurdles and high jump. She has also completed several marathons and was the official face of the Tokyo Marathon and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bid. As a political women’s Rights activist, Ikumi was the youngest member of the Ministerial Emergency Taskforce to address gender equality in Japan. She owns a publishing and production company and has co-produced feature films in the U.S. and Japan.
In the mystery/romance/drama Sarogeto, Ikumi is Grace, a wife and mother who faces a life-altering decision that changes her destiny. The powerful film has won a long list of accolades, including Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Actress from the Cannes World Film Festival 2021, New Creators Film Awards 2021, Open World Toronto Film Festival 2021, Los Angeles Asian Film Awards 2021, TMIF Impact Awards 2021, World Film Carnival – Singapore 2021.
How did you prepare for the role? Did you draw from your friends or family to so convincingly play Grace?
Ikumi Yoshimatsu: In the film, Grace learns she has cancer. Before shooting began, my aunt, who had been fighting cancer for some time, passed away. We were very close, we spent a lot of time together. And I cherished the many good memories we shared. I wasn’t able to attend her funeral. But her passing allowed me to connect with Grace since I had been thinking and caring about her. Also, I was born in Tosu, a city in the eastern part of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. It’s where you can truly experience the real Japan. Tosu is a tight-knit community where family is everything. And my experience growing up there was important to the film and helped me connect with Grace.
Do you have a favorite scene? And why do you like it?
Ikumi: We shot the film in Japan. The forest of Aokigahara, also known as the Sea of Trees, is on the northwest side of Mount Fuji in Japan. It’s called the suicide forest. We shot several scenes there, which is a very spiritual place. A book that came out in the 1970s referred to it as the ideal place to commit suicide. Taking your own life is a huge problem in Japanese society because we lack proper mental health care. Our culture expects us to deal with mental problems rather than seek outside help. During shooting, I spent a lot of time thinking about those issues. Living in Western society with an American husband and a child growing up in America, Grace takes a life-altering step in the spirit of Japanese culture. So I wondered if, from a Western perspective, the viewing audience would understand Grace’s actions. Today, attitudes over suicide are changing in Japan with the advent of the ‘me’ generation.
What did you find most challenging about this film and playing Grace?
Ikumi: One shooting day, I needed to keep crying on the set. I had to stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water to keep the tears from dying up (laughs). While it’s not difficult to tear up for a scene, the mental state I had to stay in all day posed a challenge. The bed scene with my young son was also a challenge because I don’t have a son and I wasn’t prepared to emote motherhood, but I was surprised how my natural maternal instincts helped me through that scene.
The scene where Grace’s father scolds her and makes her cry is hard to watch.
Ikumi: I could relate to that because my athletic father was tough and challenged me. Sometimes, I would cry because he was very strict but I never hated him. From a child’s perspective, we seek the love and approval of our fathers. I can understand Grace’s feelings for her father because she followed his path at the end of the film. The story is complex but relatable.
You’ve done plays, TV, and films. What have you learned about show business that really surprised you?
Ikumi: In Japan, once a script is finished, it’s rarely changed after shooting starts. There’s very little flexibility in altering the script or the story. In Hollywood, it’s all about perfecting the story and seeking out the most creative way to proceed. Creativity is everything in Hollywood. If a writer, director, or producer has a more creative idea to tell the story, they’ll make the changes even during shooting. I like that because if you’re in a creative industry, you should allow for creative changes that improve the film.
During shooting, did the writer or director look to you for any creative changes?
Ikumi: They asked me a lot about Japanese culture. Director Nico (Santucci) is not Japanese, neither is the producer, so they needed my opinion on certain aspects of the film. For example, sometimes the sets weren’t quite right or authentic, so I’d suggest a change. The Budda they used wasn’t Japanese but Taiwanese. The geisha dress had to be authentic as well.
Sarogeto is at times funny, sad, and uplifting. What do you see as the core message of this film?
Ikumi: A family’s love for one another.
What film or actor inspired you to become an actor?
Ikumi: I don’t have a specific person or film. If I picked an actress, I’d hate to be typecast as a second version of her.
Were you ever injured doing stunt work in your early career?
Ikumi: No. Although there were some stunts where I felt I was going to die (laughs). My expertise is horse riding, sword fighting, and Ninja fighting. While swordfights and Ninja moves are mostly choreographed, horse riding is the most intense. When I ride a horse, I’ll have a costume, weapons, and a hat. Sometimes, the horse will be surprised and you have to fight for control with all this stuff you’re wearing.
Can you talk a bit about your human rights work?
Ikumi: I’m an activist for women’s rights. Japan still has many laws that fail to protect women against stalking and violence. Since I submitted my recommendations to the government, some laws have been changed to offer more protection for women.
What’s next for you?
Ikumi: Sarogeto was shot in 2019, just before the pandemic started. I moved back to Japan and have been pursuing another dream. There’s a lot of Japanese content in Hollywood right now. But it’s very difficult to shoot in Japan because it takes some much time to get permission to shoot a film in that country. The Japanese government is not that open to foreign production. There’s not enough incentive to shoot films in Japan. Hollywood loves Japanese content but they don’t shoot in Japan. Which is hard for me as a Japanese actress. I know what a Hollywood director or producer wants and expects in a Japanese film. So I am trying to bring Hollywood productions to shoot in Japan. I want to show an authentic Japan with Hollywood content. For example, Shogun was shot in Canada, which is good, but from a Japanese perspective, a Japanese viewer can tell that it was not shot in Japan. So I have a production company in Japan and we work with the government to make it easy to come to Japan to shoot a film. That’s my dream.
