Aoi Yamada

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Aoi Yamada
Yamada at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival (2023)
Born (2000-06-24) June 24, 2000
Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
Occupations
  • Dancer
  • model
  • actress
Websitewww.aoiyamada.com

Aoi Yamada (山田 葵, Yamada Aoi, born June 24, 2000) is a Japanese dancer, model and actress based in Tokyo.[1] Her dance form is inspired by expressionist and butoh movements. In 2021, Yamada performed at the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics.[2]

As an actress, Yamada has appeared in the television series First Love (2022) and in the Wim Wenders film Perfect Days (2023).

Early life

Aoi Yamada was born on June 24, 2000 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.[3][4] She was a shy and introverted child.[5] Yamada became interested in dance and fashion at the age of five.

Career

Yamada moved to Tokyo at age 15 to pursue a career as a dancer.[6] She then started to model and perform in numerous music videos and stage performances, including at Baselworld in 2018 and 2019.[7] Yamada has also performed at the Yokohama Sogo Museum of Art and for the Kanagawa Arts Theatre.[8] During the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo, Yamada danced a solo performance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yamada went viral on social media for videos of herself dancing with vegetables.[9] The videos brought her to the attention of fashion designer Stella McCartney, with whom she will collaborate frequently in the future.[10][11] Yamada also modeled for Fred Perry,[12] Lacoste, Rabanne, and Uniqlo. She has appeared in the magazines Numéro, Bella, Madame Figaro, CYAN and Rice.[13][14]

Yamada made her acting debut in 2021 in a minor role in the Wowow drama FM 999: 999 Women's Songs. She subsequently acted in the short film Somewhere in the Snow and in the romantic TV series First Love.[15] Yamada next appeared as Aya in the 2023 film by Wim Wenders, Perfect Days, opposite Koji Yakusho.[16]

Yamada is part of the WACK unit AiNATOAOI alongside singer and idol Aina the End. The duo previously collaborated on the music video for "Red:birthmark".[17] She also appeared in the music video for "Iranai" by Sakanaction.

Yamada stars in Her Private Hell, a 2026 film by Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn.[18] She also appears in Burn, a 2026 film by Makoto Nagahisa.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2023 Six Singing Women [19]
Perfect Days Aya [20]
2026 Mag Mag Rumi Mochizuki [21][22]
Her Private Hell Ms. S [18]
Burn Yoko Mitsuba [23]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 First Love Uta Komori [24]
2023 Ya Boy Kongming! Rena [25]

References

  1. "Meet Aoi Yamada, the Avant-Garde Dancer the Fashion World Can't Get Enough Of". Vogue. 2022-01-18. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  2. "2020 Tokyo Olympics closing ceremonies". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  3. "松本出身・アオイヤマダさんがダンス披露 東京五輪閉会式｜信濃毎日新聞デジタル 信州・長野県のニュースサイト". 信濃毎日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  4. "Yamada Aoi | DANCER | J-ENTERTAINMENT". j-entertainment.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  5. "物語を紡ぐようなアオイヤマダの踊りの源。 - GRIN | はみだした生き方も悪くない、と笑える世界。". GRIN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  6. Kahan, Kim (2023-03-29). "Aoi Yamada and the Art of Expression". Tokyo Weekender (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  7. "Baselworld 2019 Information". CITIZEN WATCH Global Network. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  8. "Yamada Aoi | DANCER | J-ENTERTAINMENT". j-entertainment.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  9. Kahan, Kim (2023-03-29). "Aoi Yamada and the Art of Expression". Tokyo Weekender (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  10. Shearsmith, Tom (2022-04-26). "Stella McCartney launches fungi inspired campaign with Aoi Yamada". TheIndustry.fashion. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  11. "Stella McCartney and Yoshitomo Nara Put Activism At The Centre Of Their Second Collaboration | SHOWstudio". www.showstudio.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  12. "Aoi Yamada | Fred Perry US". www.fredperry.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  13. "Aoi Yamada / アオイヤマダ | Numero TOKYO". numero.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  14. Bella儂儂. "【封面人物】《First Love初戀》山田葵爆紅！從東奧獨舞，到同台飆戲影帝役所廣司，與日本潛力新星面對面！". Bella.tw儂儂. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  15. "Yamada Aoi | DANCER | J-ENTERTAINMENT". j-entertainment.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  16. "MANIFESTO - ENCHANT: Aoi Yamada". www.manifesto.asia. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  17. Shepherd, Charles (2023-10-13). "'WACK in the UK' to Bring Japanese Alt-Idol Madness to London". Electric Bloom Webzine. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  18. Grobar, Matt (2025-06-12). "Nicolas Winding Refn's Neon Pic 'Her Private Hell' Adds Dougray Scott, Diego Calva, Aoi Yamada, Shioli Kutsuna & Hidetoshi Nishijima To Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  19. "「唄う六人の女」竹野内豊・山田孝之を監禁するのは水川あさみ、アオイヤマダら" [In 'Six Singing Women,' Yutaka Takenouchi and Takayuki Yamada are held captive by Asami Mizukawa, Aoi Yamada, and others]. 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  20. "PERFECT DAYS : 作品情報・キャスト・あらすじ・動画". 映画.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  21. Shackleton, Liz (2025-09-18). "Hawai'i International Film Festival To Open With 'Rental Family'; Sets 'No Other Choice' As Centerpiece Film". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  22. "「禍禍女」に前田旺志郎、アオイヤマダ、髙石あかり、九条ジョー、斎藤工、田中麗奈ら12名（コメントあり）" [Maeda Oshiro, Aoi Yamada, Takaishi Akari, Kujo Joe, Takumi Saito, Tanaka Rena, and 12 others to appear in 'Kaga Onna']. 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  23. "森七菜×長久允「炎上」にアオイヤマダ、曽田陵介、一ノ瀬ワタル、新津ちせ、古舘寛治ら" [Nana Mori x Makoto Nagahisa 'Enjo' (Firestorm) features Aoi Yamada, Ryosuke Soda, Wataru Ichinose, Chise Niitsu, Kanji Furutachi, and others]. 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  24. "向井理・夏帆・濱田岳ら9名、満島ひかり＆佐藤健W主演「First Love 初恋」新キャスト発表 配信日も決定 - モデルプレス" [Osamu Mukai, Kaho, Gaku Hamada, and 9 other new cast members announced for 'First Love,' starring Hikari Mitsushima and Takeru Satoh; release date also decided]. Modelpress (in Japanese). 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  25. "『パリピ孔明』マキシマム ザ ホルモン・ナヲがドラマ初出演 声出演の梶裕貴は重要シーンで"異色の役"". オリコンニュース（ORICON NEWS）. Retrieved 2026-06-05.