Reiko Ohara

Who was Reiko Ohara?

Reiko Ohara was a Japanese actress. Born and raised in Tokyo, she became a famous actress who appeared in dramas after graduating from high school.

“When you think about her successful career in her younger days, and how the latter half of her life was filled with unfortunate events… she suffered breast cancer, depression, and took care of her elderly mother. Her battle with Guillain-Barre syndrome continued for 30 years. And ultimately, she died a solitary death. It’s simply too much,” said a long-time acquaintance at an entertainment agency, sighing with grief.

It was on Aug 6 that the actress was found dead in the bedroom of her home in Setagaya. Worried relatives had contacted the police when no one could reach her for two weeks. She had been dead for several days.

Ohara was born in 1946 to a family that sold Japanese confectionery in the Hongo area. Upon graduating from high school, she made her debut as an actress. Her popularity quickly rose through her appearances in what came to be called “trendy” dramas, including “Rikon Tomodachi” with actor Masakazu Tamura and “Kurenaizoku no Hanran.” She was voted “the most adored actress” 14 times, and many may still remember her famous line in a whiskey commercial, “sukoshi aishite, nagaku aishite.”