Former Takarazuka Top Star and Actress Hanayo Sumi Passes Away at 94
Hanayo Sumi (real name Setsuko Takashima), a former top male-role star of the Takarazuka Revue's Star Troupe and an acclaimed actress, passed away from old age at 4:43 a.m. on August 3. She was 94. Her agency, Toho Entertainment, announced her passing. After taking the entertainment world by storm as a Takarazuka top star, Sumi married the late actor Tadao Takashima. Her sons, Masahiro and Masanobu Takashima, are both prominent actors, making her well-known as the matriarch of one of Japan's most celebrated show business families. In a joint statement, her sons paid tribute to her unwavering dignity, writing, "To the very end, our mother remained the grand actress Hanayo Sumi." Following the news of her passing, fans and viewers poured out heartfelt condolences on social media. Many fondly recalled her radiant beauty and commanding stage presence from her Takarazuka era, as well as her cheerful, affectionate television appearances alongside her husband on the popular ...