Tsuchiya Tao's Profile
- Full Name: Tsuchiya Tao
- Native Name: 土屋 太鳳
- Nicknames: Tao-chan
- Birthday: Feb 03, 1995 (30 years old)
- Blood Type: O
- Height/Weight: 155 cm (5’1") / N/A
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
- Debut: 2008
- Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
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Nationality:
Japanese
- Profession: Actress
- Languages: Japanese (Native), English (Conversational)
- Current Agency: Sony Music Artists
- Active Years: 2005 – present (20 years)
Tsuchiya Tao (土屋太鳳), born on February 3, 1995, in Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese actress, model, and dancer represented by Sony Music Artists. She is widely recognized for her roles in Japanese television dramas and gained international popularity for her role as Usagi Yuzuha in the Netflix series Alice in Borderland.
Early Life
Tsuchiya was born and raised in Tokyo in a family with an artistic background. She is the second of three siblings: her older sister, Honoka (born in 1992), is a model, and her younger brother, Shimba (born in 1997), is also an actor. Her given name “Tao” was inspired by a dream her mother had during pregnancy, in which she encountered a girl with this unique name. The name “Tao” means “phoenix.”
From an early age, Tsuchiya displayed a wide range of talents. She learned to play several musical instruments, including the flute, piano, and shamisen, and excelled in dance. She also enjoyed skiing, reading, and watching films. In 2005, at the age of 10, she participated in the Miss Phoenix competition organized by Kadokawa Films, Sony Music, and Yahoo! JAPAN. Out of 37,789 contestants, she received the Special Jury Prize, which marked the beginning of her career in the entertainment industry.
Career
Tsuchiya Tao began her artistic journey in 2005 when she won the Special Jury Prize at the Super Heroine Audition Miss Phoenix competition. At just 10 years old, she entered the contest on her own, inspired by the connection between the word “Phoenix” and the character “鳳” in her name.
In 2008, she made her film debut in Tokyo Sonata, directed by Kurosawa Kiyoshi. Around the same time, she became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine Hanachu→*. On the set of Tokyo Sonata, she gained valuable experience working alongside veteran actors such as Kagawa Teruyuki and Tsuda Kanji.
Between 2010 and 2011, Tsuchiya steadily built her presence through television projects. She appeared in the NHK Taiga drama Ryomaden (2010) and the NHK Asadora Ohisama (2011). Her role in Suzuki Sensei (2011) earned her wider recognition, and she reprised the role in the 2012 film adaptation.
The year 2014 marked two major milestones. Tsuchiya appeared in the NHK Asadora Hanako to Anne and portrayed Makimachi Misao in the Rurouni Kenshin live-action series (Kyoto Inferno / The Legend Ends). The internationally popular samurai series expanded her reach to audiences outside Japan.
Her breakthrough came in 2015 when she was selected from 2,020 applicants to play the lead role of Mare in the NHK Asadora Mare. This role solidified her position as a leading actress in Japan’s entertainment industry.
Also in 2015, she starred in Orange and earned the Newcomer of the Year Award at the 39th Japan Academy Film Prize in 2016. That same year, she appeared in Library Wars: The Last Mission.
Between 2016 and 2017, Tsuchiya’s career accelerated with leading roles in Yell for the Blue Sky (2016), Policeman and Me (2017), and My Brother Loves Me Too Much (2017), which was adapted from television into a feature film in the same year.
In 2018, she reached a career peak when she won Best Actress at the 41st Japan Academy Film Prize for her performance in The 8-Year Engagement. She also starred in My Little Monster and Kasane.
That same year, Tsuchiya expanded into television hosting, serving as the main MC for the 60th Japan Record Awards alongside Azumi Shinichiro, a role she continued in 2019. During this period, the drama Cheer☆Dan was also broadcast.
From 2019 to 2020, she appeared in the second season of Shitamachi Rocket while preparing for her next breakthrough role. In 2020, she joined the cast of Netflix’s Alice in Borderland as Yuzuha Usagi, a performance that brought her international acclaim.
In 2021, she continued with Alice in Borderland and also appeared in Hinomaru Soul: The Heroes Behind the Scenes and Rurouni Kenshin: The Final. That same year, she graduated with a degree in Dance Studies from Japan Women’s College of Physical Education.
Tsuchiya’s musical activities have focused on voice acting and collaborations. She voiced the main character in the Japanese dubbed versions of Ballerina (2016) and Bumblebee (2018). In 2017, she released the single “Félicies” for Ballerina, and in 2018, she collaborated with Kitamura Takumi under the unit name “Taotak” to release the song Anniversary.
In 2022, she appeared in What to Do with the Dead Kaiju? and reprised her role in Alice in Borderland season 2. In January 2023, Tsuchiya announced her marriage to Katayose Ryota, a member of GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE.
The year 2024 marked a strong comeback with roles in Matching, Umi ni Nemuru Diamond, and Hakkenden. Her portrayal of Fusehime in Hakkenden earned her the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize.
Her most recent activities in 2025 include Kaette Kita Abunai Keiji and ongoing television projects. With more than two decades in the industry, Tsuchiya Tao continues to maintain her status as one of Japan’s leading actresses, transitioning from a child performer to an internationally recognized star through global streaming platforms.
Fun Facts
- Her name “Tao” was chosen by her mother after a mysterious dream, meaning “Phoenix”—reflecting her resilient spirit.
- She beat 2,020 applicants for the lead in “Mare,” a “peak” number matching her determination.
- Fans call her “Tsuchiya Font” because her handwriting is so neat it looks like a computer font.
- She began studying traditional Japanese dance (nihon buyo) at age 3, a skill that shines in action scenes and stage performances.
- She’s a die-hard grilled meat fan, once joking she “can’t live without meat”—a funny contrast to her gentle image.
- In Kyoto, her must-visit spot is Kurumazaki Shrine, where she prays for luck before new projects.
- She danced in Sia’s Japanese version of the “Alive” MV, proving her dance skills are “no joke.”
- She loves blogging and writing long Instagram captions, a habit from her school days.
- Artistic family: her sister is a model, her younger brother an actor—a true “talented family.”
- She often visits cozy coffee shops for inspiration before taking on new roles.
Photo Gallery
