Hisa Ōta
Japanese actress
Intro | Japanese actress | |
Places | Japan | |
was | Actor Stage actor | |
Work field | Film, TV, Stage & Radio | |
Gender |
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Birth | 7 May 1868, Owari Province, Tōkaidō | |
Death | 2 April 1945Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Chūbu region, Japan (aged 76 years) |
Hisa Ōta (大田 ひさ, Ōta Hisa, May 7, 1868–April 2, 1945) was a Japanese stage actress who spanned the Meiji and Taishō periods of Japan and was known by the name Hanako (花子). The kanji given for her name when born were 飛佐 (Hisa), but she did not use those during her career.
Starting in 1900, she spent the majority of her career touring Europe and was the only Japanese person to model for Auguste Rodin, who gave her two masks he created, using Hanako as a model. These masks are on display in the city of Gifu in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, where she spent her twilight years. She was also the basis for Mori Ōgai's short story Hanako.