Kiki was born on January 15, 1943, inKanda,Tokyo. Her father was a master of thebiwa lute and a former police officer.[1][2] Her mother owned a cafe inJinbōchō, Tokyo and a restaurant in Noge,Yokohama, the latter being Kiki's maternal parents' home.[3] Her mother was seven years senior to her father and had a child from both her two previous marriages.[2]
After graduating from high school, she started her acting career in the early 1960s as a member of theBungakuza theater troupe using the stage name Chiho Yūki (悠木千帆).[4] She eventually gained fame for performing uniquely comedic and eccentric roles on such television shows asJikan desu yo [ja] andTerauchi Kantarō ikka and intelevision commercials.[4] She changed her name to "Kirin Kiki" when, after being asked on a television show to auction off something of hers, she ended up selling her first stage name, claiming she had "nothing else to sell."[1]
Kiki married fellowBungakuza actorShin Kishida. They separated in 1968. She married musicianYuya Uchida in 1973, and remained legally married to him though they separated in 1975.[9] Their daughter,Yayako Uchida [jp], is an essayist and musician, and portrayed the younger self of Kiki's character in the filmTokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad. Yayako Uchida is married to the actorMasahiro Motoki,[1] who was adopted into the Uchida family as amukoyōshi.[10] Kirin has three grandchildren by her daughter, including actress Kyara Uchida, who has appeared with her in two films,I Wish andSweet Bean.[11]
Kiki was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and underwent a mastectomy.[12] She died of cancer, and related illnesses, on 15 September 2018.[13]
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