Mariko Tsutsui

**Mariko Tsutsui** (筒井 真理子, Tsutsui Mariko, born 13 October 1960) is a remarkable Japanese actress. She was born in Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture. Her education background includes time at Kōfu Daiichi High School in Yamanashi Prefecture. After that, Tsutsui went on to study at Aoyama Gakuin University, but later dropped out of this institution. Eventually, she graduated from the reputable Waseda University School of Social Sciences. In 1981, when still a student at Aoyama Gakuin University, Tsutsui encountered a life-changing moment. She attended a performance of the Third Stage, a notable group hailing from the Waseda University Theater Study Group. This performance deeply impressed Tsutsui and, in 1982, she took an examination at the Waseda University. After passing, she joined the Third Stage and performed her first role, initiating her journey in the theatrical world. She has since then appeared in most works performed by the theatre company. Tsutsui boasts an impressive array of talents beyond acting. She can figure skate, play the flute, and perform Japanese buyō (a traditional Japanese dance).