Yoji Yamada (born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan) is known worldwide mainly for the films in the "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" series (48 episodes, made from 1969 to 1995) and the samurai trilogy ("The Twilight Samurai", 2002; "The Hidden Blade", 2004; "Love and Honor", 2006)

He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he lived and was raised in Manchuria. He was employed by the film company Shochiku in 1954 as an assistant director. He made his directing debut in 1961 with the film "Tenants of the Second Floor".