Makiko Esumi (江角 マキコ, Esumi Makiko), née Makiko Hirano (平野真紀子 Hirano Makiko, born 18 December 1966 in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese model, actress, writer, essayist, and lyricist. Esumi is most well known for her role as Chinatsu Tsuboi in the Japanese television drama series Shomuni.

Esumi won the 1995 Rookie of the Year Award at both the 19th Annual Japan Academy Prize ceremonies and at the 38th Blue Ribbon Awards for her role in the 1995 film Maborosi. She was nominated in 2002 for the Best Actress Award at the 26th Annual Japan Academy Prize ceremonies for her role in Inochi.

In 2000, she released her single, One Way Drive, featuring guitar work and production by Tomoyasu Hotei, who also co-wrote the song with Esumi. She wrote a children's book in 2005.

Esumi is married to Fuji TV director Shin Hirano and is distantly related to Koji Ezumi, a goalkeeper for Omiya Ardija. She was previously married to photographer Rowland Kirishima. She gave birth in 2005 to her first daughter, with her second due to be born in December 2009.

(source: wikipedia)