Hidari was born Sachiko Nukamura (額村幸子) in Asahi, Toyama, as the eldest of 8 children.

[1] She graduated from Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education and gave her film debut in 1952 in Wakaki hi no ayamachi.

[2] Between 1952 and 1995, she appeared in more than 90 films[3] under the direction of filmmakers such as Tadashi Imai, Shōhei Imamura and Paul Schrader.

In 1964, she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 14th Berlin International Film Festival for her roles in She and He and The Insect Woman.

[4] In 1977, she directed and starred in the film The Far Road, which made her the first woman actor–director since Kinuyo Tanaka,[2] and was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival.