Kinya Kitaoji
Born
February 23, 1943 (82 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Kyōto, Kyōto Prefecture, Japan
Early life:
He was born in Kyoto, son of jidaigeki film star Ichikawa Utaemon, and graduated from Waseda University School of Letters, Arts and Sciences Ⅱ in Tokyo.
Acting career:
Kin'ya made his debut with his father in the 1956 Toei film Oyakodaka in the role of Katsu Kaishū. He is a contemporary of, and was taken to be a rival of, Hiroki Matsukata, who was also the son of a famous actor (Jūshirō Konoe). In 1964, Kin'ya made his first appearance on stage in Cyrano de Bergerac.
The 1960s and 1970s saw him in many contemporary roles. He appeared in Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima and Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode as well as Karei naru Ichizoku. The title role in the 1975 film Takehisa Yumeji was his.
On television, Kitaōji portrayed Miyamoto Musashi in the Nippon Television show of the same name. A major historical role was Sakamoto Ryōma in the year-long prime-time NHK Taiga drama Ryōma ga Yuku (1968). He landed the title role in the long-running cop show Zenigata Heiji, set in the Edo period. In the 1985 twelve-hour New Year special Fūun Yagyū Bugeichō, he played Yagyū Jūbei, and in the following year's special, he portrayed both Tokugawa Yoshimune and Yagyū Shinrokurō. The role of another shogun fell to him in the following new year as TV Tokyo tapped him to play Tokugawa Iemitsu. Kin'ya returned to NHK for the 1987 Taiga drama Dokuganryū Masamune as Date Terumune, father of title character Date Masamune.
Another role he took had been created by his father. Saotome Mondonosuke was the title character in the series Gozonji! Hatamoto Taikutsu Otoko. It ran from 1988 to 1994 on TV Asahi. His father, Ichikawa Utaemon, had appeared in numerous films as Mondonosuke.
Kin'ya reprised the part of Miyamoto Musashi in the 1990 New Year's special. Toshirō Mifune had portrayed Musashi in the earlier film, also based on the Eiji Yoshikawa story, that had won an Academy Award. He returned to the New Year's special in 1996, again as the famous swordsman, in Tokugawa Kengōden Sore kara no Musashi.
His first portrayal of Ōishi Kuranosuke was in the 1996 Chūshingura. He took up the role again in 2004 for the NHK Saigo no Chūshingura and in 2007, in the New Year special Chūshingura Yōzei-in no Inbō. Other historical roles from the Sengoku period include Azai Nagamasa, Saitō Dōsan, and Yamamoto Kansuke. In addition to historical parts, he appeared in fictional series. His portrayal of Ogami Ittō in the Lone Wolf and Cub ( Kozure 2) Which was a series for Asahi TV in Japan is representative of these appearances.
In 2008, Kitaōji revisited the role of Katsu Kaishū in the Taiga drama Atsuhime. He had portrayed Katsu in his 1956 debut.
He won the award for best actor at the 10th Hochi Film Award for Fire Festival and Haru no kane. Kitaōji played one of the lead roles in Hideo Nakata's psychological thriller film The Incite Mill.
In recent times, Kitaōji voices the Hokkaido-inu character of "Father" in SoftBank Mobile's White Family advertising campaign.
Known For
Toyama Shōgawa kai satsujin jiken
2024
Believe: A Bridge to You
Goro Bando · (9 episodes)
2024
Alice in Wonderful Kitchen
Gojo Michitaka · (10 episodes)
2024
Kazama Kimichika: Kyojo Zero
(1 episode)
2023
THE LEGEND & BUTTERFLY
Saitō Dōsan
2023
さすらい署長風間昭平スペシャル 塩屋岬いわき殺人事件
2022
In His Chart
Itagaki Genzo [Director] · (4 episodes)
2021
The Confidence Man JP – Episode of the Princess –
Raymond Fuu
2020
Alive: Dr. Kokoro, The Medical Oncologist
Kyotaro Onda · (11 episodes)
2020
Castle of Sand
2019
Whistleblower
Ikuo Yakuyama
2019
Kioku Sousa ~Shinjuku Higashi-sho Jiken Fairu~
(22 episodes)
2019
がん消滅の罠～完全寛解の謎～
西條征士郎(さいじょう せいしろう)
2018
Virtual Detective Tabito Higurashi
Wataru Enoki · (9 episodes)
2017
Monster Strike The Movie: To The Place of Beginnings
Kentaro Ishibashi (voice)
2016
One Piece Film: GOLD
Raise Max (voice)
2016
Case 17
Shuichi Itami
2016
Sayonara Debussy - Pianist Tantei Misaki Yosuke
香月玄太郎
2016
Fragile
Kaoru Nakaguma · (10 episodes)
2016
Seven Detectives
Shuntaro Domoto · (85 episodes)
2015
I'm Home
Yozo Ieji · (1 episode)
2015
剣客商売 鬼熊酒屋
2014
Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel
2014
Sanbiki no Ossan
清田清一 · (24 episodes)
2014
Sakura Housara
2014
淋しい狩人
2013
Hanzawa Naoki
Ken Nakanowatari · (20 episodes)
2013
Legal High SP
Teshigawara Isao
2013
Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon
Yoshito Tendo（天堂 義人） · (11 episodes)
2012
Asura
Monk
2012
Breathless Summer
夏目周作 · (11 episodes)
2012
Blackboard
Akinori Shioda · (1 episode)
2012
Blackboard
Shioda Akinori · (3 episodes)
2012
Man of Destiny
Keisaku Sahashi · (10 episodes)
2012
I Don't Want to Kidnap Anyone Anymore
Hanazono Shugoro
2012
The Last Revenge
Tesshu Yamaoka
2011
Princess Go
(46 episodes)
2011
Chushingura〜Sono Otoko, Oishi Kuranosuke
2010
The Incite Mill
Yoshi Ando
2010
Sakurada Gate Incident
2010
Eternal First Love
Yuichi Makibara
2010
Absolute Zero
Hideo Nagashima · (24 episodes)
2010
Genjuro's Deadly Sword: The Return of Shinigami
2009
Triangle
Kuroki Shinzo · (11 episodes)
2009
刑事シュート しゅうと&ムコの事件日誌
(1 episode)
2008
Sushi King Goes to New York
Gengoro
2008
Phantom Assassin
Koyama Genjuro · (9 episodes)
2008
Atsuhime
(50 episodes)
2008
Kuwayama Jubei travels to eight provinces
Kuwayama Jubei · (1 episode)
2007
The Family
Daisuke Manpyo · (10 episodes)
2007
Magistrate Ooka Echizen
(20 episodes)
2005
The Story of Dominating Countries
(4 episodes)
2005
忠臣蔵
(1 episode)
2004
Roving Police Chief Kazama Shohei 2 - Lake Tazawa Murder Case
Shohei Kazama
2004
さすらい署長 風間昭平
(15 episodes)
2003
Lone Wolf and Cub
Ogami Ittô · (9 episodes)
2002
生存 愛する娘のために
(4 episodes)
2002
Hojo Tokimune
Sha Kokumei · (49 episodes)
2001
Secret Magistrate Asahina
Asahina Kawachinokami Masakiyo · (10 episodes)
1998
The Peking Man
Kin'ya Kitaôji
1997
SMAP×SMAP
Skit Guest · (2 episodes)
1996
Further Tales of Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi · (13 episodes)
1996
Another 47 Ronins: Genroku Taiheiki
1995
Assassin's Target: Iemitsu
1995
The Notorious Bored Samurai 9
Saotome Mondonosuke
1994
The Notorious Bored Samurai 9
1994
Bored Hatamoto: The Kaga Conspiracy
1993
事件 (テレビ朝日のテレビドラマ)
(1 episode)
1993
The Notorious Bored Samurai 8
Sawatari Mondonosuke
1993
Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death
1993
Yakuza Ladies Revisited 2
1993
Date Masamune: The One-Eyed Dragon
1993
The Notorious Bored Samurai 7
Sawatari Shusui
1992
The Diary of Chuji's Travels
Chuji · (1 episode)
1992
Tokugawa Ieyasu: The Conqueror of Japan
1992
The Notorious Bored Samurai 6
Sawatari Shusui
1991
Dohten
1991
遊の人‐天下の御意見番 大久保彦左衛門‐
1991
The Notorious Bored Samurai 5
Sawatari Shusui
1990
Detective Heiji
Heiji Zenigata
1990
Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi · (13 episodes)
1990
The Notorious Bored Samurai 3
Sawatari Shusui
1989
Sensei
Chairman of the town
1989
Sanada Yukimura
(26 episodes)
1989
The Notorious Bored Samurai 2
Mondonosuke Saotome
1988
The Notorious Bored Samurai
Mondosuke
1988
Masamune Shogun
伊達輝宗 · (50 episodes)
1987
Crisis at Edo Castle - Angry Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu
(6 episodes)
1987
白虎隊～敗れざる者たち
(1 episode)
Tokugawa Chronicles: Ambition of the 3 Branches
Genroku Kano (Tokugawa Yoshimune) · (13 episodes)
1986
Spring Bell
Rokuheita Narumi
1985
The Second Is a Christian
Eiji
1985
Yume-Chiyo
1985
Fire Festival
Tatsuo
1985
The Story of a Man Among Men
1984
Zero
Jiro Horikoshi
1984
Kukai
Kukai
1984
Shadow Conspirator
1982
Future War 198X
Wataru Mikumo (voice)
1982
Lake of Illusions
Nobunaga Oda
1982
The Highest Honour
Major Tachibana
1982
Abandoned
1981
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga
1980
Glowing Autumn
1978
Dynamite Don-Don
Ginji Tachibana
1978
Monument to Holy Service
1978
Winter's Flower
Michio Sakata
1978
Shag
1978
Mount Hakkoda
Captain Kanda
1977
The Alaska Story
Frank Yasuda
1977
The Corporation
1976
Love and Separation in Sri Lanka
1976
Takehisa Yumeji monogatari: koi suru
Yumeji Takehisa
1975
Gambling Den Heist
Takeshi Kiyomoto
1975
Shimane Prison Riot
Yuji Kawamura
1975
Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack
1975
Father of the Kamikaze
1974
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode
Tamotsu Matsumura
1974
Akumyo: Notorious Dragon
1974
The Blossom and the Sword
Captain Sakagami
1973
Rise, Fair Sun
1973
Men and War III: The Final Chapter
Shunsuke Godai
1973
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima
Shoji Yamanaka
1973
A Woman Called En
1971
Will to Conquer
1970
Mominoki wa Nokotta
Sakai Tadakiyo · (52 episodes)
1970
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
Soji Okita
1969
Admiral Borneo: Betting at the Equator
Takeo
1969
津軽絶唱
1969
One Day at Summer's End
Shigeo Ugari
1968
The Day the Sun Rose
1968
Cry of the Mountain
1968
Ryoma ga Yuku
Sakamoto Ryoma · (52 episodes)
1968
River of Forever
1967
Love on the Rainbow
Tatsuya Kitakami
1965
Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu
松平三郎元信（後の徳川家康）
1965
Wolves, Pigs & Men
Sabu, the third brother
1964
The Navy
Shinji
1963
53 Stages of Action
1963
Tokaido Fullhouse
Okeya-no-oni
1963
A Revengeful Raid
1962
Keepers of Order
1962
Yoka chigo zakura Make no wakamusha
1962
Genkuro Yoshitsune
1962
Knightly Advice
1962
Young Lord and Second Son
1961
Whistling Drifter
Tsukinowa Gentaro
1961
Law in Ghost Island
Yusaku
1961
The Orphan Brother
1961
Lord Mito: Struggle of Suke and Kaku
1961
Fine Man
1961
Traveling of Two Young Men
Gentaro
1961
Bored Hatamoto: Island of No Return
1960
Bloody Battle at Dawn
1959
Bored Hatamoto: The Daimonji Conspiracy
1959
The Acrobats of Death
1959
Bored Hatamoto: Idle Vassal Tribute
1958
Kingdom of Youth
Yamanaka Shikanoske
1958
The Mansion of Intrigue
Kyoya Kirishima
1957
Shadow Over Fuji
1957
Avenging Father
Minamoto no Yoriie
1956
Virtue in Spades
1956