Japanese movie stars born in 1947
Here are 16 famous actors from Japan were born in 1947:
Takeshi Kitano
Takeshi Kitano (January 18, 1947 Adachi-) also known as Beat Takeshi, Bito Takeshi, 'Bîto' Takeshi, Bîto Takeshi, 'Beat' Takeshi, Takeshi, Take-chan, Kitano Takeshi or TakaC is a Japanese film producer, film director, actor, screenwriter, film editor, author, presenter, comedian, singer, poet and painter. He has two children, Atsushi Kitano and Shoko Kitano.
Kitano began his career in entertainment as a stand-up comedian in the 1970s, becoming a regular fixture on Japanese television. He gained international recognition as a filmmaker in the 1990s, with acclaimed movies like "Sonatine" and "Hana-bi" (Fireworks) which he directed, wrote, and starred in.
Aside from his film work, Kitano has also released music and written books, including the comic book "Kikujiro no Natsu" which was adapted into a film he directed. He has won several awards for his contributions to the arts, including the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2010.
Despite suffering a serious motorcycle accident in 1994, he continued to work and perform, and has since become a symbol of resilience and creativity in Japanese popular culture.
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Akira Fuse
Akira Fuse (December 18, 1947 Mitaka-) a.k.a. 布施明, Fuse Akira or Fuse, Akira is a Japanese singer and actor. He has one child, Maximillian Fuse.
Fuse began his career as a singer in 1969 with his debut single "Suki Datte You", which became a hit in Japan. He continued to release several albums throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, blending pop and rock genres with his soulful voice. In addition to his successful music career, Fuse has also appeared in various films and TV dramas, starting with the drama "Seventeen-Year-Olds" in 1969. One of his most notable film roles was in the 1978 film "The Gate of Youth", for which he won the Best Actor award at the Kinema Junpo Awards. Fuse also hosted a popular TV show called "Karaoke 16" in the 70s and 80s, which helped to popularize karaoke in Japan. As a popular and influential figure in the Japanese entertainment industry, Fuse has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career.
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Hiroshi Aramata
Hiroshi Aramata (July 12, 1947 Tokyo-) also known as Aramata Hiroshi is a Japanese writer, actor and translator.
Aramata is best known for his works of historical fiction, particularly the novel "Teito Monogatari" which won the 1985 Nihon SF Taisho Award. In addition to his writing career, Aramata has also acted on stage and in films, including a role in the 1998 movie "Tokyo biyori" (Tokyo Twilight). He has also translated works from English to Japanese, including the novel "The Mysterious Island" by Jules Verne. In 2007, Aramata was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his contributions to Japanese literature and culture.
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Toshiyuki Nishida
Toshiyuki Nishida (November 4, 1947 Fukushima-) also known as Nishida Toshiyuki is a Japanese actor and singer.
Nishida began his acting career in the 1970s and has since appeared in numerous films, television dramas, and stage productions. He is perhaps best known for his role as Inspector Akechi in the popular Japanese TV series "Aibou." Nishida has also lent his voice to many anime films and television series, including the Studio Ghibli classic "Spirited Away."
In addition to acting, Nishida is also an accomplished singer. He has released several albums throughout his career, and his music has been used in various films and TV dramas.
Nishida has received a number of awards for his work, including the Best Actor Award at the 31st Japan Academy Prize for his role in the film "Sutekina Kanashibari," and the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 26th Japan Academy Prize for his performance in the film "Yume no Ginga."
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Ittoku Kishibe
Ittoku Kishibe (January 9, 1947 Kyoto-) otherwise known as Osami Kishibe or Kishibe Ittoku is a Japanese actor, musician and bassist. He has one child, Daisuke Kishibe.
Ittoku Kishibe began his acting career in 1973 with a role in the TV series "G-men '75". He has since appeared in numerous TV dramas and films, including internationally acclaimed works such as "The Funeral" and "Love Letter".
Aside from acting, Kishibe is also a talented musician and has released several albums as a bassist under the name "Osami Kishibe". He frequently collaborates with fellow musician Yuji Ohno and has been an active member of the jazz and blues scenes in Japan.
In addition to his acting and music careers, Kishibe is also a prolific voice actor, most notably voicing the character of Horse God in the renowned anime film "Princess Mononoke". He continues to be a prominent figure in the Japanese entertainment industry and has received numerous awards throughout his career.
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Daisuke Ban
Daisuke Ban (May 5, 1947 Kawaguchi-) also known as Kiyonori Saito or Naoya Ban is a Japanese actor.
He made his acting debut in 1967 in the film "Kubi" and went on to appear in numerous films, television dramas, and stage productions. Ban is perhaps best known for his roles in the films "Kwaidan" (1964), "The Man in the High Castle" (2015-2019), and "Tokyo Sonata" (2008). In addition to his acting career, Ban is also a talented painter and has even held several exhibitions of his artwork. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the Japanese entertainment industry, including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actor in 2016.
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Hiroshi Miyauchi
Hiroshi Miyauchi (June 14, 1947 Tokyo-) also known as Miyauchi Hiroshi is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer.
He is best known for his roles in tokusatsu superhero series, including "Kamen Rider" and "Super Sentai". Miyauchi began his acting career in the mid-1960s and gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s as a leading actor in action and soap opera dramas. In addition to his acting career, he has also lent his voice to many popular anime and video game characters. He has also released several albums as a singer and has performed in concerts. Miyauchi is a recipient of the Medal with Purple Ribbon, one of the highest honors awarded to individuals in Japan for their contributions to the arts and academia.
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Junji Takada
Junji Takada (January 21, 1947 Chofu-) also known as Jun chan or Uncle Jun is a Japanese voice actor, actor and comedian.
He began his career in voice acting in the 1970s and has since voiced numerous characters in anime and Japanese dubs of foreign films and TV shows. Some of his notable roles include Shunsuke Imaizumi in Yowamushi Pedal, Kuroda in Psycho-Pass, and Denis Lavant's character in the Japanese dub of Holy Motors. Takada has also appeared on stage and screen as an actor, including in the TV series Doctor X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon and in the film Zatoichi: The Last. In addition to his acting work, he is known for his stand-up comedy and has released comedy albums and performed live shows. He is affiliated with the talent agency Aoni Production.
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Teruhiko Saigō
Teruhiko Saigō (February 5, 1947 Kagoshima District, Kagoshima-) also known as いまがわ せいき, Saigō Teruhiko, さいごう てるひこ, Seiki Imagawa, 今川 盛揮, Imagawa Seiki, 西郷 輝彦, 我修院建吾, 銀川晶子, 五代けん, Teruhiko Saigo or Saigo, Teruhiko is a Japanese singer and actor. His children are called Noritaka Henmi and Emiri Henmi.
Teruhiko Saigō rose to fame in the 1960s as a member of the band The Spiders, which disbanded in 1971. He then pursued a successful solo career as a pop singer, releasing over 40 albums throughout his career. In addition to his music career, Saigō has also acted in numerous TV dramas and films, including the popular film series "Abarenbō Shōgun". He has won several awards for his work as both a singer and actor, including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actor in 2008. Outside of his entertainment career, Saigō is also known for his philanthropy work and has been involved in numerous charitable organizations.
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Kazuhiko Kato
Kazuhiko Kato (March 21, 1947 Fushimi-ku, Kyoto-October 16, 2009 Karuizawa) otherwise known as Kazuhiko Katoh, Tonovan or Kato Kazuhiko was a Japanese actor, composer and musician.
Kazuhiko Kato rose to prominence in the 1970s, as a member of the musical group Sadistic Mika Band. He was known for his distinctive voice and musical style, which blended elements of Japanese pop, rock, and funk. Kato was also a prolific composer, and wrote music for a variety of films, television shows, and commercials. In addition to his musical career, Kato was also an accomplished actor, and appeared in several films and television dramas. He continued to record and perform music throughout his career, collaborating with a wide range of other artists both in Japan and internationally. Kato's contributions to Japanese music and culture have made him a beloved and influential figure in Japanese popular music. He died in 2009 at the age of 62, but his music continues to be celebrated by fans around the world.
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Rikiya Yasuoka
Rikiya Yasuoka (July 19, 1947 Minato-April 8, 2012 Tokyo) also known as Rikiya or Yasuoka Rikiya was a Japanese actor and singer.
He was best known for his work in voice acting and was the official Japanese dubbing voice for many famous actors, including Danny DeVito, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Fierstein. Rikiya began his career in entertainment as a singer, releasing several albums throughout the 1970s, before transitioning to acting in the 1980s. He appeared in various TV dramas, films, and anime series, and won several awards for his performances, including the Best Supporting Actor award at the Japan Academy Prize in 1989. Despite being diagnosed with cancer in 2009, Rikiya continued to work in the entertainment industry until his passing in 2012 at the age of 64.
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Akira Terao
Akira Terao (May 18, 1947 Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama-) also known as hoppe or Terao Akira is a Japanese musician, actor and singer.
Akira Terao began his acting career in the 1970s with small roles in television dramas and films. He gained mainstream popularity in Japan with his role in the 1983 film "The Ballad of Narayama", which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Terao also became known for his music career, releasing his first album in 1976 and going on to release over 20 albums throughout his career. He has won several awards for both his acting and music, including the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actor and the Japan Record Award for Best Singer. In recent years, Terao has continued to act in films and television dramas while also performing in concerts and releasing new music.
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Jinpachi Nezu
Jinpachi Nezu (December 1, 1947 Tsuru-) also known as Nezu Jinpachi, Nezu Toru or Toru Nezu is a Japanese actor, theatre director and screenwriter.
He started his acting career in the early 1970s, and his breakthrough film was The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979), for which he won his first Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor. He went on to appear in numerous notable Japanese films, including Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Ran (1985), as well as the international hit movie Black Rain (1989). Nezu is also a respected theatre director, having worked on productions for the prestigious Theatre Cocoon in Tokyo. He has received several accolades throughout his career, including multiple Japan Academy Prizes and the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government for his contributions to the arts.
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Takashi Taniguchi
Takashi Taniguchi (July 5, 1947 Hokkaido-December 27, 2012 Japan) also known as 谷口節 or Taniguchi Takashi was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He was known for his deep, commanding voice and had a prolific career as a voice actor, with notable roles including Captain Hook in the Japanese dub of Disney's "Peter Pan", Kululu in the anime series "Sgt. Frog", and Ryuichiro Isaka in the anime series "Junjo Romantica". In addition to his voice acting work, Taniguchi also appeared on screen, with roles in TV dramas like "Jikou Keisatsu" and "Trick". He passed away in 2012 at the age of 65 due to aortic dissection.
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Kenpachiro Satsuma
Kenpachiro Satsuma (May 27, 1947 Izumi-) otherwise known as Kengo Nakayama or Kenpachirô Satsuma is a Japanese actor.
He is best known for playing the iconic monster Godzilla in the Heisei film series from 1984 to 1995. Satsuma has also worked as a stuntman and suit actor in various Japanese films and TV shows, including Ultraman and Kamen Rider. He started his acting career in 1965 and has since appeared in over 70 films and TV series. Satsuma retired from acting in 2015 but continues to make appearances and hold talks about his experiences playing Godzilla. He is considered a legend among fans of the Godzilla franchise and Japanese monster movies.
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Killer Khan
Killer Khan (March 6, 1947 Tsubame-) also known as Masashi Ozawa or Temjin El Mongol is a Japanese actor and wrestler. His children are called Yoshiko Ozawa, David Masato Ozawa and Yukie Ozawa.
Killer Khan first gained fame as a wrestler in Japan in the 1970s, where he competed in a number of popular promotions including All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He later went on to compete in the United States for organizations such as the World Wrestling Federation, where he famously feuded with legendary wrestler Andre the Giant. In addition to his wrestling career, Khan also had a successful acting career in Japan, appearing in a number of films and television shows throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Today, Killer Khan is remembered as one of the most iconic wrestlers of his era, and he remains a beloved figure in the world of professional wrestling.
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