Shinobu Nakayama
Biography
Shinobu Nakayama, born January 18 1973 in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese actress and former J‑pop singer. She began her music career with the release of her first single on 2 November 1988 and concluded it with a final single on 1 March 1991, having been a member of the short‑lived idol groups Nanatsuboshi and Rakutenshi. Nakayama is the younger sister of actress Miho Nakayama. Transitioning to acting, she is best known for portraying Mayumi Nagamine in the kaiju films Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995) and Gamera 3: Incomplete Struggle (1999). As of the latest records, she has accumulated 59 credited acting roles.
Career overview
Shinobu Nakayama was born on 18 January 1973 in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan. After beginning her public career as a J‑pop singer, she released her first single on 2 November 1988 and continued recording until her final release on 1 March 1991. During her musical period she belonged to the short‑lived idol groups Nanatsuboshi and Rakutenshi. She is the younger sister of actress Miho Nakayama, who also started as a musician before moving into acting.
Transitioning to the screen, Nakayama built a substantial acting résumé that includes more than fifty‑nine credited roles. She is most widely recognized for portraying Mayumi Nagamine in the kaiju films Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995) and Gamera 3: Incomplete Struggle (1999). These performances cemented her reputation within Japanese genre cinema and contributed to her continued presence in film and television throughout the late 1990s and beyond. Her career reflects a shift from early musical endeavors to a sustained focus on acting, where she remains identified primarily for her work in motion pictures.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
59 titles- Japan's Number One Jerk Salaryman (2025) as Fumi Samejima / Minako Sonoda
- Inheritence (2025)
- Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love (2024) as Usami
- A Suffocatingly Lonely Death (2024)
- Me, My Husband & My Husband's Boyfriend (2023)
- Keishichō tsuiseki sōsa-gakari -kōsaku- (2023)
- After School Angler Life (2023)
- Double (2022) as Minami Kamino
- 全身刑事 (2020) as Iyo Monda
- Honey (2018) as Kaori Onise
- Muyoan Retirement Training (2017)
- Matchmaking Cruise (2017)
- 99.9 Criminal Lawyer (2016) as Ikue Yamashiro
- Cold Case ~Shinjitsu no Tobira~ (2016)
- Come Back! Shuriken Sentai Ninninger: Ninnin Girls vs. Boys FINAL WARS (2016) as Sakurako Igasaki
- Dr. Hikojiro (2015) as Ruriko Segawa
- Ghost Writer's Homicide Coverage 2 - Writing About a Celebrity's Crime (2015)
- Keiji Yoshinaga Seiichi Namida no Jikenbo (2013)
- Tenshi wa Mop wo Motte (2013)
- Solitary Gourmet (2012)
- Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon (2012)
- CSI: Crime Scene Talks (2011)
- Seven Female Lawyers (2006)
- TANNKA (2006) as Mika
- Oh-Oku: The Women Of The Inner Palace (2006) as Fujikawa
- Baian Fujieda the Assassin (2006)
- Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple (2004)
- Divorce Lawyer (2004) as Mari Nonami
- 稲垣吾郎の金田一耕助シリーズ (2004) as Tsuruko Igawa
- 弟 (2004)
- Batsu Kare (2004)
- Gaki no Tsukai No Laughing Batsu Game (2003) as Guest
- KochiKame the Movie 2: UFO Attack! The Great Tornado Strategy!! (2003) Thanks
- Sutegoro: The Three Kajiwara Brothers' Turbulent Showa History (2003)
- AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (2002)
- 恋に唄えば♪ (2002)
- Love of a Thousand Years - Story of Genji (2001)
- Big Wing (2001)
- 眼科医 小室瞳の推理カルテ (2001)
- The Goblin of Mt. Kurama (2001)
- Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999) as Dr. Mayumi Nagamine
- Kanojotachi no Jidai (1999)
- GAMERA 1999 (1999)
- Junji Inagawa's the Story of Terror II (1998)
- The Donor (1996)
- The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa (1996) as Chie Ito
- The New King of Kita (1996)
- Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995) as Dr. Mayumi Nagamine
- The Making of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
- Fist of Legend (1994) as Mitsuko Yamada
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) as Yuri Katagiri
- My Home Yakuza (1993)
- Eleven Without Honor or Humanity (1993)
- Midnight Run Main Store 2 (1993) as Natsuki Aratama
- High School Jingi Gaiden: Chi o haumono (1992)
- Junji Inagawa: True Story (1991)
- 刑事貴族 (1990)
- Anxious Virgin: One More Time, I Love You (1990) as Sachiko
- Kagaku Sentai Dynaman: The Movie (1983) as Boy
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Shinobu Nakayama best known for?
Shinobu Nakayama is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including 99.9 Criminal Lawyer (2016), Cold Case: Door of Truth (2016), Solitary Gourmet (2012), Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon (2012).
When and where was Shinobu Nakayama born?
Shinobu Nakayama was born on January 18, 1973 in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan.
How many credits does Shinobu Nakayama have?
Shinobu Nakayama has accumulated over 59 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1983 to 2025.
What is Shinobu Nakayama's background in cinema and television?
Shinobu Nakayama, born January 18 1973 in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese actress and former J‑pop singer. She began her music career with the release of her first single on 2 November 1988 and concluded it with a final single on 1 March 1991, having been a member of the short‑lived idol groups Nanatsuboshi and Ra...
Shinobu Nakayama by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Gaki no Tsukai No Laughing Batsu Game (2003) as Guest — aged about 30
- Solitary Gourmet (2012) — aged about 39
- Cold Case ~Shinjitsu no Tobira~ (2016) — aged about 43
- Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon (2012) — aged about 39
- AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (2002) — aged about 29
- Fist of Legend (1994) as Mitsuko Yamada — aged about 21
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