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Tatsuya Nakadai

Acting Born Dec 13, 1932 Died Nov 8, 2025 Meguro, Tokyo, Japan 205 credits
205
Total Credits
1954–2025
72 Years Career Span
42
Vault Titles
10
Key Co-Stars

Biography

Tatsuya Nakadai was a Japanese actor born on December 13, 1932, in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Japanese cinema history. Nakadai collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors, appearing in over 160 films throughout his career. He was honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015. Nakadai rose to prominence starring in Masaki Kobayashi's films, including the epic anti-war trilogy. He won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor. Nakadai's career spanned over seven decades, during which he accumulated numerous accolades.

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Career

Career overview

Tatsuya Nakadai is a Japanese actor known for his extensive collaboration with many of Japan's best-known directors. He appeared in over 160 films throughout his career, which spanned more than seven decades. Nakadai rose to prominence starring in films directed by Masaki Kobayashi.

One of his notable breakthrough roles was as the protagonist in an epic anti-war trilogy. He received recognition for his performance, winning the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor. Nakadai's career has been marked by numerous accolades, and he has been honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015.

Nakadai's extensive filmography includes over 160 films, and he has worked with many notable directors in the Japanese film industry. His career has been characterized by his versatility and range as an actor, with a body of work that spans multiple decades and numerous genres.

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Known for

Film

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

as Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
Film

Body Bags

1993

GeGeGe no Kitaro

as Sahei Inugami
Film

Hachiko

as Shujiro Ueno
Film

Ran

as Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
Film

The Empty Table

as Nobuyuki Kidoji
Film

Fireflies in the North

as Takeshi Tsukigata
Film

Final Yamato

as Narrator
Film

Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather

as Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
Film

Kagemusha

as Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
Film

Port Arthur

as Maresuke Nogi
Film

Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron

as Kumokiri Nizaemon

Frequent co-stars

Eijirō Tōno 7 shared titles
Kunie Tanaka 7 shared titles
Toshirō Mifune 6 shared titles
Michiyo Aratama 6 shared titles
Kyū Sazanka 5 shared titles
Ichirō Nakatani 5 shared titles
Hisashi Igawa 5 shared titles
Seiji Miyaguchi 5 shared titles
Takashi Shimura 4 shared titles
Shima Iwashita 4 shared titles

Career timeline

The Limit
The Pass: Last Days of the SamuraiLife Work of Akira Kurosawa
Sleeping VillageThe ReturnA Town and a Tall Chimney
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu
Lear on the Shore
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor
Before The Leaves FallA Duel Taleふたりの死刑囚Nakadai Tatsuya: to Live for ActingNORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語
A Sinner's LieGun WomanGiovanni's IslandIsao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
The Tale of The Princess KaguyaThe Human TrustPromise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate
Until the Break of DawnGakuJapan's Tragedy
Zatoichi: The LastHaru's Journey
Through the MistListen to My HeartTatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition'
Samurai Banners
Murder of the Inugami Clan
YamatoWish Upon a StarThe Taika Reforms
Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World
Like Asura
Vengeance for SaleTo Dance with the White DogDawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHSAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
嘱託刑事･小山田昭平　旅路の果て
KurosawaAfter the Rain
Jubaku: SpellboundKurosawa: The Last Emperor
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa
A Son of the Good EarthEast Meets West
Kin chan no Cinema JackLone Wolf and Cub: The Final ConflictSummer of the Moonlight Sonata
Wicked CityBasara: The Princess GohFaraway SunsetPinwheel Hamakichi's SpellPinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
Heat WaveFlorence My Love
戦艦大和13 Assassins
Return from the River KwaiFour Days of Snow and BloodLet Him Rest in Peace
Another Way: D-Kikan-JohoOración
HachikoTaikokiTrinacria: Porsche 959

Full Filmography

205 titles
  • The Limit (2025) as Narrator
  • The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai (2022) as Makino Tadayuki
  • Life Work of Akira Kurosawa (2022) as Self
  • Sleeping Village (2019) as (narration)
  • The Return (2019)
  • A Town and a Tall Chimney (2019)
  • Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu (2018) as Narrator
  • Lear on the Shore (2017) as Kuwahata Chokichi
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  • Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor (2016) as Yohei Tachibana
  • Before The Leaves Fall (2015) as Kenichiro Miya
  • A Duel Tale (2015)
  • ふたりの死刑囚 (2015) as Narrator
  • Nakadai Tatsuya: to Live for Acting (2015)
  • NORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語 (2015)
  • A Sinner's Lie (2014) as Kenzo Haneda
  • Gun Woman (2014) as Hamazaki
  • Giovanni's Island (2014) as Older Junpei Senou (voice)
  • Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2014) as Self
  • The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) as Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
  • The Human Trust (2013) as Nobuhiro Sasakura
  • Promise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate (2013)
  • Until the Break of Dawn (2012) as Sadayuki Akiyama
  • Gaku (2012) as Kazama Shin-ichi
  • Japan's Tragedy (2012) as Fujio Murai
  • Zatoichi: The Last (2010) as Tendo
  • Haru's Journey (2010) as Tadao Nakai
  • Through the Mist (2009) as (archive footage)
  • Listen to My Heart (2009) as Kyozo Hayami
  • Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition' (2009) as Self
  • Samurai Banners (2007)
  • Murder of the Inugami Clan (2006) as Sahei Inugami
  • Yamato (2005)
  • Wish Upon a Star (2005) as Takanori Wakamiya
  • The Taika Reforms (2005) as Minabuchi no Syôan
  • Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World (2004) as Matsumoto Kentaro
  • Like Asura (2003) as Kotaro Takezawa
  • Vengeance for Sale (2002) as Umetaro Katakura
  • To Dance with the White Dog (2002) as Eisuke Nakamoto
  • Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS (2002) as Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
  • Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha' (2002) as Self
  • Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low' (2002) as Self
  • Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro' (2002) as Self
  • Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo' (2002) as Self
  • Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ran' (2002) as Self
  • 嘱託刑事･小山田昭平　旅路の果て (2001)
  • Kurosawa (2000) as Self
  • After the Rain (2000) as Tsuji Gettan
  • Jubaku: Spellbound (1999) as Hideaki Sasaki
  • Kurosawa: The Last Emperor (1999) as Self
  • The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa (1996) as Seijiro Miyazawa
  • A Son of the Good Earth (1995)
  • East Meets West (1995) as Kaishu Katsu
  • Kin chan no Cinema Jack (1993)
  • Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict (1993) as Yagyu Retsudo
  • Summer of the Moonlight Sonata (1993)
  • Wicked City (1992) as Daishu
  • Basara: The Princess Goh (1992) as Oribe Furuta
  • Faraway Sunset (1992) as Kobayashi
  • Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell (1992)
  • Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell (1992)
  • Heat Wave (1991) as Tsunejiro Murai
  • Florence My Love (1991)
  • 戦艦大和 (1990)
  • 13 Assassins (1990)
  • Return from the River Kwai (1989) as Major Harada
  • Four Days of Snow and Blood (1989) as Sugiyama
  • Let Him Rest in Peace (1989)
  • Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho (1988)
  • Oración (1988) as Heihachiro Wagu
  • Hachiko (1987) as Shujiro Ueno
  • Taikoki (1987) as (Narrator)
  • Trinacria: Porsche 959 (1987)
  • Atami Murder Case (1986) as Denbei Nikaido
  • Michi (1986) as Seiji Tajima
  • Ran (1985) as Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
  • The Empty Table (1985) as Nobuyuki Kidoji
  • A. K. (1985) as Self
  • Making of Ran (1985) as Self
  • Fireflies in the North (1984) as Takeshi Tsukigata
  • The Fox Dancing in the Dusk (1984)
  • Final Yamato (1983) as Narrator
  • Shadow Hunters (1983)
  • Battle Anthem (1983)
  • Momi no Ki wa Nokotta: Ranshin (1983)
  • The Fir Trees Remain (1983)
  • Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather (1982) as Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
  • The Law of Hell (1982)
  • Tange Sazen: The Million Ryo Pot (1982) as Sazen Tange
  • The Legend of Sayo (1982)
  • Willful Murder (1981) as Yashiro
  • Kinagashi Bugyō (1981)
  • Magistrate of the Floating World (1981)
  • Kagemusha (1980) as Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
  • Port Arthur (1980) as Maresuke Nogi
  • Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai (1980) as ナレーション
  • Hunter in the Dark (1979) as Gomyo Kiyoemon
  • Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978) as Kumokiri Nizaemon
  • Blood Type: Blue (1978) as Minami
  • The Phoenix (1978) as Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
  • Queen Bee (1978) as Ginzo Daidoji
  • Suna no Utsuwa (1977) as 今西栄太郎
  • Sugata Sanshiro (1977) as Yano
  • Human Revolution II (1976)
  • The Corporation (1976)
  • Elegy (1976) as Setsuo Katsuragi
  • Solar Eclipse (1975) as Yasuo Hoshino, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
  • I Am a Cat (1975) as Kushami
  • Battle Cry (1975) as Hijikata Toshizo
  • The Gate of Youth (1975)
  • The Family (1974) as Teppei Manpyo
  • Belladonna of Sadness (1973) as The Devil (voice)
  • The Human Revolution (1973)
  • Rise, Fair Sun (1973) as Sakuzo
  • The King (1973) as Kinjiro Sekine
  • Shin Heike Monogatari (1972) as Taira no Kiyomori
  • The Battle of Okinawa (1971) as Colonel Hiromichi Yahara
  • Inn of Evil (1971) as Sadashichi
  • The Wolves (1971) as Seji Iwahashi
  • Challenge at Dawn (1971) as Tsukagoshi
  • Will to Conquer (1970)
  • The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan (1970) as Naojiro Kataoka
  • Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival (1970) as Ronin
  • The Ambitious (1970) as Shintaro Nakaoka
  • Duel at Fort Ezo (1970) as Daizennokami Honjo
  • Goyokin (1969) as Magobei Wakizaka
  • Battle of the Japan Sea (1969) as Major Genjiro Akashi
  • Portrait of Hell (1969) as Yoshihide
  • Tenchu! (1969) as Hanpeita Takechi
  • Blood End (1969) as Sentaro
  • Safari 5000 (1969)
  • Admiral Yamamoto (1968) as Narrator (voice)
  • Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die! (1968) as James Elfego
  • The Human Bullet (1968) as Narrator (voice)
  • Kill! (1968) as Genta
  • Samurai Rebellion (1967) as Tatewaki Asano
  • The Age of Assassins (1967) as Shinji Kikyo
  • Japan's Longest Day (1967) as Narrator (voice)
  • ゴメスの名はゴメス (1967)
  • Kojiro (1967) as Musashi Miyamoto
  • Journey (1967)
  • Gomez's Name is Gomez (1967) as Sakamoto
  • The Sword of Doom (1966) as Ryunosuke Tsukue
  • The Face of Another (1966) as Mr. Okuyama
  • The Daphne (1966)
  • Cash Calls Hell (1966) as Oida
  • Kwaidan (1965) as Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
  • Illusion of Blood (1965) as Iyemon Tamiya
  • The Last Judgment (1965)
  • Fort Graveyard (1965) as Sakuma
  • Three Yakuza (1965)
  • Mr. Giant's Victory Flag (1964)
  • Ant Hell War (1964)
  • High and Low (1963) as Chief Detective Tokura
  • Legacy of the 500,000 (1963) as Mitsura Gunji
  • A Woman's Life (1963)
  • Madame Aki (1963) as Tatsumi
  • Miren (1963) as Ryôta Kinoshita
  • Pressure of Guilt (1963)
  • Harakiri (1962) as Hanshiro Tsugumo
  • Sanjuro (1962) as Hanbei Muroto
  • The Inheritance (1962) as Kikuo Furukawa
  • Love Under the Crucifix (1962) as Ukon Takayama
  • Farm Girls (1962)
  • Yojimbo (1961) as Unosuke, gunfighter
  • The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961) as Kaji
  • Immortal Love (1961) as Heibei
  • The Other Woman (1961) as Minami
  • As the Clouds Scatter (1961)
  • Daughters, Wives and a Mother (1960) as Kuroki Shingo
  • When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) as Kenichi Komatsu
  • The Blue Beast (1960) as Yasuhiko Kuroki
  • Get 'em All (1960) as Tsubota
  • The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959) as Kaji
  • The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959) as Kaji
  • The Human Condition (1959) as Kaji
  • Odd Obsession (1959) as Kimura
  • Pilgrimage at Night (1959)
  • Three Dolls in Ginza (1959)
  • The Beast Shall Die (1959) as Kunihiko Date
  • Conflagration (1958) as Tokari
  • The Naked Sun (1958)
  • Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring (1958) as Kazuo Shimada
  • A Boy and Three Mothers (1958) as The Engineer
  • All About Marriage (1958) as Akira Nakayama
  • Go and Get It (1958) as His assistant
  • Kampai! Miai Kekkon (1958) as Kunihiko Sasada
  • Oban kanketsu hen (1958) as Shin Don
  • Untamed Woman (1957) as Kimura
  • Black River (1957) as Jo
  • A Dangerous Hero (1957)
  • The Shadow Daughter (1957)
  • Teenage Sazae (1957)
  • Skin-Colored Moon (1957) as Jirô Taki
  • Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen (1957) as Shindon
  • Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen (1957) as Shin don
  • Ôban (1957) as Shin Don
  • Sazae-san (1956) as Norisuke
  • The Thick-Walled Room (1956) as (Uncredited)
  • Love on Rainbow Island (1956) as Yûji Wada
  • The Mandarin Room (1956)
  • Phoenix (1956)
  • Floating Weeds Diary (1955)
  • Seven Samurai (1954) as Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
  • How the Bell of Liberty Rings (1954) as (uncredited)
  • The Gion Tempest as Masaki

Frequently Asked Questions

What movies or TV shows is Tatsuya Nakadai best known for?

Tatsuya Nakadai is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013), Body Bags (1993), GeGeGe no Kitaro (2018), Hachiko (1987).

When and where was Tatsuya Nakadai born?

Tatsuya Nakadai was born on December 13, 1932 in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. They passed away on November 8, 2025.

How many credits does Tatsuya Nakadai have?

Tatsuya Nakadai has accumulated over 205 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1954 to 2025.

What is Tatsuya Nakadai's background in cinema and television?

Tatsuya Nakadai was a Japanese actor born on December 13, 1932, in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Japanese cinema history. Nakadai collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors, appearing in over 160 films throughout his career. He was hon...

Tatsuya Nakadai by the numbers

205credits
192films
13TV series
1954–2025active years

Age in their best-rated roles

Full filmography (205) Born on December 13 In memoriam 2025

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