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.
Series | 白虎隊~敗れざる者たち | 2025 | |
Series | Believe -君にかける橋- | Bando Goro | 2024-04-25 |
Series | Alice in Wonderful Kitchen | Gojo Michitaka | 2024-01-21 |
Series | Kazama Kimichika: Kyojo Zero | Unknown | 2023-04-10 |
Movie | THE LEGEND & BUTTERFLY | Saitō Dōsan | 2023-01-27 |
Movie | 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 | 2022-01-24 | |
Series | In His Chart | Itagaki Genzo [Director] | 2021-02-15 |
Series | Alive: Dr. Kokoro, The Medical Oncologist | Kyotaro Onda | 2020-01-09 |
Movie | The Confidence Man JP – Episode of the Princess – | Raymond Fuu | 2020-07-23 |
Series | Kioku Sousa ~Shinjuku Higashi-sho Jiken Fairu~ | 2019-01-18 | |
Movie | Whistleblower | Ikuo Yakuyama | 2019-02-01 |
Movie | Castle of Sand | 2019-03-28 | |
Movie | 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) | 2018-04-02 |
Series | Virtual Detective Tabito Higurashi | Wataru Enoki | 2017-01-22 |
Series | Fragile | Kaoru Nakaguma | 2016-01-13 |
Movie | Sayonara Debussy - Pianist Tantei Misaki Yosuke | 香月玄太郎 | 2016-03-18 |
Movie | One Piece Film: GOLD | Raise Max (voice) | 2016-07-23 |
Movie | Monster Strike The Movie: To The Place of Beginnings | Kentaro Ishibashi (voice) | 2016-12-10 |
Movie | Case 17 | Shuichi Itami | 2016-06-04 |
Series | Keiji 7-nin | Shuntaro Domoto | 2015-07-15 |
Series | I'm Home | Yozo Ieji | 2015-04-16 |
Movie | Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel | 2014-01-19 | |
Movie | Sakura Housara | 2014-01-01 | |
Series | Sanbiki no Ossan | 清田清一 | 2014-01-17 |
Movie | Legal High SP | Teshigawara Isao | 2013-04-13 |
Series | Hanzawa Naoki | Ken Nakanowatari | 2013-07-07 |
Movie | 淋しい狩人 | 2013-09-20 | |
Movie | I Don't Want to Kidnap Anyone Anymore | Hanazono Shugoro | 2012-01-03 |
Series | Man of Destiny | Keisaku Sahashi | 2012-01-15 |
Series | Breathless Summer | Shusaku Natsume | 2012-07-10 |
Series | Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon | Yoshito Tendo(天堂 義人) | 2012-10-18 |
Movie | Asura | Monk | 2012-09-29 |
Series | Blackboard | Shioda Akinori | 2012-04-05 |
Series | Princess Go | 2011-01-09 | |
Movie | The Last Revenge | Tesshu Yamaoka | 2011-02-26 |
Series | Absolute Zero | Hideo Nagashima | 2010-04-13 |
Movie | Eternal First Love | Yuichi Makibara | 2010-09-11 |
Movie | The Incite Mill | Yoshi Ando | 2010-10-16 |
Movie | Sakurada Gate Incident | 2010-10-16 | |
Movie | Chushingura〜Sono Otoko, Oishi Kuranosuke | 2010-12-25 | |
Series | Triangle | Kuroki Shinzo | 2009-01-06 |
Movie | Genjuro's Deadly Sword: The Return of Shinigami | Unknown | 2009-07-19 |
Series | Atsuhime | 2008-01-06 | |
Series | 刑事シュート しゅうと&ムコの事件日誌 | Unknown | 2008-10-20 |
Movie | Sushi King Goes to New York | Gengoro | 2008-04-19 |
Series | Phantom Assassin | Koyama Genjuro | 2008-01-18 |
Series | The Family | Daisuke Manpyo | 2007-01-14 |
Series | Kuwayama Jubei travels to eight provinces | Kuwayama Jubei | 2007-05-01 |
Series | The Story of Dominating Countries | 2005-01-02 | |
Series | Magistrate Ooka Echizen | 2005-04-18 | |
Movie | Roving Police Chief Kazama Shohei 2 - Lake Tazawa Murder Case | Shohei Kazama | 2004-02-01 |
Series | 忠臣蔵 | Unknown | 2004-10-18 |
Series | さすらい署長 風間昭平 | 2003-03-02 | |
Series | Lone Wolf and Cub | Ogami Ittô | 2002-10-14 |
Series | 生存 愛する娘のために | Unknown | 2002-02-11 |
Series | Hojo Tokimune | Sha Kokumei | 2001-01-07 |
Series | Secret magistrate Asahina | Asahina Kawachinokami Masakiyo | 1998-06-17 |
Movie | The Peking Man | Kin'ya Kitaôji | 1997-12-20 |
Series | Further Tales of Musashi | Miyamoto Musashi | 1996-01-02 |
Series | SMAP×SMAP | Skit Guest | 1996-04-15 |
Movie | Assassin's Target: Iemitsu | 1995-07-11 | |
Movie | Yakuza Ladies Revisited 2 | 1993-01-30 | |
Movie | Date Masamune: The One-Eyed Dragon | 1993-01-03 | |
Movie | Bored Hatamoto: The Kaga Conspiracy | 1993-07-12 | |
Movie | Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death | 1993-03-27 | |
Series | The Diary of Chuji's Travels | Chuji | 1992-02-24 |
Movie | Tokugawa Ieyasu: The Conqueror of Japan | 1992-01-03 | |
Movie | Dohten | 1991-01-26 | |
Series | Miyamoto Musashi | Miyamoto Musashi | 1990-01-02 |
Series | Sanada Yukimura | Unknown | 1989-01-01 |
Movie | Sensei | Chairman of the town | 1989-04-08 |
Series | Crisis at Edo Castle - Angry Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu | 1987-01-02 | |
Series | Masamune Shogun | 伊達輝宗 | 1987-01-04 |
Series | Tokugawa Chronicles: Ambition of the 3 Branches | Genroku Kano (Tokugawa Yoshimune) | 1986-01-02 |
Movie | Fire Festival | Tatsuo | 1985-05-25 |
Movie | The Second Is a Christian | Eiji | 1985-09-14 |
Movie | Spring Bell | Rokuheita Narumi | 1985-11-09 |
Movie | Yume-Chiyo | Unknown | 1985-06-08 |
Movie | Kukai | Kukai | 1984-04-13 |
Movie | Zero | Jiro Horikoshi | 1984-08-11 |
Movie | The Story of a Man Among Men | 1984-11-17 | |
Movie | Lake of Illusions | Nobunaga Oda | 1982-09-11 |
Movie | The Highest Honour | Major Tachibana | 1982-05-15 |
Movie | Shadow Conspirator | Unknown | 1982-11-26 |
Movie | Future War 198X | Wataru Mikumo (voice) | 1982-10-30 |
Movie | Abandoned | Unknown | 1981-06-06 |
Movie | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga | 1980-04-05 | |
Movie | Dog Whistle | Unknown | 1978-03-31 |
Movie | Winter's Flower | Michio Sakata | 1978-06-17 |
Movie | Monument to Holy Service | 1978-09-23 | |
Movie | Dynamite Don-Don | Ginji Tachibana | 1978-10-07 |
Movie | Glowing Autumn | 1978-12-23 | |
Movie | The Alaska Story | Frank Yasuda | 1977-01-22 |
Movie | Mount Hakkoda | Captain Kanda | 1977-06-04 |
Movie | Love and Separation in Sri Lanka | 1976-05-29 | |
Movie | The Corporation | 1976-08-14 | |
Movie | Shimane Prison Riot | Yuji Kawamura | 1975-06-07 |
Movie | Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack | 1975-01-15 | |
Movie | Gambling Den Heist | Takeshi Kiyomoto | 1975-06-21 |
Movie | Takehisa Yumeji monogatari: koi suru | Yumeji Takehisa | 1975-11-01 |
Movie | Akumyo: Notorious Dragon | 1974-04-24 | |
Movie | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode | Tamotsu Matsumura | 1974-06-29 |
Movie | Father of the Kamikaze | 1974-09-14 | |
Movie | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima | Shoji Yamanaka | 1973-04-28 |
Movie | The Blossom and the Sword | Captain Sakagami | 1973-11-17 |
Movie | Men and War III: The Final Chapter | Shunsuke Godai | 1973-08-11 |
Movie | Rise, Fair Sun | 1973-10-27 | |
Movie | A Woman Called En | 1971-05-29 | |
Movie | Will to Conquer | 1970-10-17 | |
Series | Mominoki wa Nokotta | Sakai Tadakiyo | 1970-01-04 |
Movie | Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor | Soji Okita | 1969-12-05 |
Movie | Admiral Borneo: Betting at the Equator | Takeo | 1969-06-28 |
Series | Ryoma ga Yuku | Sakamoto Ryoma | 1968-01-07 |
Movie | The Day the Sun Rose | Unknown | 1968-11-23 |
Movie | One Day at Summer's End | Shigeo Ugari | 1968-11-30 |
Movie | River of Forever | 1967-02-19 | |
Movie | Love on the Rainbow | Tatsuya Kitakami | 1965-03-31 |
Movie | Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu | 1965-01-03 | |
Movie | Wolves, Pigs & Men | Sabu, the third brother | 1964-08-26 |
Movie | Tokaido Fullhouse | Okeya-no-oni | 1963-01-03 |
Movie | 53 Stages of Action | Unknown | 1963-01-23 |
Movie | The Navy | Shinji | 1963-08-13 |
Movie | Genkuro Yoshitsune | Unknown | 1962-05-16 |
Movie | Knightly Advice | Unknown | 1962-01-31 |
Movie | Yoka chigo zakura Make no wakamusha | Unknown | 1962-07-08 |
Movie | A Revengeful Raid | 1962-09-22 | |
Movie | Keepers of Order | 1962-08-22 | |
Movie | Fine Man | 1961-06-11 | |
Movie | Lord Mito: Struggle of Suke and Kaku | 1961-07-18 | |
Movie | The Orphan Brother | 1961-07-19 | |
Movie | Young Lord and Second Son | 1961-11-01 | |
Movie | Law in Ghost Island | Yusaku | 1961-08-13 |
Movie | Whistling Drifter | Tsukinowa Gentaro | 1961-09-23 |
Movie | Bored Hatamoto: Island of No Return | 1960-01-09 | |
Movie | The Acrobats of Death | Unknown | 1959-01-09 |
Movie | Bloody Battle at Dawn | Unknown | 1959-10-10 |
Movie | Bored Hatamoto: The Daimonji Conspiracy | Unknown | 1959-06-28 |
Movie | Kingdom of Youth | Yamanaka Shikanoske | 1958-05-20 |
Movie | Bored Hatamoto: Idle Vassal Tribute | 1958-08-12 | |
Movie | Shadow Over Fuji | 1957-10-29 | |
Movie | The Mansion of Intrigue | Kirishima Kyoya | 1957-12-28 |
Movie | Virtue in Spades | Unknown | 1956-05-03 |
Movie | Avenging Father | Minamoto no Yoriie | 1956-10-17 |