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 | Unknown | 2026 |
| Series | Alice in Wonderful Kitchen | Gojo Michitaka | 2024-01-21 |
| Series | Believe: A Bridge to You | Goro Bando | 2024-04-25 |
| Movie | Toyama Shōgawa kai satsujin jiken | Unknown | 2024-06-24 |
| Movie | THE LEGEND & BUTTERFLY | Saitō Dōsan | 2023-01-27 |
| Series | Kazama Kimichika: Kyojo Zero | Unknown | 2023-04-10 |
| 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 | Unknown | 2022-01-24 |
| Series | In His Chart | Itagaki Genzo [Director] | 2021-02-15 |
| Movie | 三屋清左衛門残日録 新たなしあわせ | Unknown | 2020-03-14 |
| 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~ | Unknown | 2019-01-18 |
| Movie | Castle of Sand | Unknown | 2019-03-28 |
| Movie | Whistleblower | Ikuo Yakuyama | 2019-02-01 |
| Movie | 三屋清左衛門残日録 三十年ぶりの再会 | Unknown | 2018-02-03 |
| 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 |
| Movie | 三屋清左衛門残日録 完結篇 | Mitsuya Seizaemon | 2017-02-11 |
| Movie | 三屋清左衛門残日録 | Mitsuya Seizaemon | 2016-02-06 |
| 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 | Case 17 | Shuichi Itami | 2016-06-04 |
| Movie | Monster Strike The Movie: To The Place of Beginnings | Kentaro Ishibashi (voice) | 2016-12-10 |
| Series | I'm Home | Yozo Ieji | 2015-04-16 |
| Series | Seven Detectives | Shuntaro Domoto | 2015-07-15 |
| Movie | Sakura Housara | Unknown | 2014-01-01 |
| Series | Sanbiki no Ossan | 清田清一 | 2014-01-17 |
| Movie | Kenkaku Shōbai: Onikuma Izakaya | Unknown | 2014-08-08 |
| Movie | Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel | Unknown | 2014-01-19 |
| Movie | Legal High SP | Teshigawara Isao | 2013-04-13 |
| Movie | 淋しい狩人 | Unknown | 2013-09-20 |
| Series | Hanzawa Naoki | Ken Nakanowatari | 2013-07-07 |
| Series | Man of Destiny | Keisaku Sahashi | 2012-01-15 |
| Movie | I Don't Want to Kidnap Anyone Anymore | Hanazono Shugoro | 2012-01-03 |
| Series | Blackboard | Shioda Akinori | 2012-04-05 |
| Series | Breathless Summer | 夏目周作 | 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 | Princess Go | Unknown | 2011-01-09 |
| Movie | The Last Revenge | Tesshu Yamaoka | 2011-02-26 |
| Series | Absolute Zero | Hideo Nagashima | 2010-04-13 |
| Movie | Sakurada Gate Incident | Unknown | 2010-10-16 |
| Movie | Eternal First Love | Yuichi Makibara | 2010-09-11 |
| Movie | Chushingura〜Sono Otoko, Oishi Kuranosuke | Unknown | 2010-12-25 |
| Movie | The Incite Mill | Yoshi Ando | 2010-10-16 |
| Series | Triangle | Kuroki Shinzo | 2009-01-06 |
| Movie | Genjuro's Deadly Sword: The Return of Shinigami | Unknown | 2009-07-19 |
| Series | Phantom Assassin | Koyama Genjuro | 2008-01-18 |
| Series | Atsuhime | Unknown | 2008-01-06 |
| Movie | Sushi King Goes to New York | Gengoro | 2008-04-19 |
| Series | 刑事シュート しゅうと&ムコの事件日誌 | Unknown | 2008-10-20 |
| 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 | Unknown | 2005-01-02 |
| Series | Magistrate Ooka Echizen | Unknown | 2005-04-18 |
| Series | 忠臣蔵 | Unknown | 2004-10-18 |
| Movie | Roving Police Chief Kazama Shohei 2 - Lake Tazawa Murder Case | Shohei Kazama | 2004-02-01 |
| Series | さすらい署長 風間昭平 | Unknown | 2003-03-02 |
| Series | 生存 愛する娘のために | Unknown | 2002-02-11 |
| Series | Lone Wolf and Cub | Ogami Ittô | 2002-10-14 |
| 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 | Unknown | 1995-07-11 |
| Movie | Another 47 Ronins: Genroku Taiheiki | Unknown | 1995-10-07 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 9 | Unknown | 1994-01-03 |
| Movie | Yakuza Ladies Revisited 2 | Unknown | 1993-01-30 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 8 | Sawatari Mondonosuke | 1993-03-27 |
| Movie | Date Masamune: The One-Eyed Dragon | Unknown | 1993-01-03 |
| Series | 事件 (テレビ朝日のテレビドラマ) | Unknown | 1993-06-12 |
| Movie | Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death | Unknown | 1993-03-27 |
| Movie | Bored Hatamoto: The Kaga Conspiracy | Unknown | 1993-07-12 |
| Series | The Diary of Chuji's Travels | Chuji | 1992-02-24 |
| Movie | Tokugawa Ieyasu: The Conqueror of Japan | Unknown | 1992-01-03 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 7 | Sawatari Shusui | 1992-05-26 |
| Movie | 遊の人‐天下の御意見番 大久保彦左衛門‐ | Unknown | 1991-01-02 |
| Movie | Dohten | Unknown | 1991-01-26 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 6 | Sawatari Shusui | 1991-08-15 |
| Series | Miyamoto Musashi | Miyamoto Musashi | 1990-01-02 |
| Movie | Detective Heiji | Heiji Zenigata | 1990-07-11 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 5 | Sawatari Shusui | 1990-10-06 |
| Series | Sanada Yukimura | Unknown | 1989-01-01 |
| Movie | Sensei | Chairman of the town | 1989-04-08 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 3 | Sawatari Shusui | 1989-08-10 |
| Movie | 日時計館の美女 江戸川乱歩の「屋根裏の散歩者」 | Unknown | 1988-01-06 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai 2 | Mondonosuke Saotome | 1988-12-29 |
| Movie | The Notorious Bored Samurai | Mondosuke | 1988-08-11 |
| Series | Crisis at Edo Castle - Angry Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu | Unknown | 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 | Spring Bell | Rokuheita Narumi | 1985-11-09 |
| Movie | Fire Festival | Tatsuo | 1985-05-25 |
| Movie | Yume-Chiyo | Unknown | 1985-06-08 |
| Movie | The Second Is a Christian | Eiji | 1985-09-14 |
| Movie | Kukai | Kukai | 1984-04-13 |
| Movie | The Story of a Man Among Men | Unknown | 1984-11-17 |
| Movie | Zero | Jiro Horikoshi | 1984-08-11 |
| Movie | 南十字星 | Unknown | 1982-05-15 |
| Movie | Lake of Illusions | Nobunaga Oda | 1982-09-11 |
| Movie | The Highest Honour | Major Tachibana | 1982-05-15 |
| Movie | Future War 198X | Wataru Mikumo (voice) | 1982-10-30 |
| Movie | Shadow Conspirator | Unknown | 1982-11-26 |
| Movie | Abandoned | Unknown | 1981-06-06 |
| Movie | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga | Unknown | 1980-04-05 |
| Movie | Shag | Unknown | 1978-03-31 |
| Movie | Winter's Flower | Michio Sakata | 1978-06-17 |
| Movie | Glowing Autumn | Unknown | 1978-12-23 |
| Movie | Dynamite Don-Don | Ginji Tachibana | 1978-10-07 |
| Movie | Monument to Holy Service | Unknown | 1978-09-23 |
| Movie | The Alaska Story | Frank Yasuda | 1977-01-22 |
| Movie | Mount Hakkoda | Captain Kanda | 1977-06-04 |
| Movie | Love and Separation in Sri Lanka | Unknown | 1976-05-29 |
| Movie | The Corporation | Unknown | 1976-08-14 |
| Movie | Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack | Unknown | 1975-01-15 |
| Movie | Shimane Prison Riot | Yuji Kawamura | 1975-06-07 |
| Movie | Takehisa Yumeji monogatari: koi suru | Yumeji Takehisa | 1975-11-01 |
| Movie | Gambling Den Heist | Takeshi Kiyomoto | 1975-06-21 |
| Movie | Akumyo: Notorious Dragon | Unknown | 1974-04-24 |
| Movie | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode | Tamotsu Matsumura | 1974-06-29 |
| Movie | Father of the Kamikaze | Unknown | 1974-09-14 |
| Movie | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima | Shoji Yamanaka | 1973-04-28 |
| Movie | Men and War III: The Final Chapter | Shunsuke Godai | 1973-08-11 |
| Movie | Rise, Fair Sun | Unknown | 1973-10-27 |
| Movie | The Blossom and the Sword | Captain Sakagami | 1973-11-17 |
| Movie | A Woman Called En | Unknown | 1971-05-29 |
| Series | Mominoki wa Nokotta | Sakai Tadakiyo | 1970-01-04 |
| Movie | Will to Conquer | Unknown | 1970-10-17 |
| Movie | Tsugaru zessho | Unknown | 1969-04-12 |
| Movie | Admiral Borneo: Betting at the Equator | Takeo | 1969-06-28 |
| Movie | Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor | Soji Okita | 1969-12-05 |
| Series | Ryoma ga Yuku | Sakamoto Ryoma | 1968-01-07 |
| Movie | Cry of the Mountain | Unknown | 1968-09-07 |
| 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 | Unknown | 1967-02-19 |
| Movie | Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu | 松平三郎元信(後の徳川家康) | 1965-01-03 |
| Movie | Love on the Rainbow | Tatsuya Kitakami | 1965-03-31 |
| Movie | Wolves, Pigs & Men | Sabu, the third brother | 1964-08-26 |
| Movie | The Navy | Shinji | 1963-08-13 |
| Movie | Tokaido Fullhouse | Okeya-no-oni | 1963-01-03 |
| Movie | 53 Stages of Action | Unknown | 1963-01-23 |
| Movie | Genkuro Yoshitsune | Unknown | 1962-05-16 |
| Movie | Knightly Advice | Unknown | 1962-01-31 |
| Movie | Keepers of Order | Unknown | 1962-08-22 |
| Movie | Yoka chigo zakura Make no wakamusha | Unknown | 1962-07-08 |
| Movie | A Revengeful Raid | Unknown | 1962-09-22 |
| Movie | Fine Man | Unknown | 1961-06-11 |
| Movie | Traveling of Two Young Men | Gentaro | 1961-05-17 |
| Movie | Lord Mito: Struggle of Suke and Kaku | Unknown | 1961-07-18 |
| Movie | Law in Ghost Island | Yusaku | 1961-08-13 |
| Movie | Young Lord and Second Son | Unknown | 1961-11-01 |
| Movie | Whistling Drifter | Tsukinowa Gentaro | 1961-09-23 |
| Movie | The Orphan Brother | Unknown | 1961-07-19 |
| Movie | Bored Hatamoto: Island of No Return | Unknown | 1960-01-09 |
| Movie | The Acrobats of Death | Unknown | 1959-01-09 |
| Movie | Bored Hatamoto: The Daimonji Conspiracy | Unknown | 1959-06-28 |
| Movie | Bloody Battle at Dawn | Unknown | 1959-10-10 |
| Movie | Kingdom of Youth | Yamanaka Shikanoske | 1958-05-20 |
| Movie | Bored Hatamoto: Idle Vassal Tribute | Unknown | 1958-08-12 |
| Movie | Shadow Over Fuji | Unknown | 1957-10-29 |
| Movie | The Mansion of Intrigue | Kyoya Kirishima | 1957-12-28 |
| Movie | Virtue in Spades | Unknown | 1956-05-03 |
| Movie | Avenging Father | Minamoto no Yoriie | 1956-10-17 |