Japan has a robust and storied history of film, with some of the most influential movies of all time coming from the country. Akira Kurosawa is considered one of the greatest directors of all time,Kurosawa’s movies helped pioneer the modern Hollywood blockbuster, with monumental films likeSeven Samurai, andYojimbo,which played a major role in shaping the Hollywood Western, and vice versa. In fact, George Lucas was heavilyinfluenced by Kurosawa’s films when makingStar Wars,particularlyThe Hidden Fortress, as they share many similarities.
Japan’s cinematic history is incredibly varied, with some of the greatest films fitting into a variety of genres, including samurai stories, family dramas, and horror. Alongside legendary directors, these films also include some of the best acting performances of all time, with some of the best actors in the world.Actors like Hiroyuki Sanada, Setsuko Hara, and Toshirō Mifune have all played significant roles in Japan’s film industry, and sit alongside some others, that make up thebest Japanese actors of all time.
10Ken Watanabe
The Last Samurai (2003), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006), Inception (2010)
What makes Ken Watanabe so special is there are few Japanese actors who have been able to break into Hollywood as successfully as he has, with him regularly appearing in major films outside of Japan. That wasn’t always the case, though, as Watanabe began his career in the early ’80s, mostly known for playing samurai in various movies and television shows, withhis Hollywood breakthrough coming in the 2003 film,The Last Samurai.
Is The Last Samurai Real At All? True Story Explained
The Last Samurai chronicles a real-life Japanese rebellion but fictionalizes several historical events and people. Here’s what you need to know.
Watanabe was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for his performance as Katsumoto inThe Last Samurai,and he then started picking up even more Hollywood roles. These credits includeMemoirs of a Geisha(2005),Letter From Iwo Jima(2006),Inception(2010), andGodzilla(2014). Watanabe is next set to appear in the Japanese filmNational Treasure— no relation to the Nicolas Cage franchise — in 2025.
9Takeshi Kitano
Fireworks (1997), Kikujiro (1999), Battle Royale (2000)
Takeshi Kitano is special, becausenot only is he one of Japan’s best actors, but he is also one of the country’s best directors, regularly starring in his own directorial projects. Before his acting career really took off, though, Kitano was part of a successful comedy duo named Two Beat, eventually appearing in various small parts on film and television throughout the 1980s. It wasn’t until he was cast as the lead in the 1989 filmViolent Copthat he began to make a name for himself as an actor.
The 2021 Netflix film,Asakusa Kidwas adapted from Kitano’s memoir of the same name.
Kitano was massive in Japanese cinema of the ’90s, turning out both incredible performances and incredible films as the director. His performances in films likeFireworks(Hana-bi),Kikujiro,Battle Royale, andZatoichi, helped solidify Kitano as one of the best actors during his time and one of Japan’s best ever. Kitano won the Golden Lion at the 1997 Venice Film Festival for his work on Fireworks, which he both directed and starred in.
8Kōji Yakusho
Tampopo (1985), Cure (1997), Perfect Days (2023)
Active since the late ’70s, Kōji Yakusho continues to turn out incredible performances to this day, showing just how impactful he has been on the Japanese film industry. Yakusho’s first big came when he was cast in the 1983 TV series,Tokugawa Ieyasu,which catapulted him to fame within Japan, and he continued working throughout the ’80s, most notably with his role in the 1986 film,Tampopo.
In the late ’90s and early 2000s,Yakusho started appearing in a number of films by legendary horror director, Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Of these roles, his most notable is Kenichi Takabe in the bone-chillingCurein 1997, which is regularly considered one of thebest Japanese horror movies of all time. Despite having a long career, Yakusho hasn’t slowed down, recently winning Best Actor at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for his work onPerfect Days.
7Ayako Wakao
Street Of Shame (1956), The Blue Sky Maiden (1957), Floating Weeds (1959)
Beginning her career in the early 50s, Ayako Wakao was one of Japan’s most popular actors throughout that decade and into the ’60s. What made her stand out so much was her regular work with legendary director, Yasuko Masumura, with the two collaborating on 20 films throughout her career. These includedThe Blue Sky Maiden,Irezumi, andRed Angel. Director Kon Ichikawa also viewed Wakao favorably, as she appeared in seven of his films.
Street of Shameis a particular standout, giving her character Yasumi remarkable amounts of depth, while sensitively navigating a difficult topic in Japan at the time.
Ayako Wakao’s strength as an actor was in her ability to create these complex female characters, with staggering performances in some of the best films Japan has ever seen. Her work as a brothel worker inStreet of Shameis a particular standout, giving her character Yasumi remarkable amounts of depth, while sensitively navigating a difficult topic in Japan at the time. She also appeared in the iconic film,Floating Weeds, by one of Japan’s greatest, Yasujirō Ozu.
6Takashi Shimura
Drunken Angel (1948), Ikiru (1952), Godzilla (1954)
Japan’s cinematic landscape could have been a lot different without Takashi Shimura’s presence, who appeared in over 200 films during the course of his prolific career. Debuting in the 1934 silent film,Number One, Love Street,he worked all the way up until the early 1980s. He has been in some of Japan’s most important films ever, includingSeven Samurai,Rashomon,Drunken Angel, andGodzilla.
Perhaps his most significant contribution to the Japanese film industry was his remarkable performance inIkiru,one of the best films by Akira Kurosawa, who is largely considered the greatest Japanese director of all time.Ikirurevolves around a man who was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the subsequent way he tries to come to terms with his mortality. A biting look at Japanese bureaucracy, Takashi Shimura’s performance in the film is one of the best of all time.
5Chishū Ryū
Late Spring (1949), Tokyo Story (1953), Late Autumn (1960)
Like Takashi Shimura, Chishū Ryū played a significant role in shaping the Japanese film industry, having over 230 acting credits to his name over the course of his 65-year career. Ryū began his career in 1928, being cast in the Yasujirō Ozu film,Dreams of Youth. It wasn’t until 1936, though, that he got his first big role inCollege is a Nice Place, another Ozu-directed movie. His first big breakthrough was in the 1936 film,The Only Son, which opened the door for his career to take off.
While many of Japan’s greatest actors worked frequently with certain directors, Ryū and Ozu’s frequent collaborations are incredibly impressive. In fact,Ryū appeared in 52 of Ozu’s 54 films throughout his career. Some of Ryū’s most notable Ozu films includeLate Spring,Tokyo Story,Late Autumn,Tokyo Twilight, andFloating Weeds.
4Hiroyuki Sanada
Ringu (1998), Round About Midnight (1999), Shogun (2024)
Hiroyuki Sanada is arguably Japan’s best modern-day actor, having appeared in some significant films over the course of his career. Like Ken Watanabe,Sanada was able to break out of Japan and find success in some prestigious Hollywood productions, including2024’sShōgun,where he took home a Primetime Emmy for Best Actor. It’s one of his best performances ever, showing everyone just how good he is as an actor.
Shogun Sets A Major Emmys Record After 75 Years – That Should’ve Happened 2 Years Ago
The FX historical drama television series Shōgun made history at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, but the beaten record should have happened already.
Before his international days, though, Sanada began his career in the mid-’60s at the age of 5. Sanada’s work in the ’80s helped establish him as an action star, while his performance in the 1988 film,Kaitō Ruby,was a fun look at him playing against character. Sanada’s big breakthrough for international audiences was his performance inRingu, one of Japan’s most influential horror films of the late ’90s, which helped pave the way for horror across the world.
3Tatsuya Nakadai
Harakiri (1962), Kwaidan (1964), Kagemusha (1980)
Starting his career in 1952, Tatsuya Nakadai spent several years in very minor roles, including an uncredited appearance inSeven Samurai. It wasn’t until 1957 that Nakadai had his first big breakout role in the movie,Black River. After that, his career took off, and he became a frequent collaborator with director Masaki Kobayashi, resulting in some of the greatest films ever made.
Harakiriis actually Tatsuya Nakadai’s personal favorite among his films.
Nakadai was in some truly monumental films throughout his career, which helped shape Japan’s cinematic history. Some of his most notable roles were in films like,The Human Conditiontrilogy,Kwaidan,Ran, andKagemusha.Perhaps his most significant, though, is the 1962 filmHarakiri, which is largely considered one of the greatest movies ever made, even outside of Japan. It’s a milestone in Japanese cinema and Nakadai’s performance in it is one of the country’s best ever.
2Setsuko Hara
Late Spring (1949), Early Summer (1951), Tokyo Story (1953)
Setsuko Hara is undoubtedly one of the greatest Japanese actors of all time, while also being one of the most mysterious. Starting her career in 1935, Hara appeared in the film,Do Not Hesitate Young Folks!,at 15 years of age, and had her first big breakthrough in the 1937 film,The Daughter of the Samurai.She had a prolific career for nearly 30 years, with significant performances in a number of Ozu’s films, as she was another of his frequent collaborators.
Among those, her most important works includeLate Spring,Early Summer, andTokyo Story. She also appeared in the Akira Kurosawa film,No Regrets for Our Youth. After Ozu died in 1963, Setsuko Hara retired from acting that same year, spending most of the rest of her life secluded in Kamakura, where she refused photos and interviews. Hara eventually stated that she never enjoyed acting and her only reason for pursuing it was to help support her family. The 2001 anime film,Millennium Actresswas loosely based on Hara’s life in film.
1Toshirō Mifune
Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), High and Low (1963)
Is there a bigger Japanese actor than Toshirō Mifune?Mifune’s incredibly impressive filmographyhelped put Japan’s film industry in the international spotlight, and his frequent collaborations with Akira Kurosawa are a main staple of it. Not only did his films influence and shape Japan’s entertainment industry over the years, but they were incredibly influential throughout the world. His ability to command the screen in his performances is almost unmatched.
Starting his career in 1947, Toshirō Mifune has more than 180 credits to his name, and appeared in 16 Kurosawa films throughout his career. Some of his most important works includeSeven Samurai,The Hidden Fortress,Rashomon,High and Low, andYojimbo. Mifune won several Best Actor awards at the Venice Film Festival throughout his career and is generally considered one of thebest actors of all time.
