Yutaka Takenouchi, a man whose private life is shrouded in mystery.

Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, is a town famous as a haunt of comedians and musicians. On a late March evening, when the cherry blossoms were a little late in blooming, a dandy of a man came out of a stylishly styled store.

He quietly closed the door and slowed his pace. In the cold wind, he rewrapped his scarf, as if he was concerned about the cold. It was a very stylish scene, often seen in movies and TV dramas.

The unexpected appearance of Yutaka Takenouchi, 53, was a surprise to the customers in attendance.

When I was ordering, I heard a faint sound of a low-pitched, good-looking voice, and women of our generation all reacted to it. I was lucky enough to be able to see him here!

Takenouchi’s choice for dinner was a local restaurant that specializes in Japanese ingredients.

It is such a popular soba restaurant that regular customers line up for the initial lot even before the restaurant opens. In addition to soba, the restaurant offers a wide variety of a la carte dishes and local sake. The prices are reasonable for what they are.

Takenouchi became independent from Kenon at the end of 2009, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of his acting debut.

Takenouchi is in stark contrast to Takashi Sorimachi (50), who is from the same agency and played the lead in “Beach Boys” in 1997. While Sorimachi has a stiff image, Takenouchi is softer. Takenouchi’s acting has a loose feel to it, and he blends in well with the work. However, in the past few years, he has become more free in his choice of works, and his roles seem to have become more forceful.

From the unconventional judge in “Ichikei no Karasu” (Fuji TV), to the responsible head of duty at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in the Netflix series “THE DAYS,” to the naturalistic director in the commercial for the cab app “GO,” he is expanding his range from serious roles to third-person roles, without being limited by his image. (Writer Kumao Oyama).

As a top actor, his personal life has always attracted interest. In October 2002, his relationship with actress Kana Kurashina (36) came to light when FRIDAY reported his “sleepover love” with her. Although they greeted both of their parents and were thought to be about to get married, their relationship was reported to have broken up in November 2006.

Since then, FRIDAY has witnessed Takenouchi’s simple lifestyle, such as standing in line for takeout at a yakitori (grilled pork dumplings) restaurant and eagerly choosing green onions at the supermarket.

Takenouchi’s relationships are simple, and few people know much about his personal life. After his breakup with Kurashina, we have not heard much about his affairs. He may be more interested in spending time with his mother, who is in her 80s, than getting married.

Takenouchi, who has been called the ″last big bachelor actor″ and is still enjoying his life alone. It seems that we won’t hear any screams from his fans for a while.

From the April 26, 2024 issue of FRIDAY