<h3>Actor Shinichi Chiba died on August 19 at the age of 82.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220376" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 579px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220376"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="99bfb50d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/K5D3765.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220376" class="wp-caption-text">Mr. Chiba poses in a crowded area of Shinbashi (Minato-ku) in 2006. Chiba&#8217;s &#8220;Chiba-bushi&#8221; style was still alive and well, as he said he was still &#8220;active&#8221; as a man.</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong> When my father passed away in &#8217;92, he told me, &#8220;You can call me &#8216;Dad. He was quite a natural, and he had a real sense of humor. He once told me that he had eaten goat food today. When I asked him the name of the restaurant, he said, &#8220;It&#8217;s called Jingisukan,&#8221; but he insisted it was goat. When I asked him the name of the restaurant, he said it was a restaurant specializing in sheep dishes. Even though he knew he was wrong, he still insisted that it was goat.</strong></p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p>So says actor Kiichiro Wakayama (57), the eldest son of Tomisaburo Wakayama. He and Shinichi Chiba had known each other for 40 years and were like a father and son.</p>
<figure></figure>
<p><strong> About a month after his death, I drunkenly called my father&#8217;s cell phone, even though he was not supposed to answer. When he was still alive, I used to think, &#8216;It&#8217;s probably just a random request,&#8217; but now I really miss those calls. Since he passed away, I have been watching the movies in which he appeared every day.</strong></p>
<p>Mr. Chiba&#8217;s heroic image remains in the hearts of many people.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<h3>Actor Masakazu Tamura passed away on April 3, 2006 at the age of 77.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220378" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2835px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220378"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="17c28800"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/DT_3662.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220378" class="wp-caption-text">Mr. Tamura in April &#8217;18, when I directly hit him around his home. He revealed his thoughts on retirement in a calm tone of voice that seemed to include chewing.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The actor Masakazu Tamura passed away on April 3, 2006. As many of you know, he played many successful roles in &#8220;Sleeping Kyoshiro&#8221; and &#8220;Furuhata no Tosaburo&#8221; series. He had been in virtual retirement since 2006. In April 2006, he revealed his feelings to FRIDAY.</p>
<p><strong> I think I&#8217;ve done enough. I first appeared in &#8220;Nemikyroshiro&#8221; when I was in my 20s, and then in my 40s and 50s. But when I saw the preview of &#8220;(Nemikyroshiro) The Final&#8221; in February (&#8217;18), I realized that I couldn&#8217;t do it. I didn&#8217;t even want to watch it on air. It was a feeling that only I could understand, a feeling of &#8216;this is no good&#8217;. &#8230;&#8230;&#8221;</strong></p>
<p>When the FRIDAY reporter expressed his sadness at not being able to see Mr. Tamura again, he said, &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry, but please watch the reruns. There are good and bad works, but &#8230;&#8230;&#8221;.</p>
<p>The famous actor knew better than anyone else when to call it quits.</p>
<h3>Actor Kunie Tanaka died on March 24 at the age of 88.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220379" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2618px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220379"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="28d2b641"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/10000000000000081441_20211210151257023651_P130412000669.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220379" class="wp-caption-text">A scene from his visit to Hokkaido during the filming of the drama &#8220;Kita no Kuni Kara. There were whispers about his poor health for several years before his death.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Kunie Tanaka was loved for his role as Goro Kuroita in &#8220;Kita no Kuni Kara. The freelance personality Yukihiro Arai, 64, who was close to him in his later years, reveals his true face.</p>
<p><strong> Kunie was a more intellectual version of Goro-san, and he was very open and friendly to everyone. He respected Ken Takakura from the bottom of his heart, and on special occasions, he would always wear the watch that Ken had given him. I will never forget his smiling face when he talked about his memories of Ken.</strong></p>
<p>I wish I could have seen that smile on the face of one of Japan&#8217;s most famous supporting actors again.</p>
<h3>Judoist Toshihiko Koga died on March 24 at the age of 53.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220380" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2823px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220380"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="0dfda7b3"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/10000000000000081441_20211210151257023655_P210324000112.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220380" class="wp-caption-text">In 1995, Koga won the final of the World Judo Championships by Ippon. Prior to this, he won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong> When I lost in the third round of the 2003 World Championships, Koga-sensei called me several times a day from the next day. But at the time, I was at the bottom of my mental state and couldn&#8217;t answer the phone.</strong></p>
<p>Ayumi Tanimoto, 40, a disciple of Toshihiko Koga, who won gold medals at the Athens and Beijing Olympics, said, &#8220;Two months later, I went to the Kodokan.</p>
<p><strong> Ayumi Tanimoto, 40, who won gold medals at the Athens and Beijing Olympics and is a favorite pupil of Shihiko Tanimoto, said, &#8220;Two months later, I won the Kodokan Cup and finally got a call from my teacher. He didn&#8217;t get angry at all and said, &#8216;I&#8217;m glad. He said, &#8216;I&#8217;m glad. Let&#8217;s work hard again.</strong></p>
<p>He was also a great rakugo master.</p>
<h3>Rakugo storyteller Shofukutei Nizuru passed away on August 17, 2008 at the age of 84.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220381" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2324px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220381"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4fb9d3b0"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/2e766716eb4ad484c5205496f494617f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220381" class="wp-caption-text">In 2008, Mr. Nizuru took the stage at the Namba Grand kagetsu. He performed the Kamigata Rakugo classic &#8220;Ikeda no Inobai&#8221; (The Wild Boar in Ikeda) as his favorite story.</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong> Even though he was busy with a number of regular TV and radio programs, he used to drive the performers to their shows. I&#8217;m sure the families of the performers were surprised when he dropped them off.</strong></p>
<p>So says Seiichi Yano, 86, an entertainment critic. Seiichi Yano, 86, an entertainment critic, recalls his memories of Shofukutei Nizuru, a leading figure in Kamigata Rakugo.</p>
<p><strong> The public probably has a strong image of him as a TV personality. But he always cherished the yose. I think it was because he wanted to keep the light of Kamigata Rakugo alive.</strong></p>
<h3>Aki Kobayashi, composer, died on May 30 at age 88</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220382" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2719px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220382"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="74e15fd5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/10000000000000081441_20211210151257023652_P120306758789.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220382" class="wp-caption-text">In addition to her work as a composer, Kobayashi was also an actor and singer in such films as &#8220;Kantaro Terauchi&#8217;s Family.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Mr. Kobayashi was a composer for &#8220;Kita no Yado Kara&#8221; (From the North Inn), a singer, and an actor. A friend of Kobayashi&#8217;s, violinist Atsuko Temma, 66, said, &#8220;The composer Kobayashi was very active.</p>
<p><strong> His wife told me that he was a composer with a lot of energy. His wife told me that once he had a melody in his head, he would lock himself away in his study and line the floor with paper staves. She told me that he would get very angry if he touched it even slightly. He was strict in a good way and kind in a good way.</strong></p>
<h3>Screenwriter: Sugako Hashida died on April 4 at the age of 95.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220383" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2654px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220383"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7f1e0868"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/2021061004178.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220383" class="wp-caption-text">Her best-known works include &#8220;Oshin&#8221; and &#8220;Onna Taikoki&#8221;. The photo was taken at her home in Atami in 2007.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The screenwriter, Ms. Sugako Hashida, whose works include &#8220;The world that crosses is full of demons,&#8221; has also passed away. The actress Ryo Yoshimura, 43, who played the role of Ai, the daughter of May (Pinko Izumi) Kojima, in &#8220;Wataru Sekima wa Oni Bakari,&#8221; said, &#8220;Mr. Hashida was a very good writer.</p>
<p><strong> She said, &#8220;Mr. Hashida placed great importance on the fact that the story should be understandable even while doing housework. I think that&#8217;s why there were sometimes lines that were like explanations. The longer the lines, the harder it was to remember them (laughs).</strong></p>
<p>The scriptwriter, who continued to depict women, was thinking about her busy female viewers first.</p>
<h3>Gekiga-ka (playwright), died on September 24, 2008 at age 84</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220384" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2782px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220384"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3a46aba7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/KA2_9735.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220384" class="wp-caption-text">In 2008, he was interviewed by this magazine on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of &#8220;Golgo 13. He said, &#8220;Gorgo is my least favorite work.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Mr. Takao Saito is the author of numerous masterpieces, including &#8220;Golgo 13&#8221;. When he was in the third year of junior high school, manga artist Noboru Kawasaki, 80, the creator of &#8220;The Star of the Giants,&#8221; went to Saito&#8217;s parents&#8217; house in Osaka.</p>
<p><strong> Five or six of us formed a club and studied manga. He used a G-pen to draw thick, strong lines and thin ones at will. He was always something special.</strong></p>
<h3>Designer Emi Wada passed away on November 13, 2012 at 84 years old.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220385" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2186px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220385"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="eb649a15"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/aflo_175011236.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220385" class="wp-caption-text">Designer Emi Wada died on November 13 at age 84.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The photo shows Emi Wada when she became the first Japanese woman to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Akira Kurosawa&#8217;s &#8220;Ran&#8221; in 1986. She was also active in many foreign films, including Zhang Yimou&#8217;s &#8220;Hero.</p>
<h3>Baseball player Yasunori Oshima died on June 30 at the age of 70</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220386" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2067px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220386"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5d934479"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/10000000000000081441_20211210151257023653_P120307901442.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220386" class="wp-caption-text">Baseball player Yasunori Oshima died on June 30 at age 70.</figcaption></figure>
<p>After graduating from Oita Prefectural Nakatsu Technical High School, he played for Chunichi and Nippon Ham. In 2005, he announced that he had stage 4 colon cancer. While undergoing cancer treatment, he continued to work as a baseball commentator on TV. This photo was taken in 1990, when he became the 25th player in history to reach 2,000 hits.</p>
<h3>Jakucho Setouchi, Writer and Priest, Died on November 9 at age 99</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220387" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2069px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220387"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8c1924fe"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/10000000000000081441_20211210151257023654_P181127000189.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220387" class="wp-caption-text">Author, Priest Jakucho Setouchi died on November 9 at the age of 99.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Setouchi Jakucho was a writer who continued to focus on human desires and karma, including love. In 1948, shortly after the end of the war, she abandoned her family and eloped with a young literary student of her husband&#8217;s. There are countless anecdotes about her personal life. Next to her is her secretary, Manaho Seo (33).</p>
<h3>Author Kazutoshi Hando died on January 12 at the age of 90</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220388" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2035px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220388"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="375bdd8a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/DSC_0509.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220388" class="wp-caption-text">Author Kazutoshi Hando died on January 12 at the age of 90.</figcaption></figure>
<p>A leading figure in the study of Showa history, author of various books including &#8220;Nihon no ichiban nagai nichi&#8221; (Japan&#8217;s Longest Day), which became a best-seller and was made into a movie, and &#8220;Nomonhan no natsu&#8221; (The Summer of Nomonhan). In 2007, he was interviewed by this magazine and revealed details of his role as the advisor to Prince Eugene, the eldest son of the Akishino family.</p>
<h3>Composer Koichi Sugiyama died on September 30, 2007 at the age of 90.</h3>
<p><a href="#" data-ident_hash="13c284ee"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/O3S_2031-4c.jpg" alt=""></a></p>
<p>Composer of many video games, including the Dragon Quest series. The photo shows him at his home in 2001 when he gave an interview to this magazine. He said, &#8220;Recently, I&#8217;ve come to think more about the future of Japan than about myself.</p>
<h3>Kabuki actor Nakamura Kichiemon died on November 28 at the age of 77</h3>
<figure id="attachment_220390" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2183px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-220390"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="456adab5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2021/12/10000000000000140541_20211210152136057562_P111121003798.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-220390" class="wp-caption-text">Kabukiyakusha Nakamura Kichiemon died on November 28 at the age of 77.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Born the second son of Matsumoto Koshiro VIII, he was adopted by Nakamura Kichiemon I at the age of four. He played the role of Benkei in &#8220;Kannshinchou&#8221; and many other successful roles. In addition to kabuki, he became popular with the audience for his role as Heizo Hasegawa in the drama &#8220;Onihei Hankacho&#8221;. The cause of death was heart failure.</p>
<p>From &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221; December 31, 2021 issue</p>


 Hiroyuki Komatsu, Yuri Adachi, Sankei Visual, Kouichi Mano, Kyodo News, Takahiro Kagawa, Afro, Takeshi Kinugawa Ippei Hara Asahi Shimbun

 Legends of various industries, including famous actors and medalists, have passed away. Let's take a look back at their tumultuous and brilliant lives with their treasured photos and secret stories.

 This year, too, many famous people have sadly passed away. From famous actors and supporting actors to Kamigata Rakugo's leading figures and Olympic gold medalists

Shinichi Chiba, Masakazu Tamura…The Secret Stories of Those Who Died This Year

Access Ranking