Ryo Katsuji and Popular Actress Enjoy Toba Aquarium Date and What Happened After

Ryo Katsuji (38), who has firmly established himself as a distinctive actor, recently portrayed Taishakuten in the movie “Holy☆Saints THE MOVIE: Holy Men VS Devil Legion” released at the end of last year.

Katsuji, along with the 11-year younger popular actress Kana Kita (27), was seen touring tourist spots in Ise, Mie Prefecture, just the two of them. The details are based on an article published on February 11, 2025.

A skilled actor, without any disguise, alone with her

About 1 million people visit the Toba Aquarium (in Mie Prefecture), one of Japan’s largest aquariums. On a weekday around 4:00 PM in mid-January 2025, a couple appeared at the exit with a paper bag from the aquarium shop.

“At the exit of the aquarium, there’s a bar installed so that no one can enter from outside, but it seemed heavy, and a woman with a stroller and child couldn’t get through. Then, a couple nearby held the bar open for her, and it turned out the man was Ryo Katsuji. Since he wasn’t in disguise, I recognized him immediately,” said a customer who was present.

Afterward, Katsuji and the woman entered a nearby café. While waiting for their drinks, they sat closely together and had a warm conversation, saying things like, “Let’s come back to Ise-Shima again” and “I’m a little hungry. Shall we have waffles?”

Katsuji, who married former AKB48 member and actress Atsuko Maeda (33) in 2018 and had their first son the following year, shocked many by divorcing less than three years later. However, even after the divorce, he posted pictures on social media of himself, his ex-wife, and their child enjoying outings together, earning positive attention for their continued good relationship.

However, the woman Katsuji was enjoying the aquarium date with—pale-skinned and slim—was none other than:

“She’s actress Kana Kita. She starred in NHK’s large-scale drama Kamakura-dono no 13-nin and Do Suru Ieyasu, and played the heroine in the film Shunga Sensei, giving a performance full of dedication. She is gaining steady popularity as a rising star,” said a representative from an entertainment agency.

So, what is the connection between the two?

“Katsuji and Kita co-starred in the play Shufu Yoneda Tokie no Meneki-ryoku ga Appu Suru Konto 6-hon, directed by Kan Kouji (54), from November to December 2024. Katsuji praised Kita’s performance, saying ‘Incredible!’ even though it was her first time appearing in a Kudo Kan (Kan Kouji) play. It seems that their bond quickly grew, and although Kita is 11 years younger, they were casually speaking to each other in no time,” said a source from the theater industry.

A few days after the Toba Aquarium date, Katsuji posted a photo on his Instagram:

“Memories of the 2025 Ise trip (omitted). We went to a hot spring, had a sauna, and ate a lot of delicious food—an incredibly satisfying trip.”

Both of their agencies responded to FRIDAY’s inquiry by stating, “We leave their private lives to them.”

Snow Man Shota Watanabe Fans Can Breathe a Sigh of Relief

After the magazine report, what trended on social media wasn’t so much the romance between the two, but rather a past video of Kita’s appearance.

“Kita appeared in the drama Sensei Sayonara (NTV), which aired starting January 2024, and was also featured in the wrap-up video. In that clip, she receives a bouquet from the lead actor, ‘Snow Man’s’ Shota Watanabe (32), and the casual body contact—like placing her hand over his or playfully tapping his shoulder multiple times while laughing—drew criticism from Watanabe’s fans on social media.

With FRIDAY’s report on the romance, some fans commented things like ‘So she was that actress,’ bringing the old incident back into the spotlight. However, many of Watanabe’s fans now seem relieved,” said an idol magazine writer.

On the other hand, Katsuji appeared on the talk show Sake no Tsumami ni Naru Hanashi (Fuji TV) on April 25 and shared this anecdote:

“Lately, I wake up, make my own smoothie, go to an herb shop, have them blend a custom herbal tea, and then spend the whole day drinking it.”

He also revealed he had recently purchased a rice cooker for the first time in his life:

“I made curry and froze it for later. I never imagined I’d be this kind of person.”

Clearly, he’s deeply into healthy living in his single life. What lies ahead for this budding romance? Stay tuned.