From Chihayafuru to Diverse Roles: Takumi Urushiyama on His Evolving Acting Range

Not only has the manga sold a total of 29 million copies, but the film adaptations released in 2016 and 2018 starring Suzu Hirose (27) were also major hits. Chihayafuru is truly a landmark youth story about high school students pouring their passion into competitive karuta.

Since July, an original story drama Chihayafuru – Meguri- (Nippon TV) has been airing, set ten years after the events of the films. In this work, Takumi Urushiyama (18) has been drawing attention for his role as Ibuki Hiiragi, a workout fanatic student at rival school Hokuo Academy, which competes against protagonist Meguru Aizawa’s (Ami Toma, 18) Umezono High School.

“It was an audition with about 2,000 participants, but my agency didn’t tell me what drama it was for. They only said it was a youth story involving club activities. I never imagined it would be Chihayafuru. When I found out after passing, I was really happy to be part of such a famous work, but at the same time, I felt a lot of pressure.”

Urushiyama played hard tennis for three years in junior high, but had never touched competitive karuta before.

“On the day of the first meeting, they set up a three-hour practice, and that’s when I touched karuta for the first time. After talking with my manager, I decided to first memorize all 100 poems of the Hyakunin Isshu. I also practiced with the mindset of wanting to pick the cards more beautifully than anyone else.”

The character he plays, Ibuki Hiiragi, is a “macho” karuta club member obsessed with working out. Naturally, this meant not just karuta practice but also tough physical training.

“At the audition, when they asked about my hobbies, I said weight training and sauna. The producer remembered that and made me a workout character. So I really put effort into building my body for the role (laughs). From the day I was told I’d passed the audition until filming started about eight months later, I went to the gym four times a week and included running. I also strictly controlled my diet. To lose fat, I limited rice to 150 grams per meal and cut fat to the bare minimum while keeping protein. I couldn’t feel at ease unless I did that much. The other actors were all really amazing, and I didn’t want to get swallowed up. I wanted to perform in the best condition I could.”

With his mind set on memorizing the Hyakunin Isshu and his body honed, he faced his first TV drama role—and learned a great deal as an actor.

“Seeing and hearing up close how the other cast members approached their roles made me feel I could do more too. In the end, I gave everything I had, so I don’t have regrets, but looking around, I realized I still have a long way to go. As an actor, I want to polish myself more and keep growing.”

Since it’s a youth drama, peers of the same generation pushed each other through their performances. Among them, it was especially the lead actress, Ami Toma, who left the deepest impression on him.

“Ms. Toma really led everyone on set as the lead. She’s only a year older than me, but if I were given the chance to shoulder that responsibility as the lead a year from now, I don’t think I could guide the set the way she did—I’d probably just get restless. Since this was my first drama series, I was completely preoccupied with just myself. That’s why I thought Ms. Toma was truly amazing, and I was really inspired by her.”

Despite being new, Urushiyama has already taken on the major responsibility of his first leading role in a short film. His movie Peach-Flavored Pear was selected for the Indie Forum section at the 21st Osaka Asian Film Festival, held from August 29 to September 7.

“As the lead, I felt a lot of pressure. When I was first offered the role, I couldn’t even imagine what a ‘rental boyfriend’ was supposed to be.”

In the film, he plays Shin, a high school student who works as a rental boyfriend for classmates in order to buy an expensive pillow for his best friend.

“Of course, I’ve never done anything like being a rental boyfriend in real life, so at first I found it really difficult (laughs). While talking with the director, I thought about things like, if I were to do it, what kind of rules would I set for myself. It was tough, but Shin, who carries hidden feelings in his heart, and Ibuki from Chihayafuru, who overflows with passion, are both high school students yet complete opposites.”

Urushiyama opened the door to the entertainment world after winning the Jury’s Special Award at the 2023 Junon Superboy Contest. At the agency he chose, he has a powerful senior to look up to—today’s breakout star Mio Imada (28).

“The first time I met her was when she was filming Hanasaki Mai ga Damattenai (aired in 2024 on Nippon TV). I greeted her during a break in shooting at the studio. She was so dazzling, with the aura of a lead actress. She spoke calmly, but had a core strength that drew people in. I thought, I want to become a national-level actor someday, someone who can guide juniors just like Ms. Imada.”

Urushiyama is steadily climbing the steps of his acting career. When asked what kind of actor he wants to become, he answered:

“I want to be Kamen Rider! For boys, heroes are something we really look up to. And I want to win the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor by the time I’m 25. I’m studying English and Korean now so I can eventually appear in international works. I don’t want to be just a cool actor, I want to be a good actor. Someone who can cry with their whole face crumpled up, or laugh with everything they’ve got—even on screen. An actor whose every line feels alive—that’s the kind of actor I want to be.”

Within this 18-year-old burns a fiery actor’s soul.