Inside the Unusual Love Story of Tamao Nakamura and Shintaro Katsu, as Told by a Reporter Who Knew Them Both

One of the biggest pachinko enthusiasts in the entertainment world

It has been exactly one month since actress Nakamura Tamao passed away from pneumonia on June 9 at the age of 86.

Tamao was born in Kyoto Prefecture. She grew up in an entertainment family as the eldest daughter of second-generation Nakamura Ganjirō, a kabuki actor who was also active in films. Her older brother was fourth-generation Sakata Tōjūrō.

After making her acting debut in the 1953 film “Keiko to Yukie,” she went on to establish herself mainly through period dramas, including the “Sleepy Eyes of Death (Nemuri Kyōshirō)” series and “The Great Bodhisattva Pass (Daibosatsu Tōge).” Although she was strongly associated with historical dramas, she also appeared in acclaimed works such as “The Human Condition,” “Ten Black Women,” and “The Golden Coffin (Kinkan Shoku).” Her career extended beyond film to the stage, voice acting in animated films, and variety programs, making her a beloved public figure.

Tamao was also known as one of the entertainment industry’s most passionate pachinko fans. She once said on the radio that she loved Starbucks’ iced caramel macchiato and that playing pachinko while holding the drink was one of her greatest pleasures. I myself witnessed Tamao playing pachinko several times.

The location was Akasaka, Tokyo, at a pachinko parlor near Akasaka-Mitsuke Station. Tamao appeared to be a regular customer there, as there were many reports of people seeing her at the establishment. Sometimes she would even be playing at a machine near the entrance, fully visible from the street.

I once saw her seriously focused on a machine while wearing a kimono. Later, when I saw her appear on a television program wearing what looked like the same kimono, I thought she must have gone to play during a break in the recording.

I first met her husband, Katsu Shintarō, while covering the pants incident in 1990, when he was arrested at a Hawaii airport for possession of marijuana and cocaine. After that, I was often invited to join him for meals and drinks.

On one occasion, I went with Katsu to visit Tamao at a hotel where she was holding a dinner show as a gesture of encouragement. We went to her dressing room, but Tamao was not there. Even the staff did not know where she had gone. After waiting for a while, she returned, happily telling us that she had gone to play pachinko and had hit a big fever win.

“Please take care of Katsu”

For ordinary pachinko enthusiasts, it is common to go play when they have free time. But Tamao was different. In a magazine interview, she said:

“It’s not that I go because I happen to have free time. I actually build it into my schedule from the beginning.”

(Fujin Kōron, December 14, 2021 issue)

Tamao and Katsu were sometimes portrayed as an “ideal couple,” but their married life was far from smooth.

Five years after their marriage, Katsu Productions, which Katsu founded, went bankrupt in 1980. The company’s total debts amounted to ¥1.4 billion. In 1982, their son and daughter were both arrested on suspicion of marijuana trafficking. In 1990, Katsu himself was arrested in the pants incident.

In 1995, Katsu was hospitalized after being diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer. He passed away in 1997, but his debts remained, and Tamao spent the following 25 years paying them off in full. The hardships she endured must have been beyond what others could truly understand.

When I was bar-hopping with Katsu, moving between clubs and lounges, Tamao would sometimes suddenly appear midway through the night and say:

“Please take care of Katsu.”

She would then hand Katsu some money—perhaps for a taxi fare—and leave. This happened several times.

On one occasion, Katsu became so drunk that he fell asleep at the establishment. It was already past midnight, and the place was preparing to close, so I woke him and said:

“Let’s go home. Where are you going back to tonight?”

Katsu replied:

“Tamao’s place, of course. Isn’t that obvious?”

Wanting to tease him a little, I responded:

“You mean Sato Tamao’s place?”

And he answered:

“Yeah, that sounds better.”

He really was a playful and mischievous person.

I had always assumed that, aside from sharing the same pronunciation of their names, there was no connection between Tamao and Sato Tamao (53). However, after seeing Sato Tamao’s tribute post on X, I remembered that moment:

“My parents were fans of Nakamura Tamao, and they named me ‘Tamao.’ Thanks to Tamao-san, I have this name.”

Katsu often spoke about Tamao, saying:

“Tamao, you know. Tamao, you know.”

And sometimes he would say:

“I’ve only caused Tamao hardship.”

He would even shed tears.

It was not only when talking about Tamao. When speaking about a man he considered his trusted right-hand person, he would sometimes cry uncontrollably and say:

“This guy even graduated from Kyoto University, but because he came to work for me, he ended up going through so much hardship.”

People who knew Katsu would say:

“That’s just acting.”

But if it was acting, then Katsu truly was a once-in-a-generation great actor. Even so, I want to believe that the tears he shed for Tamao were not an act.

In the aforementioned interview with “Fujin Kōron,” Tamao said:

“There was never a shortage of hardships, but even if I were reborn, I would still want to marry my husband.”

Katsu must have felt the same way,

Rest in peace.