“I’m Truly Grateful for These Past Eight Years” — Kento Yamazaki Shares an Emotional Message

The “Kingdom” series, the “Golden Kamuy” series, and the 2028 NHK historical drama “John Man”—Japan’s busiest leading actor continues his remarkable run.

Dressed sharply in a suit—but not for a date

On an afternoon in early June, actor Kento Yamazaki (31) emerged from a modern building in Tokyo with a refreshing presence that seemed to brighten the gloomy, overcast weather. Wearing a gray suit and black shirt, Yamazaki, under the watchful eyes of numerous staff members, entered a nearby restaurant.

Why had he visited the restaurant in the middle of a weekday?

“That day, an afternoon recording of the variety program ‘Guruguru Ninety-Nine’ (Nippon TV) was scheduled, and Yamazaki was appearing as a guest. Before he headed to the restaurant, ‘Ninety-Nine’ members Takashi Okamura (56) and Hiroyuki Yabe (54), dressed in school uniforms, along with regular cast members Seiya (33) of ‘Shimofuri Myojo,’ Takahisa Masuda (40) of ‘NEWS,’ and freelance announcer Shinichi Hatori (55), all arrived on set,” an entertainment industry source explained.

Yamazaki left a strong impression by politely greeting both the cast and the staff. After some time, a light rain began to fall. Although he briefly looked surprised when a staff member handed him an umbrella, he immediately flashed his trademark handsome smile—a testament to his professionalism.

Yamazaki has appeared on the show several times before, with his previous appearance occurring three years ago. At that time, he participated alongside his Kingdom co-star Kaname Jun (45) to promote the third film in the series, “Kingdom: Flame of Destiny.” He finished in last place and had to pay the hefty meal bill of ¥158,300 out of pocket. Still, for Yamazaki, even that seemed hardly worth worrying about.

The “Kingdom” series has achieved extraordinary success. Each of the first three films earned more than ¥5 billion at the box office, while the fourth film, “Kingdom: Return of the Great General,” released in 2024, surpassed ¥8 billion, setting a new record for the franchise. The latest installment, “Kingdom: Battle of Souls,” the fifth film in the series, is scheduled for release on July 17.

Appearing at the world premiere held at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on June 2, Yamazaki told the audience:

“Over the course of about eight years, I’ve been able to grow alongside the character Shin, almost as if I were living another life of my own. I feel truly fortunate. The fact that everyone has embraced the series and that we’re now able to deliver the fifth film has filled me with determination. We’ve created an incredible new ‘Kingdom,’ and I hope everyone gets excited and fired up by it this summer.”

The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.

Earlier this year, in March, the latest installment of the “Golden Kamuy” series, “Golden Kamuy: The Assault on Abashiri Prison,” in which Yamazaki stars, was also released. Then, at a press conference the following month, it was announced that he had been selected to play the lead role in the 2028 NHK historical drama “John Man,” marking his first appearance in a Taiga drama.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Yamazaki has firmly established himself as one of Japan’s foremost actors.

At the press conference announcing the project, Yamazaki commented:

“I was really surprised. The more I learn about John Manjiro, the more fascinating he becomes, and I’m happy that I’ll be able to portray his life over the course of a year. I hope everyone looks forward to it.”

From films and television dramas to variety shows, Yamazaki’s unstoppable momentum shows no signs of slowing down, and many fans are already eagerly anticipating what he will bring to his upcoming Taiga drama.