Interview with Masachika Ichimura: 53 Years as an Actor—“Spice Is Key to Both Food and Acting”

Akira Nishimura was the inspiration for her decision to become an actress

“For two or three hours, I can live the intense life of another person. When I realized that this could be my job, I felt a strong determination to pursue a career as a stage actor.”

His energetic voice echoed through the room. This is Masachika Ichimura (77), an actor who has remained at the forefront of the industry for over half a century since his debut in 1973 in the Shiki Theatre Company’s production of “Jesus Christ—Superstar” (now “Jesus Christ Superstar”).This year, too, while keeping the stage as his main arena, he is active across a wide range of projects and continues to command attention.

Ichimura first aspired to become an actor during his senior year of high school. The turning point came when he enrolled in the School of Performing Arts and served as an assistant to actor Akira Nishimura.

“I met Mr. Nishimura during the summer vacation of my second year at the Academy of Performing Arts. He was looking for an assistant for a musical he was appearing in, and my teacher recommended me because I had never been late or missed a class.
Those three years as an assistant were a treasure for me. It was a tremendous learning experience to be able to watch the live performances of great actors—not only Mr. Nishimura, but also Kinnosuke Yoroi and Hisaya Morishige—up close. As I spent those stimulating days, I began to want to stand on that same stage myself, and I decided to graduate.”

Ichimura auditioned for the Shiki Theater Company and made his debut as “Herod” in *Jesus Christ Superstar*, a musical depicting the last seven days of Jesus Christ’s life. His close friend, Takeshi Kaga (75), played the lead role of Jesus at that time.

“Takashi was handpicked from Shiki’s trainee program, and even back then, his singing and acting skills were exceptional. I couldn’t sing the way he did, so while I admired him, I knew I couldn’t just stop at feeling envious. I kept honing my craft, determined to develop a singing style that only I could pull off.”

Kaga left the Shiki Theatre Company in 1980, and Ichimura in 1990, but they have continued to perform together on numerous occasions since then.They will also team up again in *La Cage aux Folles*, which opens in Tokyo on December 9 of this year. This musical depicts the family love between the gay couple Georges and Zaza and their only son; for Ichimura, who has played the role of Zaza since 1993, it is one of his signature works.

“Toshiyuki Hosokawa and Masumi Okada had previously played Georges, but we hadn’t been able to stage the show since Mr. Okada passed away. So I suggested Takeshi Kaga, and that’s how it came together.”

Originally, it was supposed to be a one-time performance in 2008, but due to its unexpectedly huge success, it was revived, and this marks the sixth time the two have performed together.

“We’re able to stage revivals because audiences come to see ‘Ichimura’s Zaza.’ That’s why I treasure every single performance for the audience watching right in front of me.”

On the other hand, he played the role of the Engineer in *Miss Saigon*—a role he had continued to perform since the show’s Japanese premiere in ’92, with over 900 performances—but handed it over to the next generation after the ’22 run.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to give it up. But as other roles were increasingly played by younger actors, I felt like I was the only one out of place. As an actor who lives the role, my top priority is for the audience to enjoy the production. The Engineer is just one character in the story, but I hated being seen as ‘Masachika Ichimura’ rather than the Engineer.”

The Secret to Good Health Is “Eating Until You’re Half Full”

“I guess I’ve reached that age,” Ichimura murmurs quietly, but as of September 9, he is taking on the lead role in the new musical *Secret Stage*. The story follows four actors who must struggle to pull off a successful performance amid a series of mishaps after the lead Kabuki actor falls ill just before opening night.The script and direction are handled by Eri Watanabe (71), a junior from the Academy of Performing Arts with whom he is collaborating for the first time.

“We’d always said, ‘We should work together someday,’ but the opportunity never arose. When I was offered this production and thought about who to work with, her face immediately came to mind. She worked hard to write the script, weaving in stories from my own acting career along the way.I play the lead disciple of a Kabuki actor who is suddenly called upon to stand in for his master. Since I used to be an assistant, my experience isn’t exactly the same, but I’m drawing on the essence of my various experiences to shape the character.”

“Secret Stage” will be performed in six cities nationwide, including Tokyo, followed by “La Cage aux Folles.”Ichimura continues to perform energetically on stage even now that he has reached his 77th birthday, but at age 65, he publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with early-stage stomach cancer. He underwent surgery to have half his stomach removed, losing about 5 kg in the process. However, after rigorous rehabilitation, he made a comeback in just one month. Having overcome those difficult days and entered his 70s, how does he maintain his physical strength?

“I go to the gym regularly to walk and stretch. I even went for a massage today before this interview. But really, the most important thing is diet. For both my health and my figure, eating half a rice bowl is best.For breakfast, half a rice bowl, miso soup, a fried egg, one sausage, and a salad are plenty. For lunch, if I’m in rehearsal, I make my own bento. But for dinner, even if it’s only half the usual amount, I eat what I like.As for tonight’s menu, the kids requested hamburger steak, but I want a big piece of meat. My family said, ‘In that case, there’s a delicious sukiyaki bento available, so we’ll pick one up for you,’ but since I really wanted steak and red wine, I told them, ‘I appreciate the offer, but I’ll make my own’ (laughs). Even if people think I’m stubborn, it’s a reward for working hard.”

He says he often cooks for himself, but in fact, cooking also has a positive impact on his acting.

“For example, with the vegetable-packed yakisoba that’s a hit with my family, my personal touch is adding curry powder when seasoning it with sauce or soy sauce.When boiling pasta, I add a little kombu tea—by experimenting with various ‘spices’ like that, the flavor becomes more complex. It’s the same with lines; even a simple greeting like ‘Good morning’ changes depending on the situation and my mood at the time. In other words, it’s crucial to understand the character’s perspective and emotions, and to decide which ‘spice’ to use to season the role.”

He says this “seasoning” comes from experience. That’s why even the same role will be different in the premiere compared to a revival a few years later.

“A finished painting remains the same whether you look at it today or tomorrow, but a stage performance by real, living people is constantly changing. If something triggers a realization today—‘Oh, so that’s what this line meant’—then tomorrow, a new ‘spice’ will be added. That is what it means to live a role, and as long as you have passion, no matter how old you are, you can live a new life intensely every single time.
……Have there ever been days when I didn’t want to be on stage? Not a single day—not even for a single moment.”

Ichimura’s expression radiated the pride and fulfillment of an actor.