Kaoru Kobayashi (actor)

Kaoru Kobayashi
Born (1951-09-04) September 4, 1951
OccupationActor
Years active1971–present
Spouse(s)Kumi Nakamura (1984–1995)
Koume (2009–)
Children1

Kaoru Kobayashi (小林 薫, Kobayashi Kaoru; born on September 4, 1951) is a Japanese actor born in Kyoto. A multi-award winning thespian, he won best actor at the 30th Yokohama Film Festival[1] and best-supporting actor at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Sorobanzuku.[2]

Career

Kobayashi starred in Yoichi Sai's Quill.[3] He also appeared in Yuya Ishii's The Great Passage[4] He appeared as "Master", the lead character in the Japanese TV series Midnight Diner and the two full-length films based on the series.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1979 18sai, umi e [5]
1983 The Second Love Hideo Hyuga [6]
1986 Sorobanzuku [2]
1997 Princess Mononoke Jiko-bō (voice) [7]
1999 Himitsu Heisuke Sugita Leading role [8]
The Black House [9]
Coquille Tatsuya Urayama Leading role [10]
2004 Quill Leading role [3]
2013 The Great Passage Araki [4]
2015 Midnight Diner The Master Leading role [11]
2016 Midnight Diner 2 The Master Leading role [11]
2020 Independence of Japan Shigeru Yoshida [12]
2021 We Made a Beautiful Bouquet Hirotarō Yamane [13]
Arc [14]
2022 Yes, I Can't Swim Professor Kamoshita [15]
A Winter Rose [16]
Dr. Coto's Clinic 2022 Shōichi Hoshino [17]
2023 Trapped Balloon Shigezō Kojima [18]
Baian the Assassin, M.D. Tsuyama Etsudō [19]
Baian the Assassin, M.D. 2 Tsuyama Etsudō [19]
Tsugaru Lacquer Girl Miyako's father [20]
Kubi Tokugawa Ieyasu [21]
The Boy and the Heron Old Pelican (voice) [22]
2024 The Yin Yang Master Zero Fujiwara no Yoshisuke [23]
Promised Land Shimoyama [24]
2025 Sham [25]
The Last Blossom The current Minoru Akutsu (voice) Leading role [26]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1982 Tōge no Gunzō Fuwa Kazuemon Taiga drama [27]
2003–2006 Dr. Coto's Clinic Shoichi Hoshino 2 seasons [17]
2009–2026 Midnight Diner The Master Leading role; 4 seasons [28]
2011 Carnation Zensaku Ohara Asadora [29]
2015 The Emperor's Cook Kaneichi Usami [30]
2016–2019 Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories The Master Leading role; 2 seasons [11]
2017 Naotora: The Lady Warlord Reverend Nankei Taiga drama [31]
2021 Reach Beyond the Blue Sky Shibusawa Ichirōemon Taiga drama [32]
Kyojo 2 Takeshi Shindo Miniseries [33]
2023 The Days Furuya [34]
Kazama Kimichika: Kyojo Zero Takeshi Shindo [33]
Fixer Deputy prime minister Ichirō Suzaki [35]
2024 The Tiger and Her Wings Shigechika Hodaka Asadora [36]
2025 1972: Nagisa no Keika Taiei Tamashiro Miniseries [37]
Pray Speak What Has Happened Taro Furosu [38]

Dubbing

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work(s) Result Ref.
1979 4th Hochi Film Award Best New Artist 18sai, umi e Won [40]
1986 9th Japan Academy Film Prize Best Supporting Actor Sorekara and Love Letter Won [41]
1987 8th Yokohama Film Festival Best Supporting Actor Sorobanzuku Won [42]
2000 23rd Japan Academy Film Prize Best Actor Himitsu Nominated [43]
2008 31st Japan Academy Film Prize Best Supporting Actor Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad Won [44]
2009 30th Yokohama Film Festival Best Actor Kyūka and Kanki no Uta Won [45]

References

  1. ^ 第30回ヨコハマ映画祭 2008年日本映画個人賞 (in Japanese). Yokohama Film Festival. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  2. ^ a b 第8回ヨコハマ映画祭 1986年日本映画個人賞 (in Japanese). Yokohama Film Festival. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Tobias, Scott (May 17, 2012). "Quill: The Life Of A Guide Dog - Film - Movie Review". The A.V. Club. The Onion.
  4. ^ a b Teh, Yvonne (August 22, 2013). "Film Review: Tongue-tied linguist's lexicon of love in The Great Passage". South China Morning Post.
  5. ^ "十八歳、海へ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  6. ^ "セカンド・ラブ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  7. ^ "もののけ姫". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  8. ^ "秘密". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  9. ^ "黒い家". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  10. ^ "コキーユ 貝殻". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  11. ^ a b c "小林薫が「深夜食堂」の10年振り返る「僕も老人力が増してきました」". Natalie (in Japanese). 6 November 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  12. ^ "浅野忠信&宮沢りえが白洲次郎、正子夫妻 小林薫が吉田茂に 「日本独立」12月18日公開". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  13. ^ "清原果耶&オダギリジョーら「花束みたいな恋をした」追加キャスト発表". Cinema Cafe. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  14. ^ "芳根京子が石川慶の監督作「Arc」で不老不死に、寺島しのぶや岡田将生ら共演". Natalie. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  15. ^ "はい、泳げません". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  16. ^ "冬薔薇(ふゆそうび)". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "映画「Dr.コトー診療所」に柴咲コウ、時任三郎、大塚寧々ら出演!富岡涼も参加". Natalie. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  18. ^ "とべない風船". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  19. ^ a b "新たな鬼平 新たな梅安". Jidaigeki Senmon Channel. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  20. ^ "高森さん(三戸)小説原作の映画「バカ塗りの娘」 10日から弘前で撮影開始". The To-o Nippo Pressl. 10 September 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  21. ^ "北野武監督「首」今秋公開決定!ティザービジュアルが解禁!". Fan's Voice. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  22. ^ 「君たちはどう生きるか」ストーリー、声優、主題歌が明らかに [Story, voice actors, and theme song revealed for "How Do You Live?"]. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 14, 2023. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  23. ^ "陰陽師0". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  24. ^ "プロミスト・ランド". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  25. ^ "でっちあげ 殺人教師と呼ばれた男". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  26. ^ "ホウセンカ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  27. ^ "峠の群像". Haiyaku Jiten (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  28. ^ "「深夜食堂」新シリーズが今秋放送予定 主演・小林薫が7年ぶりに「めしや」開店". eiga.com (in Japanese). 17 March 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  29. ^ "カーネーションの出演者・キャスト一覧". The Television (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  30. ^ "天皇の料理番の出演者・キャスト一覧". The Television (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  31. ^ "おんな城主直虎". Haiyaku Jiten. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  32. ^ "青天を衝け". TV drama database. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  33. ^ a b "堀田真由、ジャニーズWEST・濵田崇裕ら「風間公親-教場0-」新キャストに決定 前作より小林薫&小日向文世も出演". Crank-in!. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  34. ^ "役所広司主演「THE DAYS」ティザー予告に竹野内豊、小日向文世、小林薫". Natalie. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  35. ^ "「連続ドラマW フィクサー」ビジュアル&予告、唐沢寿明が政界を舞台に暗躍". Natalie. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  36. ^ "松山ケンイチ&小林薫、朝ドラ「虎に翼」出演決定 伊藤沙莉の"師匠"となる法曹界の人物に". Real Sound. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  37. ^ "高橋一生主演ドラマ「1972 渚の螢火」に青木崇高、小林薫、城田優ら【特報映像あり】". eiga.com (in Japanese). 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  38. ^ "もしもこの世が舞台なら、楽屋はどこにあるのだろうの出演者・キャスト一覧". The Television (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  39. ^ "ザ・ホワイトハウス". SuperDramaTV. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  40. ^ "過去の受賞一覧". Hochi Shimbun. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  41. ^ "第9回 日本アカデミー賞(1986年)". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  42. ^ "第8回ヨコハマ映画祭: 1986年日本映画個人賞" (in Japanese). Yokohama Film Festival homepage. 2005-10-30. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
  43. ^ "第23回 日本アカデミー賞(2000年)". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  44. ^ "第31回 日本アカデミー賞(2008年)". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  45. ^ "第30回ヨコハマ映画祭: 2008年日本映画個人賞". homepage3.nifty.com (in Japanese). Yokohama Film Festival. 2008-12-16. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2009-02-06.