Photo: Ogiyoshisan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Kanpei Hazama built a career on being ridiculous, then did one of the least ridiculous things I can think of. Born in Sukumo, Kochi Prefecture, he became a fixture of Osaka's Yoshimoto Shinkigeki comedy troupe, the sort of performer whose nonsense catchphrases got repeated by every child in the country. Then, around the age of sixty, he set out on what he called the Earth Marathon, circling the globe on foot and by yacht. Partway through he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He made it public, and he kept going. Comedians are supposed to lift people up with jokes; he did it by running, in front of everyone, at an age when most people are thinking about slowing down. I do not think the comedy and the marathon are separate stories. Both come from the same refusal to accept that the sensible option is the only one available.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kanpei Hazama
- Name (Japanese)
- 間寛平
- Born
- July 20, 1949 (age 77)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Ox
- Origin
- Sukumo, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 164 cm
- Occupation
- actor / owarai tarento / tarento / singer
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Xhttps://x.com/kanpeitter
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%96%93%E5%AF%9B%E5%B9%B3
Frequently asked questions
When was Kanpei Hazama born?
Born July 20, 1949 (age 77).
Where is Kanpei Hazama from?
Kanpei Hazama is from Sukumo, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.
What does Kanpei Hazama do?
Kanpei Hazama works as actor, owarai tarento, tarento, singer.
How tall is Kanpei Hazama?
Kanpei Hazama is 164 cm.
Actor — see all → · Owarai tarento — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-07-27
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.