Photo: Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I'll always have a soft spot for Kenichi Matsuyama because of his L in Death Note, that hunched, sugar-devouring oddball he made completely his own and somehow lovable. What gets me is how a guy with the looks to coast as a leading man instead keeps diving headfirst into the strangest roles he can find. He came out of Mutsu, a small town up in Aomori, and quietly built himself into one of Japan's most chameleonic actors, racking up a Japanese Academy Prize and an Élan d'or along the way without ever seeming the least bit precious about it. At 180 centimeters he photographs like a star, yet I love that he reportedly got into forestry and rural living, refusing to play the glossy celebrity game. There's something genuinely cool about that kind of restless, unbothered career.
Story
The Shape-Shifter from Mutsu: Why Kenichi Matsuyama Refuses to Settle
Overview
Kenichi Matsuyama is a Japanese actor and model born on March 5, 1985, in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture. He has established himself as one of Japan's leading actors, earning the Japan Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2007 and Best Actor in 2009, as well as the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor in 2017. He is known for his willingness to take on physically and emotionally demanding roles across a wide range of genres.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kenichi Matsuyama
- Name (Japanese)
- 松山ケンイチ
- Reading
- まつやま
- Born
- March 5, 1985 (age 41)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Ox (丑)
- Origin
- Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 180 cm
- Occupation
- Actor / Model / Fashion Model
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2007 – Elan d'Or Award, New Actor Prize
- 2007 – Japan Academy Award, Best Supporting Actor
- 2009 – Japan Academy Award, Best Actor
- 2017 – Blue Ribbon Award, Best Actor
- Unknown year – Mainichi Film Award, Best Actor
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.horipro.co.jp/hm/matuyama/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/momiji2022_official/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E3%82%B1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%A4%E3%83%81
Frequently asked questions
When was Kenichi Matsuyama born?
Born March 5, 1985 (age 41).
Where is Kenichi Matsuyama from?
Kenichi Matsuyama is from Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
What does Kenichi Matsuyama do?
Kenichi Matsuyama works as Actor, Model, Fashion Model.
How tall is Kenichi Matsuyama?
Kenichi Matsuyama is 180 cm.
Actor — see all → · Model — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
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.