Photo: File:Fukuyama_Masaharu_in_Taipei,_2013.jpg: Pagan Tsai derivative work: Ryoga Godai (talk) / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, can we talk about how unfair it is that one guy gets to be a serious singer-songwriter, a leading-man actor, AND a working photographer? Masaharu Fukuyama is that Nagasaki kid who showed up in 1988 and just kept leveling up. I genuinely love that he writes and produces his own stuff, so when "Sakurazaka" went double-million in 2000 it felt earned, not manufactured. And the acting range is real: he was a wholly convincing Sakamoto Ryoma in Ryomaden, then flipped into the smug-genius physicist Yukawa in Galileo like it was nothing. The guy ages backward, plays guitar, does photography on the side, and somehow stays effortlessly cool about all of it. When he got married, the collective national heartbreak basically became a meme, and honestly? Fair enough. Total package.
Story
The Man from Nagasaki Who Hoarded the Talent: Masaharu Fukuyama, a One-Person Art Form
Overview
Masaharu Fukuyama is a Japanese singer-songwriter and actor born on February 6, 1969, in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture. He made his acting debut in 1988 after passing an Amuse audition, followed by his music debut in 1990 with the single "Tsuioku no Ame no Naka." His 2000 single "Sakurazaka" achieved double-million sales, and he gained widespread recognition as an actor through the Galileo television drama series from 2007 and the NHK historical drama Ryomaden in 2010, in which he portrayed Sakamoto Ryoma. He starred in the 2013 film Like Father, Like Son, which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Masaharu Fukuyama
- Name (Japanese)
- 福山雅治
- Reading
- ふくやま まさはる
- Born
- February 6, 1969 (age 57)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Nagasaki City, Nagasaki, Japan
- Blood type
- O
- Height
- 181 cm
- Agency
- Amuse
- Active years
- 1988–present
- Occupation
- Singer-songwriter / Actor / Photographer / Radio personality
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Nagasaki Municipal Inasa Elementary School
- Junior high
- Nagasaki Municipal Fuchi Junior High School
- High school
- Nagasaki Prefectural Nagasaki Technical High School
- University
- Did not attend university
- Debut
- Passed the Amuse 10 Movies Audition and made his film debut in 1988. Made his music debut in 1990 with the single "Tsuioku no Ame no Naka."
Awards & achievements
- 2010 48th Galaxy Award (Television Division) Individual Award — NHK Taiga Drama Ryomaden
- 2014 37th Japan Academy Film Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role — Like Father, Like Son
- 2014 35th Yokohama Film Festival Best Actor Award — Like Father, Like Son
- 2014 28th Takasaki Film Festival Best Lead Actor Award — Like Father, Like Son
- 2020 12th TAMA Film Award Best Actor
- 2022 47th Hochi Film Award Best Actor — Penance (Chinmoku no Parade)
Timeline
- 1988Passed the Amuse audition and made his film debut; joined Amuse.
- 1990Made his music debut with the single "Tsuioku no Ame no Naka."
- 1993Appeared in the Fuji TV drama Under One Roof, gaining wide attention as an actor.
- 2000Single "Sakurazaka" achieved double-million sales.
- 2007Starred in the Fuji TV drama Galileo; the series became a major hit.
- 2010Starred as Sakamoto Ryoma in the NHK Taiga Drama Ryomaden.
- 2013Starred in the film Like Father, Like Son, which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival.
- 2015Married actress Kazue Fukiishi (registered September 28, 2015).
- 2016First child born (details kept private).
- 2020Released the original album AKIRA to mark his 30th debut anniversary; debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon weekly album chart.
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Kazue Fukiishi (married September 28, 2015)
- Children
- One or more (details private)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Guitar playing
- Photography
- Tea ceremony
Specialties
- Singer-songwriter (lyrics, composition, production)
- Guitar
- Radio personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song | Sakurazaka | Lyrics, composition, vocals | 2000 |
| Song | HELLO | Lyrics, composition, vocals | 1997 |
| Song | IT'S ONLY LOVE | Lyrics, composition, vocals | 1995 |
| TV Drama | Under One Roof (Hitotsu Yane no Shita) | Lead — Kashiwagi Tatsuya | 1993 |
| TV Drama | Galileo | Lead — Yukawa Manabu | 2007 |
| TV Drama | Ryomaden | Lead — Sakamoto Ryoma | 2010 |
| Film | Like Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi ni Naru) | Lead — Nonomiya Ryota | 2013 |
| Film | Penance (Chinmoku no Parade) | Lead — Yukawa Manabu | 2022 |
| Album | AKIRA | Lyrics, composition, vocals | 2020 |
| Radio Program | Masaharu Fukuyama's All Night Nippon Saturday Special — Tamashii no Radio | Radio personality | 1990 |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Masaharu Fukuyama born?
Born February 6, 1969 (age 57).
Where is Masaharu Fukuyama from?
Masaharu Fukuyama is from Nagasaki City, Nagasaki, Japan.
What does Masaharu Fukuyama do?
Masaharu Fukuyama works as Singer-songwriter, Actor, Photographer, Radio personality.
How tall is Masaharu Fukuyama?
Masaharu Fukuyama is 181 cm.
What is Masaharu Fukuyama's blood type?
O.
What agency is Masaharu Fukuyama with?
Masaharu Fukuyama is with Amuse.
How long has Masaharu Fukuyama been active?
1988–present.
What is Masaharu Fukuyama known for?
Notable works include Sakurazaka, HELLO, IT'S ONLY LOVE.
Singer-songwriter — see all → · Actor — 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.