Photo: 松代テレビ局 / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, so my whole thing with Yo Oizumi is that he's living proof a regional Hokkaido comedian can become one of Japan's most reliable leading men without ever losing the everyman charm. I first clocked him as the guy getting dragged through forests and rivers on a scrappy local travel show, and now he's out here playing Minamoto no Yoritomo in a Taiga drama and racking up Japan Academy Prize nominations like it's nothing. What gets me is the range: he'll machine-gun talk you into stitches with that signature grumbly riffing, then turn around in something dramatic and absolutely wreck you. He sings, he hosts, he can apparently do anything, yet he keeps that slightly hapless, "afraid of animals" approachability. That's the trick, honestly. Watching him just makes ordinary TV better.
Story
From Floating Down a River to Playing a Shogun: Yo Oizumi, the Everyman Who Can Do It All
Overview
Yo Oizumi is a Japanese actor and entertainer born on April 3, 1973, in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. He rose to prominence through the Hokkaido Television variety program Suiyō Dōdesho starting in 1996, and co-founded the theatrical unit TEAM NACS the same year. He has since established himself as one of Japan's leading film actors, earning multiple Japan Academy Prize nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor in 2016. In 2022 he took on the role of Minamoto no Yoritomo in the NHK historical drama Kamakura-dono no 13-nin.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yo Oizumi
- Name (Japanese)
- 大泉洋
- Reading
- おおいずみ よう
- Born
- April 3, 1973 (age 53)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Ox
- Origin
- Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
- Blood type
- B
- Height
- 178 cm
- Agency
- CREATIVE OFFICE CUE (business partnership: Amuse)
- Active years
- 1996–present
- Occupation
- Actor / Entertainer / Singer / Voice Actor / Host / Comedian
2. Background
- High school
- Hokkaido Sapporo Moiwa High School
- University
- Hokkai-Gakuen University, Faculty of Economics (graduated)
- Debut
- Debuted in 1996 as a regular on Hokkaido Television's Suiyō Dōdesho; co-founded TEAM NACS the same year
Awards & achievements
- 2012 Japan Academy Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (The Detective Is in the Bar)
- 2014 6th TAMA Cinema Forum Best Actor Award (Sora ni Mau Yōni)
- 2016 Japan Academy Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Kakekomi Onna to Kakede Otoko)
- 2016 58th Blue Ribbon Award Best Actor (Kakekomi Onna to Kakede Otoko)
- 2017 Japan Academy Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (The Detective Is in the Bar 3)
- 2019 23rd Japan Internet Movie Awards Best Actor in a Japanese Film (Banana to Nemurenai Yoru ni)
- 2023 Japan Academy Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Tsuki no Michikake)
Timeline
- 1973Born in Ebetsu, Hokkaido
- 1996Co-founded theatrical unit TEAM NACS while at Hokkai-Gakuen University; began regular appearances on HTB's Suiyō Dōdesho
- 2002Regular broadcast of Suiyō Dōdesho ended
- 2004Expanded activities to Tokyo; launched full-scale music career (released singles as Yo Oizumi with STARDUST REVUE)
- 2009Married Kumiko Nakajima, a former Fuji Television producer
- 2011First daughter born
- 2012Won Japan Academy Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for The Detective Is in the Bar
- 2016Won Blue Ribbon Award Best Actor for Kakekomi Onna to Kakede Otoko
- 2022Played Minamoto no Yoritomo in NHK taiga drama Kamakura-dono no 13-nin
- 2023Won Japan Academy Prize Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Tsuki no Michikake
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Kumiko Nakajima (married 2009; former Fuji Television producer)
- Children
- One daughter (born 2011)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Tennis
- Bowling
- Food tours
Specialties
- Singing
- Impressions
- Hosting and talk
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV Program | Suiyō Dōdesho | Regular cast | 1996 |
| Film | The Detective Is in the Bar | Lead (Kondō) | 2011 |
| Film | Sora ni Mau Yōni (A Bolt from the Blue) | Lead / Director | 2014 |
| Film | Kakekomi Onna to Kakede Otoko | Lead (Doctor Doku-an) | 2015 |
| Film | Banana to Nemurenai Yoru ni | Lead (Yasuaki Shikano) | 2018 |
| Drama | No Side Game | Lead (Hayato Kimishima) | 2019 |
| Drama | Kamakura-dono no 13-nin | Minamoto no Yoritomo | 2022 |
| Drama | Last Man: The Zero-Visibility Detective | Lead (Hiromi Minami) | 2023 |
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.office-cue.com/profile_media/profile.php?t=2
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E6%B3%89%E6%B4%8B
Frequently asked questions
When was Yo Oizumi born?
Born April 3, 1973 (age 53).
Where is Yo Oizumi from?
Yo Oizumi is from Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan.
What does Yo Oizumi do?
Yo Oizumi works as Actor, Entertainer, Singer, Voice Actor, Host, Comedian.
How tall is Yo Oizumi?
Yo Oizumi is 178 cm.
What is Yo Oizumi's blood type?
B.
What agency is Yo Oizumi with?
Yo Oizumi is with CREATIVE OFFICE CUE (business partnership: Amuse).
How long has Yo Oizumi been active?
1996–present.
What is Yo Oizumi known for?
Notable works include Suiyō Dōdesho, The Detective Is in the Bar, Sora ni Mau Yōni (A Bolt from the Blue).
Actor — see all → · Entertainer — 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.