Kaoru Kobayashi

Biography

Kaoru Kobayashi is a Japanese actor born in Kyoto. A multi-award winning thespian, he won best actor at the 30th Yokohama Film Festival and best-supporting actor at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Sorobanzuku.

Career Overview

Kaoru Kobayashi has 85 screen credits in a career dating back to 1976. Their work spans 3 cinematic universes — most prominently Midnight Diner Collection with 2 titles. Signature works include Princess Mononoke, Midnight Diner, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

male

Known Credits

85

Birth Date

1951-09-04 00:00:00

Birth Place

Kyōto, Kyōto Prefecture, Japan

Known For

• 

  Princess Mononoke
• 

  Midnight Diner
• 

  Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories
• 

  THE DAYS
• 

  The Last Blossom
• 

  Midnight Diner 2

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 3 universes

• Midnight Diner Collection (2 titles)
• Baian The Assassin M.D. (1 titles)
• Studio Ghibli Films (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Yuriko Ishida (2 collaborations)
• Ken Mitsuishi (2 collaborations)
• Takashi Yamanaka (2 collaborations)
• Yoji Matsuda (1 collaborations)
• Yuko Tanaka (1 collaborations)
• Masahiko Nishimura (1 collaborations)
• Tsunehiko Kamijô (1 collaborations)
• Akihiro Miwa (1 collaborations)
• Mitsuko Mori (1 collaborations)
• Hisaya Morishige (1 collaborations)

Credits

• actors (85 credits)

  • The Last Blossom

    Akutsu (1986) (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Sham

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Oboe no Nai Satsujin

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Promised Land

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • The Yin Yang Master Zero

    Fujiwara Yosuke

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Kubi

    Tokugawa Ieyasu

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Tsugaru Lacquer Girl

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • The Boy and the Heron

    Noble Pelican (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • THE DAYS

    Furuya

    actor

    actors

    - A Scenario of Japan's Collapse (2023) ... Furuya actor actors

    - Decide the Conditions for Evacuation (2023) ... Furuya actor actors

    - I Can No Longer Leave Here Alive (2023) ... Furuya actor actors

    - Our Company Has Lost Its Mind (2023) ... Furuya actor actors

    - It Would Mean Turning Our Backs on Fukushima (2023) ... Furuya actor actors
    2023
  • Baian the Assassin, M.D.: Part 2

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Trapped Balloon

    Shigezo Kojima

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Dr. Coto's Clinic

    Shoichi Hoshino

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • Yes, I Can't Swim

    Professor Kamoshita

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • Winter Rose

    Giichi Wataguchi

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • Arc

    Rihito

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • We Made a Beautiful Bouquet

    Hirotaro Yamane

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Independence of Japan

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • The Island of Cats

    Iwao

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • His Lost Name

    Tetsuro

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan

    actor

    actors
    2018
  • The Miracles of the Namiya General Store

    Takeo Matsuoka

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Lear on the Shore

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Mukoku

    Shozo Yatabe

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Kiseki: Sobito of That Day

    Seiichi Morita

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • An Emblem Dedicated To You

    Nakagawa Akiko

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • Fueled: The Man They Called "Pirate"

    Jisaku Koka

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Midnight Diner 2

    Master

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

    Master

    actor

    actors

    - Crab and Toshikoshi Soba (2019) ... Master actor actors

    - Sweet Rolled Omelet (2019) ... Master actor actors

    - Curry Ramen (2019) ... Master actor actors

    - Kitsune Udon (2019) ... Master actor actors

    - Salmon and Mushrooms (2019) ... Master actor actors
    2016
  • Natsumi's Firefly

    Sakakiyama

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Botchan

    Madonna’s father

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Midnight Diner

    Master

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Climbing to Spring

    Isao Nagamine

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • The End of Summer

    Shingo Kosugi

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Leaving on the 15th Spring

    Toshiharu Nakazato

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • The Great Passage

    Kohei Araki

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Kyokuhoku Rhapsody

    Masashi Sera

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • The Egoists

    Kazuyuki Ninomiya

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Sketches of Kaitan City

    Ryuzo Higa

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Abraxas

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Haru's Journey

    Kinoshita

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Boys on the Run

    Suzuki san

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Midnight Diner

    Master

    actor

    actors

    - New Year's Eve Soba Noodles (2014) ... Master actor actors

    - Liver & Chive Stir Fry (2014) ... Master actor actors

    - Braised Burdock Root (2014) ... Master actor actors

    - Freshwater Clam Soup (2014) ... Master actor actors

    - Cabbage Rolls (2014) ... Master actor actors
    2009
  • Kamui

    Hanbei

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • Then Summer Came

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Vacation

    Toru Hirai

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Double Trouble

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Tokyo Towers: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad

    Oton

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • The Blossoming of Etsuko Kamiya

    Yasutada Kamiya

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Tales from Earthsea

    The King (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • A Melody for My Father

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Female

    Old man

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Like Asura

    Takao Satomi

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Ten Dark Women

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Ghiblies: Episode 2

    Toshi-chan (Voice)

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Le Secret

    杉田平介

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • The Black House

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Secret

    Heisuke Sugita

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • The Washing Machine

    Taiji Ogami

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Coquille

    Tatsuya Urayama

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Princess Mononoke

    Jikobo (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • The Way of Osaka Financing 1

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • Uneasy Encounters

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Chibusa

    actor

    actors
    1993
  • The Tomb & the Divorce

    Yoshinori Ishino

    actor

    actors
    1993
  • The Last U-Boat

    Tatsumi - Fregattenkapitän

    actor

    actors
    1993
  • Shimanto River

    actor

    actors
    1991
  • Hong Kong Paradise

    Hachirou Ooishi

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • Untamagiru

    Giru

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Love and Action in Osaka

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • Bakayaro! I'm Plenty Mad

    Shigeru Kosaka (Episode 4)

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • Twilight of the Cockroaches

    Saitô (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • For Business

    Miyabi Sakuramiya

    actor

    actors
    1986
  • And Then

    Tsunejiro Hiraoka

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Love Letter

    Tetsushi Kamiya

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Paradise View

    Reishu Goya

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • The Funeral

    Inose

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • The Wangan Highway

    Nakamura

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • Gubijinsô: Maboroshi no ai ni hateta murasaki no onna!

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • The Second Love

    Hideo Hyuga

    actor

    actors
    1983
  • The Dropout

    Miura

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Hear the Wind Sing

    Me

    actor

    actors
    1981
  • Call from Darkness

    Tatsuo Tamura

    actor

    actors
    1981
  • Eighteen Years, to the Sea

    Eisuke Morimoto

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • Ballad of Orin

    Torazo

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • The Sea of Genkai

    actor

    actors
    1976