Biographie
Born on May 14, 1981, in Iwata-shi, Shizuoka, Japan (formerly Toyodachô, Iwata-gun, Shizuoka), he excelled in sports, particularly baseball. He began playing baseball in first grade. In 1995, while in the second grade of junior high school, he hit a home run at Meiji Jingû Stadium, home to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, a Japanese professional baseball team. He earned the "best nine award" as a left fielder, and his team advanced to the finals of the Japan senior league baseball tournament.
During high school, he hit a total of 23 home runs and served as team captain in his senior year. A Japanese professional baseball team, the Chûnichi Dragons, had promised to include him on their draft list depending on circumstances, but this did not materialize due to a slump.
After graduating high school, he moved to Tokyo with the desire to "give people dreams and power" through different means and enrolled in an acting school. Breaking into show business proved challenging; he continued auditioning while working as a doorman at Prada and sent about 50 resumes to entertainment companies before joining Watanabe Entertainment.
In September 2006, after appearing in several TV dramas and entertainment programs, he participated in the "entertainment world diving championship" on the TV show Quiz Presen Variety: Q sama!! (2004). He set a record of 116 meters in "dynamic apnea without fins" (officially recorded on August 8, 2006), which was then the Japan record, gradually increasing his recognition.
From summer 2007, he became a regular cast member on Quiz! Hexagon II: Quiz Parade (2005) and quickly gained popularity due to his sincere and pleasant personality. He formed a trio called "Shûchishin" with Takeshi Tsuruno (aka Shû) and Yusuke Kamiji (aka Shin), and in April 2008, they made their debut as singers.
In 2008, he landed his first lead role in the film Twilight Syndrome: Dead Cruise (August) and was cast as the main character in the TV drama series Panda ga machi ni yatte kuru (November).
He has also performed in several stage plays and continues to expand his activities with the goal of becoming a "worldwide actor.
