Born in 1965 as Koji NAKAMURA, Shikan Nakamura VIII is the leading figure in the family of Kabuki actors of the Narikoma-ya clan, and is widely considered to be one of the most talented “tachiyaku” (male lead) actors of his generation. Nakamura was born the second son of Shikan Nakamura VII, and hails from a legendary lineage of Kabuki actors dating back to the early 1700’s.

In May 1970, Nakamura made his stage debut under the stage name Koji Nakamura the 1st at the National Theatre in Tokyo. In April 1980, he inherited the title of Hashinosuke Nakamura III at the Kabuki-za Theatre. Nakamura is skilled in a wide range of lead roles, including historical and contemporary drama, Shin-kabuki (New-age Kabuki), and Buyo (classical Japanese dance), and has also appeared in numerous TV and film productions, including the much-acclaimed 1997 historical period drama "Mori Motonari" created by the national broadcaster of Japan, NHK, in which he played the eponymous role of Mori Motonari. In 2011, Nakamura received the prestigious Japan Art Academy Prize from his Majesty the Emperor Heisei of Japan, and in 2016, succeeded the title of Shikan Nakamura VIII.

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