--- name: "Minoru Chiaki" canonical: "https://film.one/person/minoru-chiaki" fi1m_id: "minoru-chiaki" imdb_id: "nm0156928" tmdb_id: 7454 wikidata_id: "Q975630" roles: ["Actor"] born: "28 April 1917" died: "1 November 1999" reviewed_on_fi1m: 5 average_fi1m_score: 91 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-09-28T20:37:54.969046+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Minoru Chiaki ## Identity Minoru Chiaki - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/minoru-chiaki - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** minoru-chiaki - **IMDb ID:** nm0156928 - **TMDB ID:** 7454 - **Wikidata ID:** Q975630 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoru_Chiaki, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975630, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0156928/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7454 Actor. Born 28 April 1917 in Hokkaido, Japan. Died 1 November 1999. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 28 April 1917, Hokkaido, Japan - **Died:** 1 November 1999 - **Active:** 1950–1963 - **Also known as:** 千秋實, مینورو چیاکی, Mindru Chiaki - **Frequently works with:** [Takashi Shimura](https://film.one/person/takashi-shimura.md), [Akira Kurosawa](https://film.one/person/akira-kurosawa.md), [Shinobu Hashimoto](https://film.one/person/shinobu-hashimoto.md), [Hideo Oguni](https://film.one/person/hideo-oguni.md), [Sōjirō Motoki](https://film.one/person/sojiro-motoki.md), [Toshirō Mifune](https://film.one/person/toshiro-mifune.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 91, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 92 (4), 1960s 90 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 91 to 86 across 5 titles - **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 5, Crime 2, Mystery 2, Action 1, History 1, Thriller 1 - **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $565m across 5 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoru_Chiaki, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975630, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0156928/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7454 ## Streaming the US now - **HBO Max:** [*Seven Samurai*](https://film.one/film/seven-samurai.md) (95), [*Ikiru*](https://film.one/film/ikiru.md) (92), [*Rashomon*](https://film.one/film/rashomon.md) (92), [*Throne of Blood*](https://film.one/film/throne-of-blood.md) (88) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Minoru Chiaki > Minoru Chiaki makes good nature worth watching, particularly among Akira Kurosawa’s samurai. We value the warmth and comic timing of an actor who gives us good reason to look beyond the leading man. In *Seven Samurai* (1954), Minoru Chiaki’s Heihachi Hayashida brings good nature to the assembled fighters. Kurosawa makes their recruitment as absorbing as their battles, and Chiaki helps make the prospect of spending time with these men appealing. We warmed to Heihachi because his friendliness gives us something to value besides fighting ability. It matters in an ensemble: we need reasons to care about the men as well as the job. The partnership began with *Stray Dog* (1949) and would stretch to eleven Kurosawa films. Chiaki’s round, expressive face is the first we see in *Rashomon* (1950), where he plays the priest. He could supply comic relief, but he also took more unsavoury and dramatic supporting parts; the good-natured companion was one useful option rather than the whole of his acting. *Ikiru* (1952) gives him the supporting role of Noguchi in Kurosawa’s drama about a dying civil servant. The fear of wasted time is made painfully ordinary by Takashi Shimura; Chiaki is part of the company, not the principal reason we recommend the film. Its satire sometimes explains what we have already understood, though that scarcely diminishes the force of Shimura’s performance. The later Kurosawa roles make the differences plain. In *Throne of Blood* (1957), his Yoshiaki Miki is the Banquo figure in Kurosawa’s *Macbeth* adaptation; *The Hidden Fortress* (1958) gives him Tahei, a comic deserter, and more opportunity for his timing. Later came supporting work for Toei and television, followed by a leading role in *Grey Sunset* (1985). The Kurosawa ensembles remain the clearest way into his work. In *Seven Samurai*, Mifune can be overemphatic, and Chiaki provides a welcome good-natured contrast without having to compete on the same terms. That is acting worth noticing, even when the larger performance beside it draws attention first. Set aside the full 207 minutes for *Seven Samurai*, and give the whole group your attention. ## Biography Minoru Chiaki (born Katsuji Sasaki) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in eleven films directed by Akira Kurosawa, including *Rashomon* (1950) as the priest, *Seven Samurai* (1954) as Heihachi Hayashida, *Ikiru* (1952) as Noguchi, *Throne of Blood* (1957) as Yoshiaki Miki, and *The Hidden Fortress* (1958) as Tahei. Chiaki attended but did not graduate from Chuo University. He began his career in theatre before entering film in 1949. Later he appeared in many Toei productions. In 1986 he received the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor for his performance in *Gray Sunset* (1985). He died in Fuchu, Tokyo, on 1 November 1999. His son Katsuhiko Sasaki is also an actor. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (5) - *High and Low* (1963), Fi1m 90, as First Reporter — [page](https://film.one/film/high-and-low.md) - *Throne of Blood* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Yoshiaki Miki — [page](https://film.one/film/throne-of-blood.md) - *Seven Samurai* (1954), Fi1m 95, as Heihachi Hayashida — [page](https://film.one/film/seven-samurai.md) - *Ikiru* (1952), Fi1m 92, as Noguchi — [page](https://film.one/film/ikiru.md) - *Rashomon* (1950), Fi1m 92, as Priest — [page](https://film.one/film/rashomon.md) ## Complete filmography (139) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Don Matsugoro's Big Adventure* (1987), as Amenomori Seikai - *Gray Sunset* (1985), as Fuyukichi Takano - *Tokugawa Ichizoku no Houkai* (1980), Actor - *Kyojin-gun monogatari: Susume eikô e* (1977), Actor - *Karafuto 1945 Summer* (1974), Actor - *Innocent Sinner* (1970), Actor - *Japan's No. 1 Disconnected Man* (1969), as Shimizu - *Inu to Asachan* (1969), Actor - *Libido* (1967), Actor - *Song of Love* (1967), as The Ship-master - *Koto—The Lake of Tears* (1966), as Kitao Momose - *The Face of Another* (1966), as Apartment Superintendent - *Zero Fighter* (1966), Actor - *Yakuza Vassal* (1966), Actor - *Cold Rice, Osan, Chan* (1965), Actor - *Taking the Castle* (1965), Actor - *Black Thief* (1964), Actor - *Kono sora no aru kagiri* (1964), Actor - *The Sharks* (1964), Actor - *Sasuke and His Comedians* (1963), as Yukimura Sanada - *Jolly Barbers* (1963), as Ebina Ginpei - *A House in the Quarter* (1963), as Jinzo Takesue - *20 Duels of Young Shingo: Conclusion* (1963), Actor - *Cases of Umon: The Woman with an Umbrella* (1963), as Kakurai Yosuke - *Uogashi no senpū musume* (1963), Actor - *Five Ronins* (1963), Actor - *High and Low* (1963), as First Reporter — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/high-and-low.md) - *Street of Wandering Men* (1963), Actor - *Travels of Hibari and Chiemi 2* (1963), Actor - *The Paper Crane* (1962), Actor - *The Body* (1962), Actor - *Lion Festival of Echigo* (1962), Actor - *Drunken Sword* (1962), Actor - *Tokyo's Business District* (1962), Actor - *The Phantom Goblin* (1962), Actor - *A Carpenter and Children* (1962), Actor - *Love Under the Crucifix* (1962), Actor - *The Ambitious Youth* (1962), Actor - *The Christian Revolt* (1962), Actor - *The Princess and the Bearded Lord* (1962), Actor - *The Inheritance* (1962), as Junichi Fujii - *Till Tomorrow Is* (1962), Actor - *Travels of Hibari and Chiemi: The Tumultuous Journey* (1962), Actor - *Jirocho' s Days of Youth: Whirlwind on the Tokaido* (1962), Actor - *Run, Genta, Run!* (1961), Actor - *Young Lord and Second Son* (1961), Actor - *Case of a Young Lord 9: Black Camellia* (1961), Actor - *The Youth and His Amulet* (1961), Actor - *20 Duels of Young Shingo, Part 2* (1961), Actor - *Young Lord Yakuza* (1961), Actor - *Futaridake no taiyō* (1961), Actor - *20 Duels of Young Shingo, Part 1* (1961), Actor - *Case of a Young Lord 8* (1960), Actor - *If You're Man Enough* (1960), Actor - *Scarier than the Devil* (1960), Actor - *Mighty Shosuke* (1960), Actor - *Shinran, Part II* (1960), Actor - *What Price Love?* (1960), as Matashiro - *Hero of the Red Light District* (1960), as Jôsuke - *Lord Mito: All Star Version* (1960), Actor - *Shinran* (1960), Actor - *Won't Stand for Dying* (1960), as Brother Ryota - *Official with a Tattoo* (1960), Actor - *Yakuza of Ina* (1960), as Kichitaro - *Samurai Vagabonds* (1960), Actor - *The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity* (1959), as Onodera Heichô - *Pilgrimage at Night* (1959), as Nobuyuki - *Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka* (1959), Actor - *Saga of the Vagabonds* (1959), as Jibu - *The Bell of Love* (1959), Actor - *Gigantis, the Fire Monster* (1959), as Kobayashi (as Mindru Chiaki) - *Three 'Black Crow' Wives* (1959), Actor - *Talkative Wife* (1959), Actor - *Our Mother* (1959), Actor - *Unmarried* (1959), Actor - *The Unleashed Lord* (1959), Actor - *Goblin in Stirrups* (1959), Actor - *The Hidden Fortress* (1958), as Tahei - *Flower's Yearning* (1958), as Yanami Fukuzo - *The Bride In Uguisu Castle* (1958), Actor - *Eight Views of Samurai* (1958), Actor - *Little Peach* (1958), as Saburo Yoshida - *Fearless Opposition* (1958), Actor - *A Bridge for Two Alone* (1958), Actor - *The Scarlet Cherry Lord* (1958), Actor - *The Scroll’s Secret* (1958), Actor - *Skin-Colored Moon* (1957), as Umekichi Ishikura - *The Lower Depths* (1957), as Former Samurai - *The Men of Toho-ku* (1957), as Tasuke Zummu - *The Shadow Daughter* (1957), as Eri Kiku Owner - *Turtledove* (1957), Actor - *The 36 Passengers* (1957), Actor - *Ujō* (1957), as Kenkichi Tanabe - *Throne of Blood* (1957), as Yoshiaki Miki — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/throne-of-blood.md) - *Talkative Company President* (1957), as Omaeda (President) - *The Mandarin Room* (1956), as Minagawa - *A Strong Wind Blows* (1956), as Zentarō (Takako’s brother) - *The Hoodlum and the Young Master* (1956), Actor - *Gendai no yokubô* (1956), Actor - *Scoundrel* (1956), Actor - *A Wife's Heart* (1956), as Zenichi - *The Vampire Moth* (1956), as Sango Kawase - *All Sold Out* (1956), Actor - *Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island* (1956), as Sasuke the boatman - *I Live in Fear* (1955), as Jiro Nakajima - *Tactics of Love* (1955), Actor - *Godzilla Raids Again* (1955), as Kôji Kobayashi - *The Immortal Pitcher* (1955), Actor - *Bodyguard from Hell* (1955), Actor - *A Girl Who Delivers Happiness* (1955), Actor - *Hatsu sugata ushimatsu gōshi* (1954), Actor - *Mother's First Love* (1954), Actor - *Jirocho in Disgrace* (1954), Actor - *乾杯！女学生* (1954), Actor - *The Story of Shunkin* (1954), Actor - *Seven Samurai* (1954), as Heihachi Hayashida — Fi1m 95, [page](https://film.one/film/seven-samurai.md) - *Mole Alley* (1953), Actor - *Sunflower Girl* (1953), Actor - *Yōsei wa hana no nioi gasuru* (1953), Actor - *Ikiru* (1952), as Noguchi — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/ikiru.md) - *Today is Payday* (1952), as General Manager of General Affairs Department - *Beauty and the Thief* (1952), as Takeichi no Takamaru - *Daigaku no kotengu* (1952), Actor - *Mōjū Tsukai no Shōjo* (1952), Actor - *Riverside Fish Market Empire* (1952), Actor - *Vendetta of a Samurai* (1952), Actor - *Sekidô matsuri* (1951), Actor - *Wakôdo no uta* (1951), as Hayashi - *Saijoke no kyoen* (1951), Actor - *The Idiot* (1951), as Mutsuo Kayama, the secretary - *Koi no Oranda-zaka* (1951), Actor - *Cordon at Midnight* (1951), Actor - *The Emperor's Hat* (1950), Actor - *Golden Beast* (1950), as Eiji Yabuki - *The Rainbow-Colored Flower* (1950), Actor - *Rashomon* (1950), as Priest — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/rashomon.md) - *Beyond the Hills* (1950), Actor - *Scandal* (1950), Actor - *Stray Dog* (1949), as Girlie Show director ## Gallery - ![Minoru Chiaki](https://film.one/media/person/59907/gallery-85620b4b63a8.jpg) Minoru Chiaki — キネマ旬報社 (Kinema Jumpo Sha Ltd.), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Minoru_Chiaki_-_from%2C_Making_of_Throne_of_Blood_Scan10020-1_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Press photo of (from left) Minoru Chiaki, Kichijiro Ueda, and Takashi Shimura for the 1950 film Rashomon](https://film.one/media/person/59907/gallery-0bf3ebfbde00.jpg) Press photo of (from left) Minoru Chiaki, Kichijiro Ueda, and Takashi Shimura for the 1950 film Rashomon — Daiei Studios, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Rashomon_%281950%29_Press_Photo_of_Minoru_Chiaki%2C_Kichijiro_Ueda%2C_and_Takashi_Shimura.jpg/1280px-Rashomon_%281950%29_Press_Photo_of_Minoru_Chiaki%2C_Kichijiro_Ueda%2C_and_Takashi_Shimura.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![『七人の侍』のリハーサル。左から志村喬、津島恵子、稲葉義男、黒澤明、三船敏郎、千秋実。 (1953)](https://film.one/media/person/59907/gallery-4607c11824aa.jpg) 『七人の侍』のリハーサル。左から志村喬、津島恵子、稲葉義男、黒澤明、三船敏郎、千秋実。 (1953) — Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Sekai-Geino-Gaho-1953-August-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![『七人の侍』 (1953)](https://film.one/media/person/59907/gallery-9003842828f1.jpg) 『七人の侍』 (1953) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Sekai-Geino-Gaho-1953-August-6.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) ## Awards ### Other awards — 5 won - Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class 1989: Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class (won) - Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor 1985: Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor (won), for *Gray Sunset* - Hochi Film Award 1985: Hochi Film Award (won), for *Gray Sunset* - Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1985: Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (won), for *Gray Sunset* - Mainichi Film Awards 1985: Mainichi Film Awards (won), for *Gray Sunset* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/minoru-chiaki