Arata Isozaki (磯崎 新, Isozaki Arata; 23 July 1931 – 28 December 2022) was a Japanese architect, urban designer, and…Arata Isozaki (磯崎 新, Isozaki Arata; 23 July 1931 – 28 December 2022) was a Japanese architect, urban designer, and architectural theorist from Ōita. He was awarded the Royal Gold Medal in 1986 and the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2019. He taught at Columbia University, Harvard University, and Yale University.
Yasuo Ōtsuka (大塚康生, Ōtsuka Yasuo; July 11, 1931 – March 15, 2021) was a Japanese animator who worked with Toei…Yasuo Ōtsuka (大塚康生, Ōtsuka Yasuo; July 11, 1931 – March 15, 2021) was a Japanese animator who worked with Toei Animation, Nippon Animation, TMS Entertainment, and Studio Ghibli. He was considered to be one of Japan's foremost animators, and he was an important mentor to both Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
Ryōko Kinomiya (来宮 良子, Kinomiya Ryōko; 10 July 1931 – 25 November 2013) was a Japanese actress and voice actress. She…Ryōko Kinomiya (来宮 良子, Kinomiya Ryōko; 10 July 1931 – 25 November 2013) was a Japanese actress and voice actress. She was born Ryōko Sakurai in Kyoto, Japan. She was known for her low voice. Kinomiya was the Japanese dub voice of Faye Dunaway. In 2008 she won a Merit Award at the 2nd Seiyu Awards. Kinomiya died of multiple organ failure on 25 November 2013 at the age of 82.
Arawa Kimura (木村 現, Kimura Arawa; July 8, 1931 – February 21, 2007) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Arawa Kimura (木村 現, Kimura Arawa; July 8, 1931 – February 21, 2007) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Ryuzo Sato (佐藤隆三, Satō Ryūzō; born 5 July 1931) is a Japanese economist and is the C.V. Starr Professor of Economics…Ryuzo Sato (佐藤隆三, Satō Ryūzō; born 5 July 1931) is a Japanese economist and is the C.V. Starr Professor of Economics Emeritus at New York University. He made notable contributions to the fields of mathematical economics and economic growth. He is a founding editor of the Japan and the World Economy (Elsevier) and the book series Advances in Japanese Business and Economics (Springer Nature).
Nobuo Mii (Japanese: 三井 信雄=Mii Nobuo; July 4, 1931 – July 14, 2015), often called Nobi by English speakers, was a…Nobuo Mii (Japanese: 三井 信雄=Mii Nobuo; July 4, 1931 – July 14, 2015), often called Nobi by English speakers, was a Japanese computer pioneer who made various contributions, working for NHK and IBM, and also is an investment fund executive.
Mansaku Nomura II (二世 野村 万作, Nisei Nomura Mansaku; born Jirou Nomura (野村 二朗); June 22, 1931) is a kyōgen performer and…Mansaku Nomura II (二世 野村 万作, Nisei Nomura Mansaku; born Jirou Nomura (野村 二朗); June 22, 1931) is a kyōgen performer and Living National Treasure. He is the founder and current head of the Mansaku no Kai theatre troupe. He has been recognized as a Person of Cultural Merit, and an Intangible Cultural Property of Japan. He is also a member of the Japan Art Academy and an honorary citizen of Nerima. In 2025, a documentary 6 Faces (六つの顔) about his life was released in theatres. He married Wakabako Sakamoto, the oldest daughter of poet Etsurou Sakamoto, and has 4 children including Mansai Nomura. Mansai and his oldest son, Yuuki, are also kyogen performers who perform with Mansaku. His older brother is Manzou Nomura VII, and his younger brothers were Shirou and Mannosuke Nomura, all of whom are also kyogen perfomers.
Hiroshi Shiono (Japanese: 鹽野 宏, 13 June 1931 – 15 April 2026) was a Japanese legal scholar who specialised in…Hiroshi Shiono (Japanese: 鹽野 宏, 13 June 1931 – 15 April 2026) was a Japanese legal scholar who specialised in administrative law. He held the title of Order of Culture and was an honorary professor at the University of Tokyo, a member of the Japan Academy and its president from 2016, as well as a recipient of the Person of Cultural Merit. Due to the old character form of his surname, "鹽" is also spelled as "塩野 宏" (Shiono Hiroshi) using the new character form. Shiono held various positions throughout his career, including professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Tokyo, professor at the Faculty of Law of Seikei University, professor at the graduate school of University of East Asia (東亜大学, Tōa daigaku), and director of the Japan Broadcasting Culture Foundation, a public interest foundation. He was president of the Japan Academy from 2016.
Eiiti Wada (和田英一, 1 June 1931) is a computer scientist and emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo and the…Eiiti Wada (和田英一, 1 June 1931) is a computer scientist and emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo and the Research Director of Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ), a computer network technology company. He is one of the creators of the Happy Hacking Keyboard. He was involved with developing international standards in programming and informatics. In 1968, the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) IFIP Working Group 2.1 on Algorithmic Languages and Calculi (WG2.1) solicited a new version of the programming language ALGOL to succeed ALGOL 60. Iwamura, Kakehi, Simauti, Wada, and Nobuo Yoneda were members of the design team of a Japanese candidate language named ALGOL N, but it was not chosen for what became ALGOL 68. In 1972, he became a member of IFIP WG2.1, which specified, maintains, and supports ALGOL 60 and 68. He was a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and chairperson of its National Member Body of ISO/TC97, now JTC1/SC2. There, he contributed much, especially for character encoding set standards. Later, he helped create the related Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) X 0208, 0212. As of 2020, he works on computer graphics for the Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) Innovation Institute.
Shinsuke Mikimoto (御木本伸介, Mikimoto Shinsuke; May 22, 1931–August 5, 2002) was a Japanese actor. His credits include at…Shinsuke Mikimoto (御木本伸介, Mikimoto Shinsuke; May 22, 1931–August 5, 2002) was a Japanese actor. His credits include at least fifty films, as well as numerous television appearances, in a career that spanned several decades.His real name is Syuichi Suzuki.The Suzuki family on his father's side is a family that served as the palace doctor of the Kaga Maeda family for generation.
Makoto Ueda (上田 真, Ueda Makoto; 1931 – August 19, 2020) was a professor emeritus of Japanese literature at Stanford…Makoto Ueda (上田 真, Ueda Makoto; 1931 – August 19, 2020) was a professor emeritus of Japanese literature at Stanford University. Ueda won the Japan–U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature in 1996 for his translated anthology Modern Japanese Tanka (Columbia University Press, 1996).
Takao Iijima (born 19 May 1931), better known by his art name Ay-O (靉嘔 Ai Ō), is a Japanese avant-garde visual and…Takao Iijima (born 19 May 1931), better known by his art name Ay-O (靉嘔 Ai Ō), is a Japanese avant-garde visual and performance artist who has been associated with Fluxus since its international beginnings in the 1960s.
Hideki Sakurai (櫻井 英樹, Sakurai Hideki; born May 16, 1931) is a Japanese chemist. He discovered the Sakurai reaction in…Hideki Sakurai (櫻井 英樹, Sakurai Hideki; born May 16, 1931) is a Japanese chemist. He discovered the Sakurai reaction in 1976.
Masanao Aoki (青木 正直, Aoki Masanao; May 14, 1931 – July 24, 2018) was a Japanese engineer and economist. He was a…Masanao Aoki (青木 正直, Aoki Masanao; May 14, 1931 – July 24, 2018) was a Japanese engineer and economist. He was a Professor emeritus of Economics at University of California, Los Angeles. He earned a BA and MSc in physics from the University of Tokyo, and a PhD in engineering from UCLA in 1960. He was a professor of engineering at UCLA and California–Berkeley from 1960 to 1974, before switching fields to economics in which he remained a professor until his retirement in 2002. Aoki's change of research areas is reflected in the two editions of his influential textbook, Optimization of Stochastic Systems. Originally published in 1967 it contained a rigorous treatment of optimal control methods in engineering, whereas the second edition (published in 1989) was amended by numerous applications in economics. He died on July 24, 2018, aged 87.
Yūzō Toyama (外山 雄三, Toyama Yūzō; 10 May 1931 – 11 July 2023) was a Japanese composer and conductor. A native of Tokyo…Yūzō Toyama (外山 雄三, Toyama Yūzō; 10 May 1931 – 11 July 2023) was a Japanese composer and conductor. A native of Tokyo, he was a pupil of Kan'ichi Shimofusa; he studied conducting with Kurt Wöss and Wilhelm Loibner and, like them, later became a conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. As a conductor he served with numerous orchestras throughout Japan; as a composer his prime influences are Béla Bartók and Dmitri Shostakovich. Mstislav Rostropovich performed the world premiere of the composer's six-movement 1967 First Cello Concerto, a piece described by Gramophone as "attractive", with the additional comment that it "sounds like Japanese folk music rendered orchestral by Kodaly". His best-known work is a Rhapsody for Orchestra based on Japanese folk songs. Toyama won the Suntory Music Award in 1982. Toyama died on 11 July 2023, at the age of 92.
Hiroshi Yoshizawa (吉沢 広司, Yoshizawa Hiroshi) (May 5, 1931 – April 7, 2013) was a Japanese ski jumper who competed in…Hiroshi Yoshizawa (吉沢 広司, Yoshizawa Hiroshi) (May 5, 1931 – April 7, 2013) was a Japanese ski jumper who competed in the early 1950s. He finished tied for 36th in the individual large hill event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, and finished 13th at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Mitsuo Hashimoto (橋本 光雄, Hashimoto Mitsuo; May 1, 1931 – May 24, 1997), better known by the stage name Kinpei Azusa…Mitsuo Hashimoto (橋本 光雄, Hashimoto Mitsuo; May 1, 1931 – May 24, 1997), better known by the stage name Kinpei Azusa (あずさ 欣平, Azusa Kinpei), was a Japanese voice actor born in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. He was employed by the talent management firm Aoni Production. Between the ages of three and six, Azusa was trained in the theatre. At the age of five, he was given the name Kinzō Azusa. On May 1, 1962, Azusa undertook the establishment of a coaching foundation, Gekidan Geikyō (currently represented by Takeshi Aono). Azusa died in 1997 at the age of 66.
Takashi Mizuno (水野 隆, Mizuno Takashi; born April 28, 1931) (former name; Takashi Tokuhiro, 徳弘 隆) is a Japanese former…Takashi Mizuno (水野 隆, Mizuno Takashi; born April 28, 1931) (former name; Takashi Tokuhiro, 徳弘 隆) is a Japanese former football player. He played for Japan national team.
Hajime Tsuburaya (Japanese: 円谷 一, Hepburn: Tsuburaya Hajime; April 28, 1931 – February 9, 1973) was a Japanese film and…Hajime Tsuburaya (Japanese: 円谷 一, Hepburn: Tsuburaya Hajime; April 28, 1931 – February 9, 1973) was a Japanese film and television director, producer, and cinematographer. The eldest son of Eiji Tsuburaya, he began his career on the 1954 film, Godzilla and its sequel, Godzilla Raids Again as an assistant special effects cinematographer.
Oniroku Dan (団 鬼六, Dan Oniroku; 16 April 1931 – 6 May 2011) was a Japanese author who has been called, "the most…Oniroku Dan (団 鬼六, Dan Oniroku; 16 April 1931 – 6 May 2011) was a Japanese author who has been called, "the most celebrated writer of popular SM novels in Japan." Many of his stories have been filmed, most notably by Nikkatsu studio in their Roman Porno series. Dan had a close professional association with actress Naomi Tani throughout her career. He died on May 6, 2011.
Koichi Sugiyama (すぎやま こういち, Sugiyama Kōichi; April 11, 1931 – September 30, 2021) was a Japanese composer, conductor…Koichi Sugiyama (すぎやま こういち, Sugiyama Kōichi; April 11, 1931 – September 30, 2021) was a Japanese composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He was best known for composing for the Dragon Quest franchise, along with several other video games, anime, film, television shows, and pop songs. Classically trained, Sugiyama was considered a major inspiration for other Japanese game music composers and was active from the 1960s until his death in 2021. Sugiyama was also a council member of the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers (JASRAC), board member of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals, and honorary chairman of the Japanese Backgammon Society. Prior to his death, the Japanese government honored him with Order of the Rising Sun and named him a Person of Cultural Merit. Sugiyama was also active in politics and activism, promoting ideas such as Japanese nationalism while denying Japanese war crimes.
Heisuke Hironaka (広中 平祐, Hironaka Heisuke; April 9, 1931 – March 18, 2026) was a Japanese mathematician who was awarded…Heisuke Hironaka (広中 平祐, Hironaka Heisuke; April 9, 1931 – March 18, 2026) was a Japanese mathematician who was awarded the Fields Medal in 1970 for his contributions to algebraic geometry.
Shigeki Tanaka (田中 茂樹, Tanaka Shigeki; 1931 – October 4, 2022) was a Japanese long-distance runner who won the 1951…Shigeki Tanaka (田中 茂樹, Tanaka Shigeki; 1931 – October 4, 2022) was a Japanese long-distance runner who won the 1951 Boston Marathon.
Yoshitaka Uchikawa (内川 義高, Uchikawa Yoshitaka; born 4 April 1931) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He competed in…Yoshitaka Uchikawa (内川 義高, Uchikawa Yoshitaka; born 4 April 1931) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He competed in the marathon at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Toshihito Ishimaru (石丸 利人, Ishimaru Toshihito; 4 April 1931 – 11 March 2000) was a Japanese boxer. He competed at the…Toshihito Ishimaru (石丸 利人, Ishimaru Toshihito; 4 April 1931 – 11 March 2000) was a Japanese boxer. He competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics and the 1956 Summer Olympics. At the 1952 Summer Olympics, he lost to Pedro Galasso of Brazil. Ishimaru died on 11 March 2000, at the age of 68.
Reizo Fukuhara (福原 黎三, Fukuhara Reizō; April 2, 1931 – February 27, 1970) was a Japanese football player. He made two…Reizo Fukuhara (福原 黎三, Fukuhara Reizō; April 2, 1931 – February 27, 1970) was a Japanese football player. He made two appearances for the Japan national team. On February 27, 1970, Fukuhara died of stomach cancer at the age of 38.
Sengaku Mayeda (Japanese: 前田專學, romanized: Maeda Sengaku; 1 April 1931 – 22 August 2026) was a Japanese writer…Sengaku Mayeda (Japanese: 前田專學, romanized: Maeda Sengaku; 1 April 1931 – 22 August 2026) was a Japanese writer, philosopher and teacher, known for his writings on Indian philosophy and Adi Shankara. He was honoured by the Government of India, in 2014, by bestowing on him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his services to the fields of literature and education. He is the fourth Japanese to be honoured with Padma Shri, after Taro Nakayama, Shoji Shiba and Prof. Noboru Karashima. He is also a recipient of the Third Order of Merit with the Middle Cordon of the Rising Sun of the Government of Japan, which he received in 2002.
Yoshimitsu Banno (坂野 義光, Banno Yoshimitsu; March 30, 1931 – May 7, 2017) was a Japanese film director, best known for…Yoshimitsu Banno (坂野 義光, Banno Yoshimitsu; March 30, 1931 – May 7, 2017) was a Japanese film director, best known for the cult-classic Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971), which he directed and co-wrote. Banno was a special guest at G-Fest XII in 2005. He was an executive producer on Legendary Pictures' Godzilla (2014), and has received posthumous executive producer credit for subsequent projects in the MonsterVerse. He died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage on May 7, 2017, at his home in Kawasaki at the age of 86. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) was dedicated to his memory along with Haruo Nakajima's.
Akira Mitsutake (Japanese: 光武顕 Mitsutake Akira; 27 March 1931 – 19 December 2025) was a Japanese politician. A member…Akira Mitsutake (Japanese: 光武顕 Mitsutake Akira; 27 March 1931 – 19 December 2025) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 1993. Mitsutake died in Tokyo on 19 December 2025 at the age of 94.
Masako Togawa (戸川昌子, Togawa Masako) (23 March 1931 – 26 April 2016) was a Japanese Chanson singer/songwriter, actress…Masako Togawa (戸川昌子, Togawa Masako) (23 March 1931 – 26 April 2016) was a Japanese Chanson singer/songwriter, actress, feminist, novelist, lesbian icon, former night club owner, metropolitan city planning panelist, and music educator.
Mamoru Watanabe (渡辺 護, Watanabe Mamoru; March 19, 1931 – December 24, 2013) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter…Mamoru Watanabe (渡辺 護, Watanabe Mamoru; March 19, 1931 – December 24, 2013) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor, known for his work in the pink film genre. Along with directors Genji Nakamura and Banmei Takahashi, Watanabe was known as one of the "Three Pillars of Pink".
Asao Koike (小池朝雄, Koike Asao; 18 March 1931 – 23 March 1985) was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for playing yakuza…Asao Koike (小池朝雄, Koike Asao; 18 March 1931 – 23 March 1985) was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for playing yakuza roles. He is also known as voice actor. In 1950, he joined the Bungakuza Theatre Company. In 1963, he left the Bungakuza Theatre Company and established the Kumo Theatre Company. He appeared in more than 120 films.
Yasuo Tanaka (田中 靖郎, Tanaka Yasuo; 18 March 1931 – 18 January 2018) was a Japanese astrophysicist and a member of the…Yasuo Tanaka (田中 靖郎, Tanaka Yasuo; 18 March 1931 – 18 January 2018) was a Japanese astrophysicist and a member of the Japan Academy. He was professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) (part of JAXA) in Kanagawa, Japan and guest scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany. He was a pioneer in X-ray astronomy, leading the development and operation of the Ginga, Tenma, and ASCA satellites. He died on 18 January 2018.
Keiichiro Takahara (高原慶一朗, Takahara Keiichiro; March 16, 1931 – October 3, 2018) was a Japanese billionaire…Keiichiro Takahara (高原慶一朗, Takahara Keiichiro; March 16, 1931 – October 3, 2018) was a Japanese billionaire businessman, the chairman and founder of Unicharm.
Masahiro Shinoda (篠田 正浩, Shinoda Masahiro; March 9, 1931 – March 25, 2025) was a Japanese film director, whose career…Masahiro Shinoda (篠田 正浩, Shinoda Masahiro; March 9, 1931 – March 25, 2025) was a Japanese film director, whose career spanned over four decades and covered a wide range of genres and styles. He was one of the central figures of the Japanese New Wave during the 1960s and 1970s. He directed films for Shochiku Studio from 1960 to 1965, before turning to independent cinema from 1966 onward. His film style was characterized by socially marginalized characters, many of whom turn to crime or suicide, and meticulous attention to pictorial beauty. He drew on traditional Japanese fiction and theater and some of his films bear the influence of Kenji Mizoguchi, whom he admired.
Atsuko Ikeda (池田 厚子, Ikeda Atsuko; born 7 March 1931), formerly Atsuko, Princess Yori (順宮厚子内親王, Yori-no-miya Atsuko…Atsuko Ikeda (池田 厚子, Ikeda Atsuko; born 7 March 1931), formerly Atsuko, Princess Yori (順宮厚子内親王, Yori-no-miya Atsuko Naishinnō), is the fourth daughter of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. As such, she is the older sister of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and paternal aunt of Emperor Naruhito. She married Takamasa Ikeda, a man from outside the imperial dynasty, on 10 October 1952; as a result, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese imperial family, as required by law. Later, she served as the supreme priestess (saishu) of the Ise Grand Shrine between 1988 and 2017.
Shigeru Amachi (天知 茂, Amachi Shigeru; 4 March 1931 – 27 July 1985) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120…Shigeru Amachi (天知 茂, Amachi Shigeru; 4 March 1931 – 27 July 1985) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1953 to 1984.
Yū Fujiki (藤木 悠, Fujiki Yū; 2 March 1931 – 19 December 2005), born Yūzō Suzuki (鈴木 悠蔵, Suzuki Yūzō), was a Japanese…Yū Fujiki (藤木 悠, Fujiki Yū; 2 March 1931 – 19 December 2005), born Yūzō Suzuki (鈴木 悠蔵, Suzuki Yūzō), was a Japanese film and television actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1954 to 2005.
Kazuko Shiraishi (白石 かずこ, Shiraishi Kazuko; 27 February 1931 – 14 June 2024) was a Japanese poet and translator who was…Kazuko Shiraishi (白石 かずこ, Shiraishi Kazuko; 27 February 1931 – 14 June 2024) was a Japanese poet and translator who was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She was a modernist, outsider poet who got her start in Katsue Kitazono's "VOU" poetry group, which led Shiraishi to publish her first book of poems in 1951. She also read her poetry at jazz performances. She appeared at readings and literary festivals all over the world. Kenneth Rexroth called her "the Allen Ginsberg of Japan," and edited a volume of her poetry in English for New Directions Press. Shiraishi died on 14 June 2024, at the age of 93.
Yukiko Shimazaki (島崎 雪子, Shimazaki Yukiko; February 25, 1931 – 2014) was a Japanese actress and singer. She appeared in…Yukiko Shimazaki (島崎 雪子, Shimazaki Yukiko; February 25, 1931 – 2014) was a Japanese actress and singer. She appeared in more than twenty films from 1950 to 1964. She was married to film director Tatsumi Kumashiro from 1955 to 1967. She died in 2014.
Tadashi Ushijima (Japanese: 牛嶋正 Ushijima Tadashi; 25 February 1931 – 5 October 2024) was a Japanese economist and…Tadashi Ushijima (Japanese: 牛嶋正 Ushijima Tadashi; 25 February 1931 – 5 October 2024) was a Japanese economist and politician. A member of Komeito and the New Frontier Party, he served in the House of Councillors from 1992 to 1998. Ushijima died in Ōbu on 5 October 2024, at the age of 93.
Takeshi Kusaka (日下 武史, Kusaka Takeshi; February 24, 1931 – May 15, 2017) was a Japanese actor and voice actor from…Takeshi Kusaka (日下 武史, Kusaka Takeshi; February 24, 1931 – May 15, 2017) was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Toshima, Tokyo. He was the founder of the Shiki Theatre Company. He remarried with actress Fujiko Kimura in 2010.
Hakuyū Taizan Maezumi (前角 博雄 Maezumi Hakuyū, February 24, 1931 – May 15, 1995) was a Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhist priest…Hakuyū Taizan Maezumi (前角 博雄 Maezumi Hakuyū, February 24, 1931 – May 15, 1995) was a Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhist priest who substantially contributed to development of Zen in the United States. In 1956 he was sent to the United States to serve as a priest for a Japanese-American congregation in Los Angeles. After taking English classes, Maezumi began holding zazen for Western students early in the 1960s, founding the Zen Center of Los Angeles in 1967. After studying koans with Hakuun Yasutani and lay-teacher Koryū Osaka, in his teachings and practice Maezumi combined Sōtō-style shikantaza with Harada Daiun Sogaku's kōan-curriculum, which uses both Rinzai and Soto kōan-collections. In 1979 Maezumi and his first dharma-heir Bernie Glassman informally conceived the White Plum Asanga, a "community of peers" of dharma-heirs of Maezumi and their successors, "represent[ing] the vision of Maezumi Roshi." Maezumi publicly admitted he was an alcoholic in 1983, coinciding with revelations that he had been having sexual relationships with some of his female students. Many students and several of his dharma heirs left the Zen Center of Los Angeles, founding their own Zen communities.
Kim Swoo Geun (Korean: 김수근; February 20, 1931 – June 14, 1986) was a prominent South Korean architect, educator…Kim Swoo Geun (Korean: 김수근; February 20, 1931 – June 14, 1986) was a prominent South Korean architect, educator, publisher and patron of artists. Along with architect Kim Chung-up (김중업), he is recognised as a significant contributor in the history of Korean architecture. With his support for diverse art genres of Korean culture, he was referred to as Lorenzo de Medici of Seoul by TIME in 1977.
Makoto Ōoka (大岡 信, Ōoka Makoto; February 16, 1931, in Mishima, Shizuoka – April 5, 2017) was a Japanese poet and…Makoto Ōoka (大岡 信, Ōoka Makoto; February 16, 1931, in Mishima, Shizuoka – April 5, 2017) was a Japanese poet and literary critic. He pioneered the collaborative poetic form renshi in the 1990s, in which he has collaborated with such well-known literary figures as Charles Tomlinson, James Lasdun, Joseph Stanton, Shuntarō Tanikawa and Mikirō Sasaki.
Ken Takakura (Japanese: 高倉 健, Hepburn: Takakura Ken), born Takeichi Oda (小田 剛一, Oda Takeichi; February 16, 1931 –…Ken Takakura (Japanese: 高倉 健, Hepburn: Takakura Ken), born Takeichi Oda (小田 剛一, Oda Takeichi; February 16, 1931 – November 10, 2014), was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in over 200 films. Affectionately referred to as "Ken-san" by audiences, he was best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brought to his roles. He won the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role four times, tied with Koji Yakusho for the most ever. Takakura additionally received the Japanese Medal of Honor with purple ribbon in 1998, the Person of Cultural Merit award in 2006, and the Order of Culture in 2013.
