Kenjiro Yamashita

Kenjiro Yamashita was born on 24 May 1985, in Kyoto Prefecture.[2] His family moved to Nara Prefecture when he was still in pre-school for his father's job, but they moved back to Kyoto Prefecture in his second grade.[8] At Nagaokakyo Municipal Nagaoka Daishi Junior High School, he began to play basketball after joining the basketball club with his friends,[9] and he became so obsessed with basketball that he chose to enrol in Kyoto Prefectural Koyo High School because it had one of the basketball teams in Kyoto Prefecture. He was the captain of the school basketball team in his final year.[10]

With an ambition to win the favour of girls, Yamashita began dancing in his second year of high school. His friend taught him breaking, and they performed at the cultural festival of his high school that year.[11][12] Being so fond of dancing, he quit university ten days after his enrolment and then spent his time practicing dancing and doing part-time jobs.[11] He also switched from breaking to Hip-Hop because with the limit of his height(187 cm), it would be harder for him to perform classic breaking dance moves like the windmill.[12] Seeing his love for dancing, his mother suggested him to go to a proper dancing school to make a living out of it.[11][13] As a result, he enrolled in the street dancing department at Cat Music College in Osaka.[11][14] Upon graduation, Yamashita was offered the job of a parade dancer at Universal Studio Japan. He worked there for two years and participated in many shows and parades.[12][13][15]

In 2007, Yamashita got an opportunity to serve as a backup dancer in Exile's tour Exile Live Tour 2007 'Exile Evolution'. He was shocked and impressed after seeing the performance of Exile in close distance, and the seed of dreaming to become an artist just like Exile took root in his heart.[11] He enrolled in EXPG Osaka(a talent school run by Exile's management company LDH) as soon as it opened and he became an instructor there later.[2][16] His students included Yuta Nakatsuka, Mio Nakajima, Shūka Fujii, Karen Fujii, Zin, Shogo Iwaya, Masahiro Sunada and Rikiya Okuda.[12] Then he quit his steady job at Universal Studio Japan to focus on his dream, much to the surprise of the management team of USJ since it seems insane to give up such a well-paid job. His resignation was accepted after he showed his determination to try his best to pursue his dream, and he got blessings from his former bosses and colleagues.[12] During his time at EXPG Osaka, he did more backup dancers jobs for Exile and other LDH's artists. He met Naoto and Naoki, his future Sandaime J Soul Brothers' groupmate and Nidaime J Soul Brothers' members at that time, when he served as a backup dancer for Nidaime J Soul Brothers' shows in Osaka.[12] In 2009, he took part in the audition for Gekidan Exile,the actor group produced by LDH. Though he is one of the finalists，he was not chosen as a formal member of Gekidan Exile. Anyway, he was invited to take lessons in Tokyo together with the winners as a backup candidate. Taking this opportunity, he moves to Tokyo from Osaka.[11][12][17]

After a year of lessons in the days and part-time jobs at nights in Tokyo, Yamashita was chosen to debut as an actor and a member of the actor group Gekidan Exile Kazegumi (the team of wind) in April 2010.[11] He performed in Gekidan Exile's play NIGHT BALLET and was in charge of the choreography for the final all-in dance scene. In May 2010, he performed in Gekidan Exile's 4th play DANCE EARTH ~Negai~.[2][12]

In September 2010, Yamashita passed the audition for performers of the new Sandaime J Soul Brothers. The life changing announcement for Yamashita was announced at the rehearsal for Exile's Exile Live Tour 2010 'Fantasy' in Noevir Stadium Kobe by Hiro, producer of Sandaime J Soul Brothers, and he was thrilled to finally saw his dream coming true. In fact, he had considered giving up his dream and going back to Kyoto to become a dance instructor or a professional angler if he failed this audition.[17][18] On 27 September, He appeared and performed for the first time as a member of Sandaime J Soul Brothers on the stage of Exile's Live FANTASY After Night Festival ～EXILE Soul～.[19][20] On 10 November, he debuted in Sandaime J Soul Brothers with the single, "Best Friend's Girl".[21][22] In December, he performed in Gekidan Exile's play Rokudenashi BLUES playing Hamada, a strong fighter of the boxing club.[2][23] In July 2011, He officially withdrew from Gekidan Exile.[24] In August, he reprised his role as Hamada in TV drama Rokudenashi BLUES as a guest star.[2][25]

In July 2013, Yamashita appeared in TV drama Frenemy~Rumble of the Rat~, playing journalist Kenichi Jogasaki.[2][26] He appeared in two plays in this year, Attack No.1 from August to September and Monsieur! From October to November.[27][28]

After Sandaime J Soul Brothers' major hit "R.Y.U.S.E.I." in 2014, Yamashita gained more opportunities on mainstream media. He became the Friday host for the famous Japanese radio program All Night Nippon in April 2015.[5][29] He appeared in NHK BS Premium's drama Aru Hi, Ahiru Bus as Kosuke Namiki, the former boyfriend of the main character Hazuki (starring Norika Fujiwara)in July and August 2015.[24] He also appeared in the TBS's TV drama Napoleon no Mura ("Save Our Town! ") as homestayer Naoto Misaki.[2][30] On 21 October, the first season of the drama High&Low was broadcast, which was the start of the High&Low franchise, the action and music franchise produced by the Exile Tribe. Yamashita played Dan, a member of Sanno Hoodlum Squad, which was one of the gangs that controlled the S.W.O.R.D. area in the world of the High&Low franchise.[31][32][33][34]

In 2016, Yamashita reprised his role as Dan in the TV drama High&Low Season 2 and film High&Low The Movie and High&Low The Red Rain.[2][35][36] In January, he served as the main host for the special show Nippon Broadcasting System LIVE EXPO TOKYO 2016 ALL LIVE NIPPON Vol.4.[37] In October 2016, he starred in Amazon Prime Video Drama Fukuyadou Honpo - KYOTO LOVE STORY - as Kaoru Hiyama, the fiancé of Nozomi Sasaki's character Hina Fukuyoshi. Hiyama, a handsome banker and the heir to the Hiyama family estate, fell in love with Hina at first sight and proposed to her, and the couple decided to get married even they have just met and have never gone on a date.[38][39][40]

In 2017, Yamashita got his first lead role in the dTV×FOD's drama Love or Not. As office worker Kosuke Usami, he had an unexpected love story with Yuika Motokariya's character Mako.[41] In February,he served as the main host for the special show Nippon Broadcasting System All Night Nippon 50th Anniversary ALL LIVE NIPPON Vol.5.[42] In April, he appeared in the play Manga Mitai ni Ikanai alongside comedy group Tokyo 03 and Maika Yamamoto, playing Hirohiko Aramaki, the assistant to the unpopular mangaka Osamu Totsuka. A sitcom version of the play was released on Hulu Japan in October and then broadcast on NTV in January 2018.[43][44] Besides, he also reprised his role as Dan in the film High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky released in August 2017 and High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission released in November 2017.[2] What's more, a spin-off comedy series led by Yamashita as Dan, High&Low The DTC, was released on Hulu in August. The series showed the casual life of High&Low's character Dan, Tettsu(starring Kanta Satô), Chiharu(starring Taiki Satô) from Sannoh Hoodlum Squad, who call themselves DTC.[2][45]

In 2018, Yamashita appeared opposite Mai Fukagawa in the romance film the film Pan to Bus to Nidome no Hatsukoi ("Our Blue Moment"). He played Tamotsu Yuasa, a bus driver and the love interest of the heroine played by Mai Fukagawa. The film premiered at the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2017 and was released on 17 February 2018.[46][47] From April, he serves as the Tuesday host for NTV's morning information program "ZIP!".[4] On 22 June, the anthology film Uta Monogatari: Cinema Fighters Project, the second film of the Cinema Fighters project (Cinema Fighters is a joint project by Exile Hiro, Tetsuya Bessho, who is the representative director of SSFF & ASIA, and lyricist Masato Odake.[48]), was released. Yamashita starred as a fisherman in one of the six stories of the anthology, Genkou no Hate, which was directed and written by Tsukasa Kishimoto.[48] From 5 to 19 August, he led in play Hachioji Zombies, playing a temporary monk who teach Zombies to dance.[49] He also reprised his role as Dan in the film DTC -Yukemuri Junjou Hen- from High&Low , alongside Kanta Satô and Taiki Satô, as DTC went on a vacation in an Onsen (Hot springs).[50] The film was released limitedly on 28 September in Japan.[51] Then in October, he successfully held the special show J SOUL BROTHERS III Yamashita Kenjiro no ALL NIGHT NIPPON presents Yama Fes. ~Yamashita Base in YOKOHAMA ARENA~, which attracted 10 thousand audiences.[2][52]

In 2019, Yamashita appeared in play Manga Mitai ni Ikanai. Dai 2 Kan( "Manga Mitai ni Ikanai. Vol.2"), the sequel to 2017's Manga Mitai ni Ikanai, as well as its sitcom version "Game Mitai ni Ikanai".[43][53] In March, he announced that he would leave radio program All Night Nippon at the end of the month, and started his personal radio program, Sandaime J Soul Brothers Yamashita Kenjiro's Zero Base, which would be broadcast at 24:00 pm every Friday.[5] In August, Universal Studio Japan appointed Sandaime J Soul Brothers' Kenjiro Yamashita and Naoto as its ambassadors for its Halloween event of 2019, Universal Surprise Halloween, and announced that the theme of 2019's Halloween event would be Zombie de Dance, and Sandaime J Soul Brothers' new song "Rat-tat-tat" as well as its choreograph were used as the theme for the event.[54] On 5 December, he made the draw for the men's and women's quarter-finals in the draw for the final round of the 95th Emperor's and 86th Empress's Cup All Japan Basketball Championship Tournament.[55]

In January, 2020, he again successfully held his special show, J SOUL BROTHERS III Yamashita Kenjiro no Zero Base presents Yama Fes. ~Yamashita Base in YOKOHAMA ARENA 2020 ~.[56] On 17 July, the movie version of Hachioji Zombies was released, in which Yamashita reprised his role of monk Takashi Habuki. This is the first time he led in a film.[57][58] He also released two fishing lure he produced in collaboration with fishing tackle brand EVERGREEN in October.[59] On 22 December, it was announced that he was chosen as the winner for Cool Anglers Award 2021 by Japan fishing show again, which made him the first person to win the award three times in a row and the first person to enter the hall of fame for the award.[60][61]

Yamashita is a descendant of famous Japanese ceramist Kiyomizu Rokubei IV.[63] He has an older brother.[64]

On 26 July 2021, it was announced that Yamashita has married model Aya Asahina.[65]

Yamashita is a man known for having various hobbies, and he even said that he wanted to be a second George Tokoro, who is also known for having a diversity of hobbies.[11][17]

One of Yamashita's biggest enthusiasms is fishing, especially Bass fishing. He started Bass Fishing when he was in elementary school under the influence of manga Grander Musashi, and his love for fishing grew deeper as he grew up. He had even considered becoming a professional angler.[12][13][17][66] In 2019, he got a boating license so that he could drive his own boat when fishing.[67]

What's more, he promoted fishing enthusiastically in both his radio programs, Sandaime J Soul Brothers Yamashita Kenjiro's All Night Nippon and Sandaime J Soul Brothers Yamashita Kenjiro's Zero Base, apart from his SNS account. He won the "Cool Anglers Award 2019" and "Cool Anglers Award 2020" for his passionate promotion of fishing to the public. He is the first person to win this award for two continuous years.[6][68]

He also became a Youtuber in 2019 to share his hobbies(mainly fishing) with the world.[7]

Yamashita learned karate when he was young, and he holds a black belt. He won the Kyoto karate tournament in his junior 1.[69][70]

Yamashita learned to beatbox when he was working in Universal Studio Japan to perform beatboxing in a show there. He often performs beatboxing to accompany the groupmate's Elly's dancing and rap.[12][13]

Yamashita is a DIY lover. Apart from designing and making many small things, he even rebuilt his own home.[70] In 2018, he published a book Sandaime J Soul Brothers Kenjiro Yamashita Workers Tool Book about DIY.[71] In 2019, he won the DIY Award at Japan DIY Homecenter Show 2019 For his contribution and inspiration to the world of DIY.[72]

Yamashita is a sneaker-head who collects and admires sneakers as a hobby. His love for sneakers took root in his years in the basketball clubs at high school and was influenced by his street dance teacher Hiro. He now had more than 150 pairs of sneakers and a warehouse to stock them.[12][73]