- Played the character 'Zatoichi' in a total of 26 movies, from 1962-1989.
- Pursued world-renowned geisha Mineko Iwasaki for three years before she agreed to enter a relationship with him. His extramarital affair with her continued for five years before she broke off the relationship after realizing she would always be second to his wife.
- As a child he had a blind shamisen instructor. This coincidence lead to his claiming the talent to play a blind swordsman who plays the shamisen in the Zatoichi series.
- Brother of Tomisaburô Wakayama
- Father of actor Ryûtarô Gan
- Son of Shamisen player Katsutôji Kineya
- His father ran a music school.
- Father of Masami Okumura.
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