Mr. Toshiyuki Nishida!! Congratulations on winning Fukushima Prefectural Honor Award!! Long interview for his triumph return
Sponsored Links
Mr. Toshiyuki Nishida!!
Congratulations on winning Fukushima Prefectural Honor Award!!
Long interview for his triumph return
On a beautiful autumn day, Monday, September 17, the Fukushima Prefectural Honor Award ceremony was held at the Koriyama View Hotel Annex, welcoming acclaimed actor Toshiyuki Nishida as the guest of honor.
Toshiyuki Nishida became the fourth recipient of the Fukushima Prefectural Honor Award. The ceremony marked yet another joyful milestone for him, following his receipt of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in the 2018 Spring Conferment of Decorations.
For the first time, the award ceremony was held open to the public, drawing strong interest from local residents.
Style-Koriyama attended the event to cover Mr. Nishida’s thoughts and feelings upon receiving this prestigious honor.
[Interviews]
A large number of press crews and around 300 audience members, selected by lottery, gathered at the venue. Fans of all ages — from young children to the elderly — came to celebrate the occasion.
As soon as Mr. Nishida stepped onto the stage, he struck a comical pose with open arms, immediately creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere that charmed everyone in attendance.
Local residents are also excited with the award ceremony.
Toshiyuki Nishida received a certificate along with a commemorative lacquerware plate from Masao Uchibori, presented by the Governor of Fukushima Prefecture.
[Talk Session]
The award ceremony was followed by a talk session. Within the time allotted, Mr. Nishida spoke candidly about his thoughts on receiving the award and shared heartfelt feelings for his hometown, often making the audience laugh with his humor and charm.
[The reason to be awarded]
The Governor explained the reasons for awarding Toshiyuki Nishida the Fukushima Prefectural Honor Award.
“The first reason,” he said, “is that Mr. Nishida is an exceptional actor recognized nationwide. In addition to acting, he is active as a singer, presenter, and narrator, bringing smiles to people and giving them courage.
The second reason is his tremendous support for Fukushima following the Great East Japan Earthquake. He rushed here to cheer on the people with his big voice during the ‘Fight! FUKUSHIMA’ campaign and also participated in a PR video created by the prefecture to promote reconstruction.
This award is not just from Fukushima Prefecture or the Governor. I believe it represents the feelings of fans across Japan, saying ‘Thank you, as always,’ and ‘Keep up the great work.’”
[How do you feel now after being awarded for Fukushima Prefectural Honor Award?]
Toshiyuki Nishida expressed his gratitude and feelings about receiving the award:
“I feel truly happy to have been born and raised in Fukushima. Although my parents are not from here, I have always loved this prefecture where I grew up.
I am honored to receive this award, but at the same time, I feel a little embarrassed, wondering if I truly deserve it. Yet I am proud that, throughout my career as an actor, I have always kept Fukushima in my thoughts.
I don’t know how many more years I will be able to continue acting, but I take this award as encouragement to keep working as an actor while remembering my hometown. I hope to continue sharing messages as a proud citizen of Fukushima Prefecture.”
[Episodes from His Childhood]
Toshiyuki Nishida shared some childhood memories of Fukushima:
“When I was a child, I thought Lake Inawashiro was the sea. I couldn’t understand why its water wasn’t salty until I saw the ocean in Iwaki for the first time.
In summer, I used to play in the Abukuma River with my friends. We would often wash cows as part of the local tradition called ‘Beko-Arai’ — and yes, sometimes they even peed on me! Experiences like these, he said, enriched his heart and shaped his character.”
[Experience of his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage in his childhood. He was raised by his mother’s sister and her husband after being adopted by them at the age of 5. He often visited movie theaters with his adoptive father, who loved watching movies.]
Toshiyuki Nishida fondly recalled his early love for movies:
“I really loved Arakan (Arashi Kanjuro) and other period dramas, so I used to watch films of those genres. My father even took me to movies for adults, so I guess I matured quickly — haha!
Back then, movie theaters often showed six films in a single program, so I would spend half a day watching movies with my lunch bag in hand. As I kept watching, my passion for becoming an actor grew stronger.
When I was exposed to the Tokyo dialect, I realized that speaking only the Koriyama dialect wouldn’t be enough to succeed as an actor. That’s when I decided to move to Tokyo to study the dialect. I begged my parents to let me go — haha!”
[Started as an actor after moving to Tokyo]
Looking back on his early acting days, Toshiyuki Nishida shared:
“I tried to avoid seeing my hometown friends because, in the world of acting back then, only refined expressions were allowed. Whenever I felt homesick, I would skip class and go to Ueno Zoo.
There was a gorilla named ‘BulBul’ from Africa, and somehow, BulBul seemed to share my homesick feelings. I would have hugged him if he weren’t in a cage — haha! Since then, whenever I missed my hometown, I always went to see BulBul.”
[Secrets to continue acting]
Toshiyuki Nishida shared the secret behind his long career:
“The key is the curiosity I’ve had since childhood. I was always full of curiosity whenever I thought about fun things, and I believe that curiosity continues to support me as an actor.
I am truly grateful to my father for giving me countless opportunities to watch movies. From those films, I learned many important lessons — everything from adult manners to etiquette.
Growing up in Fukushima, where people are laid-back, also shaped my positive outlook on life. My personal motto? ‘Shosuke Obara’ — haha!”
[About being a performer and an actor]
Toshiyuki Nishida shared his thoughts on his craft:
“I truly love acting. I get especially excited when I am cast in a role that is different from what I’ve done before. To me, an ‘actor’ is a role that someone plays, while a ‘performer’ is the person who brings that role to life.
I see myself as a performer — someone who embodies the role on stage or screen. My goal is to be known as ‘Performer Toshiyuki Nishida’ rather than simply ‘Actor Toshiyuki Nishida.’”
Toshiyuki Nishida was born and raised in Koriyama. After graduating from junior high school, he moved to Tokyo to study acting and made his debut in 1967.
Since then, he has built a remarkable career, appearing in films such as Tsuribaka Nisshi, Ikenaka Genta 80 km, and Outrage.
Beyond acting, Nishida is also active as a singer, presenter, and narrator, making him a versatile performer beloved across Japan.
●What is “Fukushima people” for you?↓
https://stylekoriyama.com/fukushima-information/2019/01/26/koriyama-native-famous-actor/
Sponsored Links