Shōgen

Shogen Itokazu , known mononymously as Shogen, is a Japanese actor. He is best known for his role as Nao Tsuchiyama in Gensan Punch, which had a joint win for the Kim Jiseok award with The Rapist (2021) at the 26th Busan International Film Festival. Born in Okinawa, he formerly worked as a model before making his acting debut in Bloody Snake Under the Sun (2005).

Career Shogen originally worked as a model in Paris, Milan, and London. In 2004, he returned to Japan and acted in his debut film, Bloody Snake Under the Sun (2005), which was nominated at the 20th Tokyo International Film Festival. After this experience, he developed an interest in acting after meeting a method actor, and travelled to New York for lessons in 2009. He studied under Susan Batson and Roberta Wallch, actress Nicole Kidman's private coaches. In 2010, Shogen was chosen by CNN for its Tokyo Hot List: 20 People to Watch. For the role, Shogen exercised five to six times a week to look like a boxer. He also used tape to tie his ankles and legs, then performed punches to imitate the movements of disabled people.

Gensan Punch later premiered at the Tokyo and Busan film festivals; the latter of which awarded the film the Kim Jiseok award, in a joint win with The Rapist (2021). In 2022, he starred in Anshul Chauhan's December (2022), which was nominated for the Kim Jiseok award at the 27th Busan International Film Festival. That same year, he also starred in Lighting Over the Beyond (2022). In 2024, he starred in Yosep Anggi Noen's horror film The Redemption of Sin (2024).

In 2025, Shogen starred in Josh C. Waller's Lone Samurai, where he portrayed the protagonist Riku. To prepare for the role, he trained for three weeks. He was also the Cinema Ambassador to the Okinawa Pan Pacific International Film Festival.

Personal life Shogen was born in Okinawa, Japan, on 20 June 1978. He considers himself influenced by Okinawa practices.

Filmography

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