Ganjirō Nakamura II (real name Yoshio Hayashi; 1902-1983) was a celebrated Japanese actor of kabuki theatre and film. The son of the acclaimed kabuki actor Ganjirō Nakamura I, he inherited the stage name and began his career on the stage, becoming a master of the genre. Starting in the 1950s, he gained international fame in film, becoming a favorite actor of prominent directors such as Yasujirō Ozu, Akira Kurosawa, and Kon Ichikawa. His versatility is evident in iconic roles such as the wandering troupe leader in Ozu's *Floating Weeds* (1959) and the protagonist of Ichikawa's *The Key* (1959). For the latter film, he shared the Jury Prize at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival. In his home country, he received numerous accolades, including the Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor for *The Lower Depths* (1957). In 1980, the Japanese government designated him a Living National Treasure for his mastery of the art of kabuki, honoring his fundamental contribution to both traditional theatre and modern cinema.