Shin Koyamada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shin Koyamada 小山田 真
Born	(1982-03-10) March 10, 1982 (age 43) Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Alma mater	University of California, Riverside (ESL) Los Angeles City College
Occupation	Actor producer entrepreneur philanthropist
Organization	Shinobi Pictures Koyamada International Foundation Guardian Girls International
Spouse(s)	Nia Lyte
Children	1
Japanese name
Kanji	小山田 真
Hiragana	こやまだ しん
Transcriptions Romanization Koyamada Shin

Shin Koyamada (小山田 真, Koyamada Shin, born March 10, 1982) is a Japanese actor, producer, and martial artist. He is also known for his work helping others.

Shin Koyamada is famous for his roles in two big movies. He played Nobutada in The Last Samurai (2003) with Tom Cruise. He also starred as Shen in Disney's Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006).

As a producer, Koyamada creates many projects through his companies, Shinobi Pictures and Laizen Studios. He is also a leader in helping others. He chairs the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF) and Guardian Girls International (GGI). Koyamada holds black belts in Karate and Tae Kwon Do. He has also won gold medals in Shaolin Kung Fu at U.S. National Championships.

Early Life and Martial Arts

Shin Koyamada was born in Okayama, Japan. His family has a history with the samurai. When he was young, he loved sports. He trained in running, basketball, and long-distance cycling. In high school, he was very good at gymnastics. He became the team captain and competed in local events. He also learned basic Judo in school. He graduated in 2000.

At 16, Koyamada started learning traditional Japanese karate. By age 18, he earned his black belts. He also won awards in national championships.

Moving to the U.S.A

In 2000, Koyamada moved to the United States. He wanted to study more as an international student. He first joined an English program at the University of California, Riverside. Later that year, he moved to Los Angeles by himself. He did not speak English and had no friends or a place to stay.

Acting Career

Early Roles

From 2001 to 2002, Koyamada went to Los Angeles City College. There, he took acting lessons. In 2001, he got his first acting job in a TV commercial for Apple. Soon after, he appeared in commercials for JC Penney and Disneyland. The Disneyland commercial was filmed at the theme park. In 2002, Koyamada appeared in Power Rangers Wild Force. He also had a role in the short film A Ninja Pays Half My Rent.

The Last Samurai and Breakthrough

His first big movie role was in The Last Samurai (2003). He co-starred with Tom Cruise as Nobutada. The movie made a lot of money and was nominated for many awards. In 2004, he appeared in the TV series Jake 2.0.

Disney Movie and Japan Projects

In 2006, Koyamada starred with Brenda Song in Disney Channel's Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. This movie became one of Disney's most popular TV movies. It also set records in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe. In 2006, Koyamada starred in and helped produce the Japanese documentary Wine Road of the Samurai. This film was shown across Japan.

In 2007, Koyamada starred in and produced the short film Good Soil. This film is about the history of Christianity in Japan. Koyamada also appeared in the movie Constellation (2007). From 2006 to 2008, Koyamada was a regular on the Disney Channel Games. He appeared with stars like Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers.

Stage and Series in Japan

In 2010, Koyamada starred in the Japanese stage show Ai No Shizuku. This show was part of Japan's National Cultural Festival. The then-Crown Prince of Japan Naruhito attended the show. In 2013, he produced the action short film Heart of the Dragon. In 2014, Koyamada starred in and produced the TV series The Yokai King. It was filmed in Okinawa, Japan, and is based on Japanese folk tales. In 2022, he starred in and produced The Yokai King: The Movie.

Producing Career

Movies and Series

Koyamada helped start Shinobi Pictures in Los Angeles in 2005. In 2006, he helped produce the Japanese documentary Wine Road of the Samurai. In 2007, Koyamada produced the short film Good Soil.

Through Shinobi Pictures, Koyamada produced several TV and web series. These included Spirit Fashion Show (2013) and Spirit Love Show (2013). In 2014, he also produced the TV series The Yokai King. Later that year, he produced the short film Heart of the Dragon. In 2022, Koyamada produced the award-winning short film Shadow Glass.

Comics, Stickers, and Games

Koyamada co-founded Laizen Studios in 2019. That same year, he created the American comic book series The Dreamhoppers. In 2011, Koyamada created digital stickers called Kolala for the Line app. In 2013, he became an executive producer for a video game. This game is based on the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi.

Anime and Manga

Koyamada also helped start several anime and manga companies. These include Laizen Studios and Arabime Studios. In 2022, he joined N LITE and N LITE Japan. He was a producer for the afro-anime film Mfinda. He worked with famous producers like Masao Maruyama and executive producers Viola Davis and Eric Beckman.

Helping Others

Early Efforts

In 2004, Koyamada started helping young people. He taught karate at a local Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Burbank. In 2005, he was invited to a charity event for Kickstart Kids. This group was founded by actor Chuck Norris. Koyamada supported the program by joining events with Chuck Norris. He also inspired students at middle schools. Koyamada has supported many other groups in the United States. These include the Japan-America Societies and the National Cherry Blossom Parade.

Global Efforts

Koyamada is also involved in global efforts to help people. He works through the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF). He and his wife started KIF in 2008. KIF's goal is to make people's lives better. They do this by providing humanitarian aid and promoting world peace. KIF has programs for youth leadership, women's empowerment, and disaster relief. KIF also works on natural conservation and space-related projects. KIF has chapters in eleven countries. It also includes Guardian Girls International (GGI).

Gender Equality

In 2019, Koyamada promised to create Guardian Girls. This is a global program to prevent violence against women. It uses sports and martial arts. He made this promise at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya. KIF and the UNFPA then became partners for the program. In 2022, KIF partnered with the World Karate Federation (WKF). They launched the Guardian Girls Karate (GGK) project in 13 countries in 2023.

In 2024, Koyamada and his wife founded Guardian Girls International (GGI). This is a separate group linked to KIF. GGI manages all Guardian Girls programs worldwide. Later in 2024, GGI launched the Guardian Girls Aikido (GGA) project. This was done with the International Aikido Federation (IAF) in Latin America.

People to People Exchanges

In 2017, Koyamada and his wife joined the 60th anniversary of the San Jose-Okayama Sister City program. He supported his hometown of Okayama, Japan. He also met the Chairman of Sister Cities International (SCI). Later that year, he became the first Japan-born Board Director of SCI. He received the Chairman's Awards from SCI in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

In March 2019, Koyamada created the Japan-Texas Leadership Symposium. This event aimed to build friendships between Japan and the United States. It focused on business, culture, and education. The wife of then-Vice President Mike Pence, Karen Pence, attended the event. The wife of then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Akie Abe, sent a greeting letter.

In 2020, Koyamada finished his term on the SCI Board. In 2020 and 2021, he created the Japan-United States Subnational Young Professional Forum. This online event aimed to strengthen economic ties between young people in Japan and the U.S. In 2021, Koyamada founded the Japan United States Sister City Association (JUSSCA) in Tokyo, Japan. He serves as its chair.

Personal Life

Koyamada is married to Carolina Manrique, known as Nia Lyte. She is a producer from Colombia. They have a son who was born in the United States.

Martial Arts Training

In 1998, Koyamada started training in traditional Japanese karate in Okayama, Japan. After a few months, he competed in a national karate championship. In 2000, he earned his first-degree black belt in karate. In high school, he also took Judo classes.

In 2000, after moving to the U.S., Koyamada began training in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu in Los Angeles. He trained six days a week. After six months, he started competing and won gold medals at several national championships. In 2002, while filming The Last Samurai, Koyamada trained daily in horseback riding and Kyudo. He learned to master Yabusame.

In 2004, Koyamada was featured on the cover of Black Belt magazine. He then started training in Tae Kwon Do in Los Angeles. He earned his black belt in 2005. In 2005, Koyamada trained in Iaido and Aikido.

In 2008, Koyamada began training in Kung Jung Mu Sul. This is a Korean Royal Court Martial Art. He earned a brown belt and then his first-degree black belt. In 2009, Koyamada performed Japanese Iaido at a martial arts festival in Nettuno, Italy.

In 2010, Koyamada created the first United States Martial Arts Festival (USMAF). This event brought together different martial arts from around the world. It was held in Redondo Beach, California. Over 1,000 people attended, including grandmasters and celebrities. In 2011, the event promoted traditional Japanese culture.

Awards and Honors

Awards

• Chairman's Awards (2018, 2019, 2020) - from the Chairman of Sister Cities International
• Community Leadership Awards (2024) - from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Goodwill Ambassador Roles

• Special Ambassador (2010) - from the President of Japan-America Society of Southern California
• International Goodwill Ambassador (2010) - from the Governor of Okayama Prefecture
• Kyoto Tourism Ambassador (2011) - from the Mayor of Kyoto
• 2020 Tokyo Olympics Karate Ambassador (2016) - from the President of Japan Karate Federation
• Cultural Envoy (2022) - from the Foreign Minister of Mongolia
• Ambassador (2023) - from the President of World Karate Federation

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Shin Koyamada para niños