Togo Igawa facts for kids

Yoshiyuki Baba (馬場 義之, Baba Yoshiyuki), known professionally as Togo Igawa (伊川 東吾, Igawa Tōgo), is a talented Japanese actor. He is famous for his work in British plays, movies, and TV shows. In 2012, he was even nominated for a BAFTA award for his role in the video game Total War: Shogun 2.

Becoming an Actor: Togo Igawa's Journey

Togo Igawa started his acting journey in Japan. He created his own theater group called Black Tent Theatre. This group put on many plays.

Later, in 1986, Igawa moved to the United Kingdom. There, he made history by becoming the first Japanese actor to join The Royal Shakespeare Company. This is a very famous theater group in the UK.

Togo Igawa in Movies

Togo Igawa has appeared in many well-known movies. Some of his roles include:

• General Hasegawa in The Last Samurai (2003)
• Tanaka in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
• Fred in Revolver (2005)
• Ting Wang in Johnny English Reborn (2011)
• Takagawa in Gambit (2012)
• Wang Yong in The Gentlemen (2019)
• Hiroshi Yamauchi in Tetris (2023), where he played a real-life businessman.

Voice Acting and TV Roles

Besides acting in movies, Togo Igawa is also known for his voice work. He voiced Professor Moshimo in the cartoon Robotboy. He also gave his voice to Hiro in the popular Thomas & Friends series, starting with Hero of the Rails in 2009.

You might have seen him in many TV shows too. His television appearances include:

• Lovejoy (1992)
• The IT Crowd (2006, 2008)
• Torchwood (2006)
• Casualty (2014)
• Doctor Who (2017)
• The Crown (2019), where he played Emperor Hirohito.

In 2019, he joined the cast of the BBC series Giri/Haji.

Video Game Appearances

Togo Igawa has also lent his voice to characters in video games. He voiced the main villain, Colonel Lee, in Crysis Warhead. He also played the Yakuza character Jiro in the 2013 game Payday 2. His performance in Total War: Shogun 2 even earned him a BAFTA nomination.

In 2024, he is expected to star in a new play called Kyoto on the West End theatre. This play will bring him back together with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Togo Igawa's Personal Life

Togo Igawa lives in England with his wife, Adrienne Baba. He studied acting at The Haiyuza Theatre Company Acting School and Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music. These schools helped him become the skilled actor he is today.

See also

In Spanish: Togo Igawa para niños