is a Japanese singer, actor, voice actor and radio host. He is also a member and the drummer of Japanese male idol group Super Eight (previously known as Kanjani Eight), which was under the management of Johnny & Associates and now is under Starto Entertainment. His image color in the group is green.

Early life

Okura is the eldest son of entrepreneur , president and CEO of Eternal Hospitality Group Co., Ltd., and founder of izakaya chain

Career

His respect for Go Morita from V6, is the reason why Okura joined Johnny & Associates.

Johnny's Jr. and early career

Okura entered the agency on September 6, 1997. His cousin sent in a resume on his behalf, but was not called back to audition until 2 years later. During his audition, future co-members from what was to become Kanjani 8, where also there. Okura had a difficult time finding work at the beginning. While he was acting in "Kyo to Kyo", a stage play, from 1997 to 1998, from 1999 to 2001 he had little to no performances. Around Spring 2001, was part of the Johnny's Jr. unit , but left soon after. He had been chosen to be a part of , a Kansai region-based

Johnny's Jr. was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which managed groups of male Japanese idol, idols known as The company had a significant impact on pop culture with male idols and boy bands in Japan since the 1980s. Until 2019, ...

, which would become Kanjani 8 by 2002, when he took over for the V West drummer. Fellow member Yasuda Shota told Johnny Kitagawa about Okura. In December 2002, he joined the program "J3KANSAI" as a new regular member. Not knowing how to drum but eager to try, Okura began intensive lessons.

Musical career

As a singer

Okura debuted with Kanjani 8 in 2004, with the Single "Nanika Iroha Bushi". He had his first solo concert in 2008. On January 17, 2016, he canceled his performance at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka due to an intestinal obstruction. On January 20, he reported that he had returned to work. It was the first time a member of the group had cancelled a concert appearance. In 2022, Okura had to suspend activities temporarily due to low-tone sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear and tinnitus in both ears, which he had been diagnosed with. The decision was taken so that Okura would undergo treatment for the affection, so that he would return in better condition for their stadium live '18-sai' being held in July.

As a producer and director

In 2018, Okura and fellow member You Yokoyama directed the "Kansai Johnny's Jr. X’mas Party!! 2018", an event that had its origin in 2002, in the "Kanjani ∞ X'mas Party 2002 in Osaka Shochikuza" and "Kanjani ∞→ Johnny's WEST→ Kansai Johnny's Jr." events. Okura is the producer of Kansai area group Naniwa Danshi. Okura, together with

Arashi is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15, 199 ...

's Jun Matsumoto, directed the concert series ''WE ARE! Let's get the party STARTO!!'', which would take place in April and May 2024, as the first concerts offered by Starto Entertainment. To better accomplish this, Okura announced the creation of his own production company. He announced on July 29, 2024, the start of a new company, "J-pop Legacy", for the purpose of producing and nurturing talents and developing new content. Okura was appointed the company's President and Representative Director. His own role as artist and member of Super Eight will continue to be under Starto.

As a lyricist

Okura wrote the lyrics to "Can’t stop", a song performed in the "Kansai Johnny's Jr. X’mas Party!!2018" event.

Acting career

Okura is active in TV dramas, playing a few major roles such as Yasuko to Kenji, Hissatsu Shigotonin, ROMES and GM Odore Doctor. In 2010, he appeared in movie for first time' playing the role of sword man Tsuruoka in Ooku. Besides, he is a hardcore fan of Mr.Children.

Personal life

Okura made an announcement through his agency on February 24, 2025, that he had married a non-celebrity woman and is expecting their first child.

Filmography

Drama

*2000: ''Kowaii Nichiyoubi 2000'' (ep 10 "Kioku kara no shisha ~ yomigaeru kako no kyōfu") *2006: ''Cinderella ni Naritai!'' as Ken Narumizaka/Bon Kuramochi (lead role) *2006: ''Gekidan Engimono: Intelligence'' as Hajime (lead role) *2007: ''Hissatsu Shigotonin 2007'' as Genta *2007: ''Utahime'' as Jinguji-kun (James) *2008: ''Yasuko to Kenji'' as Jun Tsubaki *2009: ''Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009'' as Genta *2009: ''Romes'' as Yūya Narushima (lead role) *2010: ''Gm: Odore Doctor'' as Kensuke Motoki *2011: ''Umareru'' as Hayashida Taichi *2012: ''Mikeneko Holmes no Suiri'' as Ishizu Ryohei *2012: ''papadol!'' as himself *2013: ''Otenki Onee-san'' as Detective Gota Aoki (lead role) *2014: ''Dr.Dmat: Gareki no Shita no Hippocrates'' as Hibiki Yakumo (lead role) *2014: ''Hana-chan no Misoshiru'' as Shingo Yasutake (lead role) *2015: '' Do S Deka'' as Shūsuke Daikanyama *2018: ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' as Yukio Nanjo *2021: ''Shitteru wife'' as Motoharu

Television Shows

*2024: '' timelesz project -AUDITION-''

Film

*2010: ''

Ōoku The was historically the harem, women's quarters of Edo Castle, the section where the women connected to the reigning resided. Similar areas in the castles of powerful , such as the Satsuma Domain, were also referred to by this term. During ...

'' as Tsuruoka *2012: '' Eight Ranger'' as Ookawa Ryousuke *2013: '' Crying 100 Times: Every Raindrop Falls'' as Fuji Shuichi *2014: ''Eight Ranger 2'' as Ookawa Ryousuke *2014: ''

Clover Clovers, also called trefoils, are plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with the highest diversit ...

'' as Tsuge Susumu *2016: ''

Shippu Rondo is a 2016 Japanese action/comedy film directed by Teruyuki Yoshida based on the novel by Keigo Higashino. The movie was produced by Kazuma Kuryu and Takako Oki. Its release date was November 26, 2016. By the first screenings, the film had earne ...

'' as Shōhei Nezu *2020: '' The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese''

Music film

*2010: ''8Uppers'' as Johnny

Commercials

* Otsuka Pharmaceutical "Oronamin C" (2006) * Showgate '' Crying 100 Times'' (2013) *

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...

Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...

Mario & Sonic AT Sochi Olympics'' (2013) * ' (2013, 2016) *

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

(Japan) '' Candy Crush'' (2015-2016) * Seven & I Holdings '' 7/11 "Noodles"'' (2018) * Morinaga ''Koeda Chocolate'' (as producer for Kansai Jr. group AmBitious) (April - October 2022) * '' (April 2023)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Okura, Tadayoshi Japanese male film actors Japanese male television actors 20th-century Japanese male actors 21st-century Japanese male actors Japanese male pop singers Japanese male idols Living people Kanjani Eight members 1985 births Singers from Higashiōsaka Male actors from Osaka Prefecture Starto Entertainment