Hayato Ichihara:"UNBOUND" is his third taiga drama, and he plays Toriyama Kengyo, the man who buys the bride of Yoshiwara's most famous courtesan, Segawa.

It has been announced that actor Ichihara Hayato will appear in the NHK Taiga drama "UNBOUND - Tsutaju Eika no Yume Banashi" which will start on January 5, 2025. This will be Ichihara's third time appearing in a Taiga drama, following "Naotora: The Lady Warlord" (2017) and "The 13 Lords of the Shogun" (2022). He will play the role of Toriyama Kengyo, a "blind millionaire."

Toriyama Kengyo is the man who bought Segawa (Fuka Koshiba), who was said to be the most beautiful courtesan in Yoshiwara at the time, for 1,400 ryo. "Kengyo" was the highest official rank given to a blind person, and Toriyama, with the permission of the shogunate, engaged in high-interest loans and built up a large fortune. Toriyama had obtained everything through the power of money, but the only one he had not been able to win was his wife Segawa's heart, and he senses the presence of Tsutae (Ryusei Yokohama) in this.

Ichihara commented, "I will be playing Toriyama Kengyo, who is still a mysterious character but holds the highest rank in the Todo-za organization for the blind. How we feel about the life we've been given is up to us, depending on the fate we were born with, but what fills Toriyama Kengyo's longing for people that cannot be explained by logic? I will play the role with respect for all people and things that are in the same situation as Kengyo."

"I feel that this is a character that has never been seen in a taiga drama before. I will make thorough preparations for the actual filming and do my best to ensure that everyone enjoys my appearance," he said enthusiastically.

"UNBOUND - Tsutaya Juzaburou's Dream Story" is the 64th taiga drama, starring Yokohama, and depicts the life of Tsutaya Juzaburo, who is said to have built the foundations of Japan's media industry and pop culture. The production team bills him as "a dashing young man who was born with nothing - no parents, no money, no artistic talent - but became the darling of his time as the 'media king of Edo.'"