Directed by Kazukiyo Nishikori! Shugo Nakayama's Stage Debut and First Lead Role! Press Conference Report for the Immortal Masterpiece Stage Play 'Ah, Douki no Sakura'
A press conference was held on May 15, 2026, for the stage play 'Ah, Douki no Sakura,' directed by Kazukiyo Nishikori and starring Shugo Nakayama. The play about Kamikaze pilots will run in August 2026 in Tokyo and Kisarazu.
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- 📰 Published: May 16, 2026 at 19:00
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A press conference for the stage play 'Ah, Douki no Sakura', planned, directed, and starring Kazukiyo Nishikori, which will be performed at the Mitsukoshi Theater in Tokyo and Kazusa Academia Hall in Kisarazu in August 2026, was held on May 15, 2026. Kazukiyo Nishikori, along with lead actor Shugo Nakayama, Akihiro Iwanaga, Daiki Ishikawa, Koshiro Kataoka, Sena Ito, Kohei Takano, Kazushi Toguchi, Genki Arai, and Yuki Okazawa took the stage.
This work is an immortal masterpiece created by Shigemi Enomoto in 1967, based on 'Ah, Douki no Sakura: The Unreturning Youth Notes', a collection of posthumous writings by the 14th Naval Aviation Reserve Students published by the Mainichi Shimbun. In 2015, Hirotsugu Ueda wrote a new adaptation based on Shigemi Enomoto's script. Directed by Kazukiyo Nishikori, it has been performed for three consecutive years since 2024, and will raise its curtain again in the summer of 2026, the 81st year since the war ended.
Just before the press conference, Nishikori, Nakayama, and others formally worshipped at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Also, at the 'Bukon Keisho-sai' (Martial Spirit Succession Festival) held annually on May 15 at the Noh stage of Yasukuni Shrine, they unveiled a scene from the play 'Ah, Douki no Sakura' as a dedicatory performance. At the beginning of the press conference, the same scene was performed for the press. They sang 'Douki no Sakura' (Cherry Blossoms of the Same Class), proudly sending off their comrades who fell at a young age.
At the press conference, Kazukiyo Nishikori first greeted, 'Following last year's 80th anniversary of the end of the war, this will be the third consecutive year of performances. This year, new members have brought a fresh breeze. Although the theme is war, we will strive to make it a refreshing work where young people spend their youth vividly and radiantly.'
Nishikori's encounter with the work was over ten years ago. 'My old man was still alive. He was the third son of the Nishikori family. My uncle, the eldest son, was in the Navy, and I often heard stories of the war. I remember when I told my dad I would be working on such a piece, he looked deeply moved and had tears in his eyes,' he reminisced. Touching on his own 60th birthday last year, he added, 'War was happening until 20 years before I was born. It made me realize how close the war actually was. We are becoming the last generation that can inherit what was passed down from our fathers. I want these young men to pass down what they felt from me to future generations,' expressing his expectations for the fresh faces including Nakayama.
Nakayama, who was selected for the role of Fumiharu Moroki, a 14th Naval Aviation Reserve Student confronting the harsh fate of the Kamikaze corps, said of his major role in his stage debut, 'First, I was happy to participate in a work with such history. At the same time, anxiety and a sense of responsibility toward the work flooded over me. As an actor, my experience is shallow, and there are areas where my skills are lacking, but I want to express on stage what only the current me can do,' his eyes sparkling. Regarding the work, he commented, 'I knew war was part of history, but I had never thought of it as my own issue. I felt this is a story that needs to be conveyed to our generation.' Regarding his appearance, his parents (husband and wife Hideyuki Nakayama and Ayaka Shiraki), who are also seniors active in the entertainment industry, 'were extremely happy for me. My mother, especially being a stage actress, told me to 'do it properly'. My dad cheered me on, saying, 'Since you're doing it, do your absolute best and do what you can do right now.''
Akihiro Iwanaga, who plays Superior Aircraft Maintenance Petty Officer Shoji continuing from last year, said with deep emotion, 'Being from Nagasaki, I received peace education from a young age, and heard war stories from my grandmother. I acted with a sense of mission last time as well. It became an opportunity for my daughter to think about the war, so there was meaning in appearing.' Regarding Nakayama, he evaluated, 'Between the acting during the dedicatory performance and the acting right before the press conference, the color of his eyes had already changed,' showing the ruggedness to lead the young cast.
Next, the cast members playing the 14th Naval Aviation Reserve Students also commented.
Daiki Ishikawa as Nakazawa, who aims to be a philosopher, said, 'I want to make the changes he undergoes after meeting his comrades bigger than last year.' Koshiro Kataoka as Kanzaki, a fierce Judo and Karate practitioner, stated, 'I want to act by learning pride as a Japanese and living strongly from martial arts.' Sena Ito as Hara, a prodigy who yearns to be a pilot, highlighted, 'I want the highlight to be how he spends his youth with pure feelings, earnestly chasing his dream.' Kohei Takano as Tsukamoto, who will inherit his family's temple, said, 'I want to successfully express shifting views on life and death.' Kazushi Toguchi as Nishi, a filial Christian, expressed, 'I will devote myself to showing the resolve of one who flies off leaving his mother behind, and his resolve toward his mother.' Genki Arai as Second Class Aviation Petty Officer Mizuki enthusiastically declared, 'I will attack with my heart and soul the role of Mizuki, who joins the unit knowing nothing of the world and spends his youth there.' Yuki Okazawa as Staff Officer Okazawa, their superior, shared his goal, 'Just as I inherited it from seniors who performed this work in the past, I want to make it so that younger generations in the future will think 'I want to do this play.''
Nakayama visited the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots in Kagoshima Prefecture in February. 'Before that, I wondered if young people really volunteered for the Kamikaze corps themselves, but I felt that they had a desire to protect someone. And it pained my heart to realize that there are still countries in this world where conflicts are actually happening today. Things like this must never happen again... (The article is cut off here).
This work is an immortal masterpiece created by Shigemi Enomoto in 1967, based on 'Ah, Douki no Sakura: The Unreturning Youth Notes', a collection of posthumous writings by the 14th Naval Aviation Reserve Students published by the Mainichi Shimbun. In 2015, Hirotsugu Ueda wrote a new adaptation based on Shigemi Enomoto's script. Directed by Kazukiyo Nishikori, it has been performed for three consecutive years since 2024, and will raise its curtain again in the summer of 2026, the 81st year since the war ended.
Just before the press conference, Nishikori, Nakayama, and others formally worshipped at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Also, at the 'Bukon Keisho-sai' (Martial Spirit Succession Festival) held annually on May 15 at the Noh stage of Yasukuni Shrine, they unveiled a scene from the play 'Ah, Douki no Sakura' as a dedicatory performance. At the beginning of the press conference, the same scene was performed for the press. They sang 'Douki no Sakura' (Cherry Blossoms of the Same Class), proudly sending off their comrades who fell at a young age.
At the press conference, Kazukiyo Nishikori first greeted, 'Following last year's 80th anniversary of the end of the war, this will be the third consecutive year of performances. This year, new members have brought a fresh breeze. Although the theme is war, we will strive to make it a refreshing work where young people spend their youth vividly and radiantly.'
Nishikori's encounter with the work was over ten years ago. 'My old man was still alive. He was the third son of the Nishikori family. My uncle, the eldest son, was in the Navy, and I often heard stories of the war. I remember when I told my dad I would be working on such a piece, he looked deeply moved and had tears in his eyes,' he reminisced. Touching on his own 60th birthday last year, he added, 'War was happening until 20 years before I was born. It made me realize how close the war actually was. We are becoming the last generation that can inherit what was passed down from our fathers. I want these young men to pass down what they felt from me to future generations,' expressing his expectations for the fresh faces including Nakayama.
Nakayama, who was selected for the role of Fumiharu Moroki, a 14th Naval Aviation Reserve Student confronting the harsh fate of the Kamikaze corps, said of his major role in his stage debut, 'First, I was happy to participate in a work with such history. At the same time, anxiety and a sense of responsibility toward the work flooded over me. As an actor, my experience is shallow, and there are areas where my skills are lacking, but I want to express on stage what only the current me can do,' his eyes sparkling. Regarding the work, he commented, 'I knew war was part of history, but I had never thought of it as my own issue. I felt this is a story that needs to be conveyed to our generation.' Regarding his appearance, his parents (husband and wife Hideyuki Nakayama and Ayaka Shiraki), who are also seniors active in the entertainment industry, 'were extremely happy for me. My mother, especially being a stage actress, told me to 'do it properly'. My dad cheered me on, saying, 'Since you're doing it, do your absolute best and do what you can do right now.''
Akihiro Iwanaga, who plays Superior Aircraft Maintenance Petty Officer Shoji continuing from last year, said with deep emotion, 'Being from Nagasaki, I received peace education from a young age, and heard war stories from my grandmother. I acted with a sense of mission last time as well. It became an opportunity for my daughter to think about the war, so there was meaning in appearing.' Regarding Nakayama, he evaluated, 'Between the acting during the dedicatory performance and the acting right before the press conference, the color of his eyes had already changed,' showing the ruggedness to lead the young cast.
Next, the cast members playing the 14th Naval Aviation Reserve Students also commented.
Daiki Ishikawa as Nakazawa, who aims to be a philosopher, said, 'I want to make the changes he undergoes after meeting his comrades bigger than last year.' Koshiro Kataoka as Kanzaki, a fierce Judo and Karate practitioner, stated, 'I want to act by learning pride as a Japanese and living strongly from martial arts.' Sena Ito as Hara, a prodigy who yearns to be a pilot, highlighted, 'I want the highlight to be how he spends his youth with pure feelings, earnestly chasing his dream.' Kohei Takano as Tsukamoto, who will inherit his family's temple, said, 'I want to successfully express shifting views on life and death.' Kazushi Toguchi as Nishi, a filial Christian, expressed, 'I will devote myself to showing the resolve of one who flies off leaving his mother behind, and his resolve toward his mother.' Genki Arai as Second Class Aviation Petty Officer Mizuki enthusiastically declared, 'I will attack with my heart and soul the role of Mizuki, who joins the unit knowing nothing of the world and spends his youth there.' Yuki Okazawa as Staff Officer Okazawa, their superior, shared his goal, 'Just as I inherited it from seniors who performed this work in the past, I want to make it so that younger generations in the future will think 'I want to do this play.''
Nakayama visited the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots in Kagoshima Prefecture in February. 'Before that, I wondered if young people really volunteered for the Kamikaze corps themselves, but I felt that they had a desire to protect someone. And it pained my heart to realize that there are still countries in this world where conflicts are actually happening today. Things like this must never happen again... (The article is cut off here).