Japanese actor Tsunehiko Kamijō, who voiced Chihiro’s father in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, has passed away at the age of 85.
According to Japanese media outlets Sponichi Annex and TV Asahi on August 1, Kamijō died at a hospital in Nagano Prefecture on July 22. His funeral was held privately with family members, and in accordance with his wishes, there will be no separate memorial event.
Kamijō appeared healthy as recently as last November, when he attended the premiere of the film Shinpei: Uta Koso Subete, even performing the ending theme song. However, his health deteriorated after he contracted pneumonia at the end of the year. He was unable to attend a stage greeting for the film held in Tokyo in January and left a message expressing his regret, “I’m very sorry I can’t sing in front of everyone.”
Kamijō debuted as a singer in 1962. In 1971, he achieved great popularity with the folk group Rokumonsen (六文銭), alongside Hitoshi Komuro, with their song Tabidachi no Uta (旅立ちのうた, Song of Departure), which sold over 700,000 copies.
He had a wide-ranging career as a singer, actor, and voice actor, appearing in musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Man of La Mancha, and My Fair Lady. He also delivered memorable performances in dramas including Tokugawa Ieyasu, Freezing Point, Doctor X, and Kinpachi-sensei.
Kamijō lent his voice to several Studio Ghibli productions. In Spirited Away, he voiced Chihiro’s father, and in Porco Rosso, he voiced the boss of the Mamma Aiuto gang.
Tsunehiko Kamijō’s passing marks the end of an era for many fans of Studio Ghibli and classic Japanese entertainment. His warm voice and powerful stage presence left a lasting impression across generations. As fans revisit his iconic roles—from musicals and dramas to beloved animations like Spirited Away—his legacy will continue to live on through the timeless characters he brought to life.
Sources: daum
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