Shibuya Tenma
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1969-01-13
    • Born Place: Saitama, Japan
  • Also Known As:

    Tenma Shibuya, 涩谷天马, シブヤテンマ, Segu Tianma, 澀谷天馬, 渋谷天馬

Shibuya Tenma

Shibuya Tenma (born January 13, 1969) is a highly respected Japanese actor, classical dancer, and cultural exchange activist who has spent nearly two decades as a staple of the Chinese film and television industry. Originally from Saitama, Japan, he studied at the University of Oregon before returning to Japan to train in method acting under Yoko Narahashi. After moving to Beijing in 2006 to study Chinese, he achieved massive fame across Asia for his portrayal of Colonel Sato in the award-winning martial arts film Ip Man (2008). Known for his ability to bring nuance and a "human element" to often-villainous roles, Shibuya has appeared in over 100 productions, including Zhang Yimou’s The Flowers of War (2011), the hit TV drama Borrow Gun, and the international feature Air Strike (2018) alongside Bruce Willis. In the 2025 historical film 731 (also released as Evil Unbound), Shibuya delivers one of the most complex performances of his career as a high-ranking scientist within the Imperial Japanese Army’s biological warfare unit. To prepare for the role, he focused on portraying the character not as a one-dimensional villain, but as a man driven by a chilling scientific ambition and a desire for recognition within a rigid military hierarchy. Despite facing occasional criticism on Japanese social media for participating in "anti-Japanese" historical dramas, Shibuya remains a staunch advocate for peace through art, believing that acknowledging the darkest chapters of history is the only way to prevent their repetition. Beyond acting, he is a trained Japanese classical dancer and the founder of a Tokyo-based nonprofit dedicated to fostering cultural understanding between Japan and China.

Person History