Sakurai Shō (born January 25, 1982) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, Rapping, actor, news anchor, host and former radio host. He is a member of the boy band Arashi.
Sakurai began his career in the entertainment industry when he joined the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates in 1995 at the age of 13. About seven years after his debut as a singer with Arashi in 1999, he became a newscaster in 2006, appearing in the news program News Zero every Monday. In 2008, he was appointed the official newscaster for the news coverage of the Olympic Games in Beijing on NTV. For his work as an actor, singer and newscaster, Sakurai became one of the recipients of GQ Japan's Men of the Year award in 2009. His father is Shun Sakurai, former vice-minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Sakurai attended Keio Yochisha Elementary School, an affiliated elementary school of Keio University. From age three to ten, he did many extracurricular activities, including kendo, swimming, football, oil painting, calligraphy, and scouting. He began music lessons in early childhood, starting with the electric organ at age three and switching to piano in fourth grade. From fourth grade to sixth grade, he played trombone for his school's brass band. He also played trumpet and attended cram school. He joined a local football club after developing a strong interest in football during the J.League boom in 1993. He wanted to play for a professional team and at one point considered studying abroad in Brazil to become a professional footballer. He played football until his second year of junior high school.
Despite already having an established career with Arashi by the time he graduated from high school, Sakurai went on to attend Keio University, graduating with a Bachelor of Economics degree in March 2004. In fact, he was a pioneer among all Johnny's, being the first to graduate from University, inspiring others to pursue higher education.
On April 10, 2024, Sakurai posted, via Starto Entertainment's website, his opening a website of his own, as a means of contact point for job requests and inquiries. He commented on the news program "News Zero", in which he appears as Monday night support newscaster since 2006, that he did it as a part of the expansion of activities, as well as of his agent contract with the agency.
On May 9, 2024, he served as navigator for Morinaga's press conference for their health and beauty item Passienol. Sakurai not only led the talk session, but also provided commentary on his use of the product.
During an audio live stream held for fan club members in April 2025, he revealed that he was planning to make his official blog "Otonoha" into a book. The paid blog articles (close to 250) have been available through the Family Club web (formerly Johnny's web), a smartphone site, since April 2008, but there was a limit to the number of back issues that could be viewed. Although the contents of the book have not been revealed at this time, there is a possibility these past articles could be reprinted.
He became the first member in Arashi to hold a solo concert called The Show in 2006. Sakurai was also a part of a special group with his Kisarazu Cat's Eye World Series co-stars that same year. Specially formed to promote the movie, they released the movie's theme song "Shisaido Baibai" as a single on October 25, 2006.
Sakurai co-wrote the lyrics of six songs on the August 2010 Arashi album Boku no Miteiru Fūkei. These songs are "Movin' On," "Mada Ue o", "Taboo" (Sho Sakurai solo), "Let Me Down," "Sora Takaku", and "Summer Splash!".
In February 2022, KAT-TUN announced the release of their digital single "Crystal Moment", as the theme song for NTV's coverage of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the rap lyrics were written by Sakurai. One year later, Sakurai was announced by KAT-TUN'S Ueda as a co-writer for two songs he would be singing in his solo concert in January 2024.
In 2001, he took part in his first drama series called The Man Closest to Heaven 2 with Masahiro Matsuoka as his teacher. His role as a student with two conflicting characters won him Best Newcomer in the 5th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix Awards.
In 2003, Sakurai was given his first lead role in the drama Ally of Good Children. He portrayed Suzuki Taiyō, a man who strives to prove himself capable of being a nursery school teacher. After Yoiko no Mikata, Sakurai took up many drama specials and mini-dramas until 2005. He even acted in a NHK late-night drama series called Tokio, in which each episode lasted for fifteen minutes each.
Although there was no release of dramas, movies or stageplays from Sakurai in 2008 due to his involvement with the Olympic Games in Beijing and Arashi's concert tours, 2009 saw his first lead role in a drama series since Yoiko no Mikata in 2003.
In 2009, in the drama The Quiz Show 2 with You Yokoyama, he portrayed an amnesia host of a live TV quiz program. He portrayed Tomizawa Yukio, a 28-year-old life insurance salesman who is caught up in a building hijack. Sakurai appeared in the docudrama special 7 Days of the Kobe Newspaper on January 16, 2010. He portrayed Mitsuyama Tomohiko, a real photo reporter who worked for the Kobe Shimbun and helped keep the newspaper running without interruption despite the damage inflicted from the Kobe earthquake.
On January 17, 2010, TBS aired the first episode of Sakurai and Maki Horikita's comedy drama lit. Extraordinary Quibbling.
On August 18, 2011, it was announced that Sakurai would be starring in a Fuji TV drama in the Fall season. The drama lit. Mystery Solving After Dinner is based on a bestselling novel published in 2010 by author Higashigawa Tokuya. Sakurai co-starred with actress Keiko Kitagawa. The drama aired starting in October. On January 26, 2012, it was announced that Fuji TV would produce a drama special for Nazotoki... to be aired on March 27. Sakurai played the lead role of Kageyama again, while Kitagawa reprised her role of Reiko Hosho. The drama special was filmed at Okinawa. A second special and a movie were released in August 2013
On January 25, 2012, TBS announced a three-night drama special Blackboard – Teachers Waging The Battles of Their Times, which aired in early April. Sakurai starred on the first night as a junior high school teacher who lost his right arm by war and struggled the change of moral after the war. His co-star was Yuko Oshima of AKB48.
In January 2023, Sakurai appeared in his 5th drama with NTV, after Yoiko no Mikata (2003), The Quiz Show 2 (2009), Saki ni Umareta Dake no Boku (2017) and Nemesis (2021). Dai byōin senkyo is about a hospital suddenly occupied by an armed group wearing demon masks. Sakurai plays a detective, currently on leave of absence, who confronts the criminals, in the action-packed suspense drama. A second installment of the series aired in 2024, this time with the building captured being a newly opened airport. In May 2025, a third (still unnamed) installment was revealed to be released in July.
In 2002, in the drama Kisarazu Cat's Eye, he took on the role of Bambi, a college student who becomes part of a burglar ring at the beckoning of his cancer-stricken friend Bussan (played by Junichi Okada) to make his final days worthwhile. The drama would eventually span into two movie sequels entitled Kisarazu Cat's Eye: Nihon Series and Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series in 2003 and 2006 respectively.
While training for a rowing competition with the rest of Arashi on their variety show Mago Mago Arashi in 2005, Sakurai filmed his first starring movie role in the manga-based live-action film Honey and Clover. He portrayed the mellow Takemoto Yūta.
By the end of 2007, it was announced that he would star as Gan-chan in the Takashi Miike movie Yatterman, which was not released in theaters until the beginning of 2009.
It was announced on June 8, 2010, that Sakurai would co-star with Aoi Miyazaki in the novel-based movie God's Medical Records, released in theaters in 2011. It would be the first time Sakurai portrayed a Physician. A sequel for the movie, God's Medical Records 2 hit theaters in 2014. In the first movie, Dr. Ichito Kurihara (Sakurai) was struggling with work life in a countryside hospital on the alert 365 days a year. In the sequel, his struggles between family life and work life are accentuated when Ichito's friend from college, also a physician, Tatsuya Shindo (portrayed by Tatsuya Fujiwara), comes to Ichito's hospital from Tokyo.
On June 4, 2012, the movie version of the popular drama lit. Mystery Solving After Dinner was announced. Sakurai once again portrayed the sharp-tongued mysteries-solving butler Kageyama, co-starring with Kitagawa Keiko. The plot of the movie is a murder case that happens on a luxurious cruise ship. Besides set filming, the production team also filmed overseas in Singapore where they boarded the luxurious cruise ship SuperStar Virgo for onsite filming. The movie completed filming by end of July 2012 and is scheduled for release on August 3, 2013, in Japan. The International Gala Premiere was held in Singapore on July 27, 2013, at Marina Bay Sands, where about 2,000 fans from Singapore, Thailand and other countries in the region were treated to face-to-face interactions with the main cast of Sakurai and his fellow cast members, Keiko Kitagawa and Shinai Kippei. Director Masato Hijikata also graced the occasion. Selected fans got to watch the movie premiere with the cast and director in the Sands Theatre, and were treated to a 20-minute Q&A session with the actors and director after the movie screening. The Singapore premiere of the movie was scheduled for August 22, 2013, with a special Fans' Screening by Golden Village cinemas on August 14, 2013.
Starting in January 2021, Sakurai hosts "Show Channel" a new variety program, substituting Arashi's signature program Arashi ni Shiyagare, ended in December 2020.
On June 7, 2009, Sakurai was one of the main newscasters for a special program titled Touch! Eco 2009, which focused on environmental issues.
Sakurai has participated in specials. In 2007, he was chosen to participate in Zero x Election 2007, a special program which focused on the 2007 House of Councillors elections. Sakurai became the first pop idol to host such a program. On August 30, 2009, he was appointed the navigator for the second part of Zero x Election 2009, which covered Japan's 2009 general elections. On July 11, 2010, he took on the role of a navigator for the second half of Zero x Election 2010, which focused on the 2010 House of Councillors elections. In 2012, he was part of the special, covering live from Tokyo Dome. On 2013 he hosted the second part of the special, with a focus on voter turnout. The Zero x Senkyo in 2014 was Sakurai's 6th appearance in the NTV election coverage programs, being navigator for the second part once again. Sakurai, 34 at the time, continued with the 2016 edition (his seventh appearance), now as co-host for the special program. This year's program covered the first time young adults from age 18-19 were given the right to vote. As promoter of the youth vote since 2006, Sakurai commented: "After 70 years... it will be a historic night for the younger generation". He continued as co-host for the 2017 (hosting the "My Voice" corner), 2019, 2021 and 2022 elections. On October 15, 2024, his participation for the 2024 elections was confirmed, making it the 12th time as navigator and/or co-host. He continues in 2025 as part of the NNN team covering the House of Councillors election in Japan, this time including a special campaign project called "Think before you vote: Is that true?", focused on stopping misinformation. The program will talk about the influence (good and bad) social media has had on the information shared during election periods.
In July 2010, Sakurai traveled to Romania, Germany, and Russia to do a special report on world poverty for NTV's 24-Hour Television, which was broadcast on August 29, 2010. He interviewed former Soviet Union General Secretary and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev about nuclear disarmament and poverty.
Sakurai was chosen by Nippon Television Network (NTV) of Japan as the main MC of their royal wedding special, "British Royal Family Prince William and Princess Kate". The special was aired on April 29, 2011, featuring video footage from the British Broadcasting Channel that covered the joyous occasion for the British royal family.
Sakurai appeared in 復興テレビ_みんなのチカラ3.11 (Fukko TV: Minna no Chikara 3.11) aired on NTV on March 11, 2012, a special program to remember the one-year anniversary of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that hit North-eastern Japan in 2011, reporting from Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima, as part of the news reporting section shared by News Zero, News Every and Shinsō hōdō bankisha!.
On August 4, 2015, Sakurai and Akira Ikegami hosted the first episode of an NTV series called Sho Sakurai & Akira Ikegami Can't Learn with Textbooks . This first installment dealt with a look at the war 70 years after Japan's surrender, and the Japanese peoples understanding of it. A second episode aired on March 1, 2016. This one dealt with a historical look of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake 5 years after, primarily, and other disasters around the world such as eruptions, landslides, floods and typhoons, and how to deal with them and prepare in order to save lives. A new episode aired two years later, February 6, 2018. On this one, Sakurai and Ikegami talked about "Unexpected Japan", dealing with politics and its relationship to the Olympic Games, North Korea and the imperial family. A fourth installment of the series aired on May 4, 2020, where they talked about the "ultra difficult problems" facing Japan, like the coronavirus and all that happened around the pandemic, such as the closing of schools, delays in services and postponement of big events, like the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. On May 31, 2021, a 5th installment of the program aired. With the theme "clear and present danger", Ikegami and Sakurai, together with guests, talked about the ongoing investigation on coronavirus, its sequelae and the fight against it and new viruses. It also included a talk about new AI technology and the risk of it being misused and abused, like in drones, which could be used as weapons, and the so-called "Deepfake", in which false images are used to replace someone else in order to commit crimes, like fraud.
On March 17, 2019, Sakurai and NHK announcer Mayuko Wakuda hosted the first episode of the 4-part documentary "NHK Special 'Space Spectacle'", about the latest achievements in space exploration. The pair hosted all the series, which included topics like the Hayabusa2 mission, the search for Extraterrestrial life, , and Panspermia, with the last episode airing September 8, 2019.
On December 10, 2022, an NHK documentary called Design Museum Japan, hosted by Sakurai, takes a look at "design treasures" from regions all over Japan. Sakurai hosted again the special in December 2023. He repeated as navigator for the 2025 edition, aired this time on the educational channel of the NHK network.
On December 9, 2024, Sakurai was announced as messenger of a new project regarding the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the ending of World War II. The project called "We must not let the present become a prewar era" (『いまを、戦前にさせない』) started in January 2025 on the Nippon Television network.
Starting in January 2025, Sakurai served as narrator for "Andō Tadao seishun talk", a program hosted by his long-time friend, Architect Tadao Ando, where Ando talks with leading figures from different areas.
Sakurai was the special newscaster for the 2010 Winter Olympics news coverage on NTV with Shizuka Arakawa as the main newscaster. On May 13, 2012, NTV announced the appointment of Sakurai as the main caster for their coverage of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, from July 27 to August 12, 2012. It is Sakurai's third consecutive Olympic main caster appointment for NTV after 2008 Beijing and 2010 Vancouver. He was chosen, alongside his Arashi co-member Masaki Aiba, to host the NHK special program coverage for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, celebrated from July 23, 2021. With the appointment as the NTV caster for the Paris Olympics in 2024, Sakurai will have presented the event for the 9th time. As part of the hosting duties for NTV, Sakurai and guests Shinya Ueda and Sanma Akashiya share facts and memories about Japanese athletes in the Olympics, in the Paris Olympic special program Shin jijitsu! Orinpikku-mei bamen saikyō-kin medal award, airing July 22, 2024.
He has been covering rugby events, for both the local teams and for the Rugby World Cup and the Japan National Team, "Brave Blossoms". The NTV programs in which he has appeared covering rugby, including the sports section in News Zero, has had Arashi's song Brave, for which he wrote the rap, as background music. "I wrote it while thinking about all the players who will be fighting hard, like when they're in a scrum", he said about it. He appeared in the "100 days to go" event before the start of the Rugby World Cup 2019. Sakurai was named host of the NTV program "One Rugby", a monthly special (September 6, 2019 – March 24, 2022; May 21, 2022, July 4, 2022) that analyzed the matches for both the local games and for the World Cup. Sakurai was appointed "Japan Rugby Ambassador 2023" for the Japan Rugby team for the France Rugby World Cup. The new position was established by the Japan Rugby Football Union to raise awareness of the Japan Rugby National Team and build momentum for the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.
Career
Music career
Acting career
Drama
Film
Commercials
Hosting and coverage duties
Radio
Variety TV Show
Newscasts, documentary and informative series
Sporting event coverage
Music Events and programs
Telethon
Personal exhibition
Personal life
SNS
Contributions
Music contributions
+ A-side songs 2003 "Kotoba Yori Taisetsu na Mono" rap 2004 "Pikanchi Double" 2005 "Sakura Sake" 2006 "Kitto Daijōbu" 2007 "We Can Make It!" 2008 "Step and Go" "Kaze no Mukō e" 2009 "Believe" 2012 "Face Down" 2016 "Daylight" 2019 "Brave" "Turning Up" "" 2020 "Party Starters" + B-side songs 2003 "Tomadoi Nagara" rap (Credited as SHOW) 2004 "Pikanchi Double" rap 2005 "Futari no Kinenbi" 2006 "Na! Na! Na!" 2007 "Itsumademo" "Di-Li-Li" "Future" "Still..." 2009 "Tokei Jikake no Umbrella" 2010 "Spiral" 2011 "Boom Boom" "Utakata" 2012 "Futari no Katachi" 2014 "Sync" 2017 "Unknown" + Album songs 2002 Here We Go! rap (credited as SHOW) 2003 How's It Going? rap 2004 Iza, Now! 5x5 The Best Selection of 2002–2004 2005 One 2006 Arashic 2007 Time 2008 Dream "A" Live rap
lyrics†2009 All the Best! 1999–2009 rap
lyrics (Arashi)†2010 Boku no Miteiru Fūkei rap 2011 Beautiful World 2012 Ura Ara Mania lyrics and arrangement (w/Kazunari Ninomiya)†
lyrics (Arashi)††Popcorn rap 2013 Love 2014 The Digitalian rap
lyrics†2015 Japonism rap 2016 Are You Happy? 2017 Untitled 2019 5x20 All the Best!! 1999–2019 lyrics (Arashi), rap 2020 Reborn Vol.1 rap 2020 This Is Arashi
Other solo songs
Other
Filmography
Television
Dramas
+ Drama 1999 Akira Takeuchi Episode: "Case 9: Ohitsujiza no AB-gata BOY" Sho Sakurai Lead role with Arashi members 2000 Otōsan Akira Ohmura 2001 Ayumi Tōdō 2002 Sho Mini-drama, with fellow Arashi members Satoshi Ohno and Masaki Aiba Kisarazu Cat's Eye Futoshi Nakagomi (Bambi) 2003 Taiyō Suzuki Lead role Ikebukuro West Gate Park Special Bambi Cameo appearance Yōhei Yamada Lead role, Mini-drama, "Haetori Kami" 2004 Masaya Iwata TV special Kantaku Lead role, mini-drama, "Unlucky Days: Natsume no Mōsō" Tokio Miyamoto 2005 Masaya Yoshimori Lead role, TV special Gekidan Engimono Jun Kawase Lead role, mini-drama, "Ishikawa-ken Gosan-shi" 2007 Yonimo Kimyōna Monogatari Ota Masakazu Lead role, mini-drama, "Sainō-dama" Yamada Tarō Monogatari Takuya Mimura Lead role with Kazunari Ninomiya 2009 Uta no Onii-san Himself Episode 6 guest appearance The Quiz Show 2 Satoru Kamiyama Lead role My Girl Sato Episode 10 guest appearance 2010 Saigo no Yakusoku Yukio Tomizawa Lead role with Arashi members, TV special Kobe Shimbun no Nanokakan Tomohiko Mitsuyama Lead role, docudrama special Tokujo Kabachi!! Katsuhiro Tamura Lead role 2011 Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de Kageyama Lead role 2012 Mou Yuukai Nante Shinai Cameo appearance Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de Lead role, TV special Blackboard, Teachers Who Fought Against Era Shirahama Lead role (first night), 3-nights TV special Papadol! Himself Episode 1 guest appearance 2013 Kazoku Game Kouya Yoshimoto Lead role Kageyama Lead role, TV special Special appearance, TV special 2015 Taishi Kakka no Ryourinin Ko Osawa Lead role, TV special 2016 Sekai Ichi Muzukashii Koi Himself Episode 10 guest appearance 2017 Kimi ni Sasageru Emblem Kazuya Takajo Lead role, TV special Saki ni Umareta Dake no Boku Ryosuke Narumi Lead role 2019 Akagi Kazuki Episode 10 guest appearance 2021 Nemesis Naoki Kazama Lead role with Suzu Hirose 2023 Captured Hospital Saburo Musashi Lead role 2024 Captured New Airport Saburo Musashi Lead role Laughing Matryoshka Ichiro Seike Lead role 2025 Captured Broadcasting Station Saburo Musashi Lead role
Variety programs
Film
2002 Pikanchi Life is Hard Dakedo Happy Tadashi Kamogawa (Chu) Lead role with Arashi members 2003 Futoshi Nakagomi (Bambi) 2004 Pikanchi Life is Hard Dakara Happy Tadashi Kamogawa (Chu) Lead role with Arashi members 2006 Honey and Clover Yūta Takemoto Lead role Futoshi Nakagomi (Bambi) 2007 Kiiroi Namida Ryūsan Mukai Lead role with Arashi members 2009 Yatterman Gan-chan Lead role 2011 In His Chart Ichito Kurihara Lead role with Aoi Miyazaki 2013 The After-Dinner Mysteries Kageyama Lead role with Keiko Kitagawa 2014 In His Chart 2 Ichito Kurihara Lead role with Aoi Miyazaki Pikanchi Life is Hard Tabun Happy Tadashi Kamogawa (Chu) Lead role with Arashi members 2018 Laplace's Witch Shūsuke Aoe Lead role 2023 Nemesis: The Movie Naoki Kazama Lead role with Suzu Hirose 2024 The Three Young-Men in Midnight: The Movie 2 Masked man
Theatre
1997 Kyo to Kyo 1998 Kyo to Kyo Tokyo Hamamatsuchō 2004 West Side Story Tony Lead role 2006 The Beautiful Game John Kelly
Awards and nominations
Footnotes
External links
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