Kinnosuke Nakamura (Yorozuya)

Kinnosuke Nakamura (Yorozuya after 1971) (1932 - 1997), was a trained kabuki actor who made his name in the jidaigeki genre of films.  He made over 140 films.  He has portrayed just about every famous samurai in Japanese history, including Miyamoto Mushashi, Sakamoto Ryoma and Yagyu Munenori.  Interestingly, I don't think he ever played Munenori's son, Jubei. Of his fictional characters, I believe his best known is as Ogami Itto, the main character in the series Lone Wolf and Cub.

Kinnosuke is one of my favorite actors.  I grew up watching Lone Wolf and Cub on tv, and I've probably seen his portrayal of Miyamoto Musashi while growing up also, but I don't remember.  I know I watched a few series on Mushashi, but don't know who played the lead in those series. Wacthing a lot of jidaigeki over the past couple of years again, I have come across a lot of his films, and I've always enjoyed his performance, especially in the Lone Wolf and Cub television series. 

Here is a clip of Kinnosuke Nakamura playing Miyamoto Mushashi in the famous duel between Mushashi and Kojiro Sasaki