A surprise cameo by actor Shun Oguri highlighted the latest episode of the popular drama series *If the World Is a Stage, Where Is the Dressing Room?*, which aired November 26th. Oguri portrays renowned theater director Yukio Ninagawa in a scene that has sparked excitement among fans of both the series and the celebrated director [[2]]. The encounter, occurring as the fictional WS Theater faces potential closure, adds a layer of intrigue to the Koki Mitani-written drama, set against the backdrop of 1984 Shibuya [[1]].
The November 26th episode of the drama series If the World Is a Stage, Where Is the Dressing Room? featured a surprise appearance by actor Shun Oguri.
If the World Is a Stage, Where Is the Dressing Room? stars Sugata Kaito, with Fumika Nikaido, Ryunosuke Kamiki, and Minami Hamabe in supporting roles, and is written by Koki Mitani.
The series is a coming-of-age story set in Shibuya in 1984, incorporating semi-autobiographical elements from Mitani’s life.
Did the “World’s Ninagawa” Praise Kubota? Could This Encounter Be a Lifeline?
The story unfolds in Shibuya’s Happun-zaka district, an eight-minute walk from Shibuya Station. This vibrant area is known for its concentration of entertainment venues, including guide shops, jazz cafes, love hotels, and strip clubs.
Mitsunari Kubota (played by Sugata Kaito), a theater director ousted from his company, boldly declares his intention to transform the WS Theater in Happun-zaka into “the best theater in Tokyo.” He sets out to create his ideal Shakespearean production with the help of the people of Happun-zaka.
Currently, they are staging Kubota’s version of The Winter’s Tale, but attendance is low and problems are mounting, bringing the theater closer to closure.
In the ninth episode, a man intently watches a performance of Kubota’s The Winter’s Tale. After the show, he approaches Jurie (played by Minami Hamabe) and says, “I have something I’d like to ask you.” Soon after, Jurie tells Kubota that “someone at Tempest [a jazz cafe] is waiting to see you.” Upon entering the cafe, Kubota is surprised to find legendary director Yukio Ninagawa waiting for him.
“I enjoyed the performance today,” Ninagawa says with a smile. Overcome with emotion at meeting his revered “Teacher Ninagawa,” Kubota is visibly shaken.
Shun Oguri portrays Ninagawa in this unannounced, surprise cameo. The casting is particularly noteworthy given the current wave of nostalgia for classic Japanese television and film figures.
Oguri previously starred in Koki Mitani’s historical drama The 13 Lords of the Shogun (2022) and is also slated to appear in Mitani’s upcoming stage production, Inokorigumi, which will premiere on January 30, 2026.
He has collaborated with Sugata Kaito on several projects, including the drama series Rich Man, Poor Woman (2012), the Gintama film series (2017 onwards), and the film Character (2021).
In 1984, Ninagawa was a charismatic director adored by young audiences. From the 1970s onward, he staged popular productions of Shakespearean plays such as Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Hamlet, and Macbeth.
Oguri first worked with Ninagawa on a 2003 production of Hamlet when he was 20 years old and has since become an integral part of Ninagawa’s work.
