Actor Sho Aikawa will star in a stage version of the jidaigeki masterpiece, "Zatoichi," which has been the basis for many works in cinema, television, and theater. Although Aikawa has starred in more than a hundred films, this is surprisingly his first time taking the lead in a play.

Other cast members include Sadao Abe, Hiroyuki Nagato, and Kenichi Endo.

The production will be directed by Takashi Miike. It opens on December 3 at Tokyo's Shinjuku Koma Stadium. It will then move to the Umeda Arts Theater in Osaka on December 20, followed by a run at the Aichi Pension Hall in Nagoya starting on January 4.