Born in Hidakagawa, Wakayama Prefecture. He moved to Tokyo to become a professional kickboxer, but changed his course and joined the acting institute of Theater Group Yen and became an actor. After that, he worked as a member of Tokyo Kid Brothers musical theater. In 1984, he made his debut as the leading role in the TV drama "Kokoro wa itsumo ramune-iro". The next year, he debuted in a movie "Ora Tokyo Sayukiguda" and won the 9th Japan Academy Newcomer Actor Award.
While working as an actor, he also worked with Shinichiro Nakata as the director of a theater company to train younger generations. In Kansai, he was popular as a detective for the travel program "Furusato ZIP Detectives".