, often called , is a Japanese singer, songwriter, actor, voice actor, presenter and radio host. He is a former member of the Japanese idol group Arashi (started under Johnny & Associates, later under agent contract with Starto Entertainment), and with which he remained until the group's end of activities. He became independent from the agency in 2023 for individual activities.
Early life Ninomiya was born in Katsushika, Tokyo as the youngest child of his family; his sister is two years older than he is. His father and mother were both working as chefs at Hattori Nutrition College when they met, his father being a Japanese cuisine teacher, and his mother, his assistant. When Ninomiya was born, his grandfather immediately came home and named him the heir to the family's windshield wiper factory, since he was his grandfather's only grandson.
Ninomiya graduated from high school in March 2002 at the age of 18.
Career Ninomiya's career began in the entertainment industry when Ninomiya's cousin sent in an application to Johnny & Associates without his knowledge, and his mother's prodding. After attending and passing the auditions, he joined the talent agency in 1996 aged 13.
Prior to his debut with Arashi, Ninomiya started an acting career when he was cast as Chris for the stage play Stand by Me, which was based on the film of the same name. He has starred in numerous television drama, movie and stage production since then, and has been regarded as the actor of Arashi, described as an actor who can act with his mouth and eyes. Ninomiya has won a number of awards and nominations for his roles.
Ninomiya announced he would become independent from the agency on 24 October 2023. Regarding his participation as member of Arashi, he said they would work together when they resume activities.
On November 7, 2023, he announced on X (formerly Twitter), that he had established a company. He had announced before that he was making a website along with his sister. In the post in which he announced the company, he also said that "the website is also progressing". Husband of former long-distance runner Akemi Masuda, Yuuji Kiwaki, also participates in operating the newly established company Office Nino, inc. On December 16, 2023, he shared on X the link to his official website. He posted as a description on his profile that he had completed it.
On June 7, 2024, Ninomiya announced the release of "DigiNino", a smartphone app, and the opening of his official fan club, "Office Nino Holdings", both on June 17.
Nino hosts a variety show for TV Tokyo for the first time (and his first appearance in 26 years), "Geki kawa petto dai shūgō! Wan Nyan Ninoland", which is to air on August 31, 2024. He and his co-host, Shimofuri Myojo's Ishikawa appear as a CG dog and cat, respectively, in what is said to be "the ultimate pet program that delivers from the perspective of animals"; the concept of the show is a secret gathering in which animals have the main roles.
For 2025, Ninomiya has in mind a fan meeting, which would be his first, planning to visit five locations: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Hokkaido, and Fukuoka. He would like not only to interact with fans through Q&A sessions, but also perform songs in what he called a "showcase". He also said, "I don't want an all-standing venue. I'm thinking of it with seats in mind...it's just my preference".
After 13 years, it was announced on January 8, 2026, that Ninomiya's crown program on Nippon Television, "Nino san", would end by the end of March, the reason given was the difficulty to adjust the schedule with Arashi's last tour. However, there have been comments on SNS from fans saying that the atmosphere that the program had on Sundays, the day it started, had disappeared, and station officials have stated that as a program on the Golden timeslot, high viewership is required.
For the "Let's Go to the Movie Theater!" executive committee's event "Secret Cinema", taking place on June 25, 2026, Ninomiya was chosen as event ambassador. He was also in charge of selecting the 'One Movie of Life' to be screened on the day of the event. Visitors to the event don't know what film is going to be screened, that includes the one Ninomiya presides over.
Music career
Music and lyrics In 2004, Ninomiya penned and composed for his solo performance during Arashi's Iza, Now!! tour. Although Arashi's fifth studio album One was the first of their albums to feature solo songs of each member, Ninomiya did not provide lyrics or music for official release until the Time album almost two years later.
In 2007, the group's eighteenth single "Love So Sweet" was released with the limited edition containing the bonus song , which was written by Arashi and composed by Ninomiya in 2006 for their variety show G no Arashi. On July 11, 2007, the Time album was released with the limited edition containing solo song of each member. Ninomiya wrote the lyrics to his solo song, , and played the piano portion of the song throughout Arashi's summer tour. He later reprised the performance throughout Arashi's second Asia Tour in 2008.
In 2008, Ninomiya composed, co-arranged and penned the lyrics for his solo "Gimmick Game". In 2010, Ninomiya also composed, co-arranged and penned the lyrics for his solo "1992*4##111". According to Ninomiya himself, the title is read as .
Solo recordings During Arashi's hiatus, Ninomiya released in 2022 a solo album with his choice of cover songs, on June 17 for the members of Arashi's Fan Club (in CD (+DVD/BR)), and June 20 foro the general public (in digital download and streaming). With this, he became the second member, after Satoshi Ohno, to release a solo work. The album, Marumaru to Ninomiya to (〇〇と二宮と), debuted at the top spot on the Oricon download ranking within a week of its release. A continuation cover album was released on July 1, 2025, on CD (a fan club-exclusive edition and a regular edition), and the streaming and download versions the following day. An official "listening party" took place on July 2 through the Stationhead app.
Solo concerts and events On March 5, 2025, Ninomiya announced an event for members of his fan club in the form of his first fan club live talk and mini concert. The event, "Kazunari Ninomiya FC Live Showcase", took place in September and October. Additional information about the event was revealed on July 1, 2025. The musical performance in the event featured songs from his second cover album; the talk part was a "Q and A" session, answering questions sent in by members of the fan club.
Acting career
Stage Ninomiya began his acting career in a 1997 stage play based on the American coming of age film Stand by Me with future bandmates Masaki Aiba and Jun Matsumoto. He did not return to do any major stage productions for nearly seven years after Stand by Me, instead focusing on dramas. However, in 2004, Ninomiya appeared in his first lead role in the stage play directed by Yukio Ninagawa. From April 3, 2005 to May 4, 2005, he took up Rebel Without a Cause, playing the James Dean character Jim Stark.
From July 18, 2009 to August 11, 2009, Ninomiya appeared in his first stage play in four years. He starred as the psychopathic murderer Bruno in , which was based on the novel of the same name.
Drama In 1998, he made his television debut as a fifteen-year-old runaway in the TBS television movie . Just a few months before his debut with Arashi, he was given his first lead role in the drama with Subaru Shibutani acting as his stepbrother. His schedule became packed, causing him to lose 7 kg in a month as a result. From October 11, 1999 to October 29, 1999, because Arashi were the main supporters for the 8th World Cup of Volleyball Championships, all five members co-starred together for the first time in the volleyball-centered short drama .
From 2003 to 2005, Ninomiya continued to appear in a wide range of dramas. He played a student who found himself to be one of the last four virgins left at school in the comedy series Stand Up!!, a boyfriend of a girl who mysteriously shrunk into a size of merely sixteen centimeters tall in the romance series and a young man who accidentally killed his mother and developed an estranged relationship with his father as a result in the human drama series
In 2006, Ninomiya starred in the drama special , which was based on the true story of young man diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. He went on to appear in two different films for the rest of 2006 before taking up on January 11, 2007.
During the summer of 2007, he and fellow Arashi bandmate Sho Sakurai co-starred together in the manga-based comedy drama Yamada Tarō Monogatari. Ninomiya played the title character , an extremely poor student attending a school for the rich. Soon after—whilst juggling rehearsals for Arashi's upcoming concerts—he acted as the lead in the drama special , which was based on the true story of an autistic young man training to become a marathon runner.
After a year without any acting roles, other than a small guest appearance in bandmate Satoshi Ohno's first lead drama Maō, Ninomiya finally took up the main role in the drama Ryūsei no Kizuna "流星の絆 with Ryo Nishikido and Erika Toda acting as his younger siblings. The three played the children of parents who were murdered long ago by a nameless man. Readers, reporters and critics of the 59th Television Drama Academy Awards panel recognized his role as the oldest vengeful sibling and awarded him Best Actor. His Ryūsei no Kizuna role also earned him an Outstanding Actor nomination in the drama category in the 49th Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
In spring 2009, Ninomiya starred as the lead in the third and final of the TBS drama special trilogy Door to Door, with the first and second being Sukoshi wa, Ongaeshi ga Dekitakana and Marathon respectively. The drama special was based on the true story of Bill Porter, an American door-to-door salesman who achieved the highest sales for his company despite suffering from cerebral palsy. His roles in Door to Door and Ryūsei no Kizuna won him the Individual Award in the television category of the 46th Galaxy Awards, a first for a Johnny's talent and the first by an actor in his twenties. Ninomiya began filming for the drama special in April 2009. However, the special, which saw Ninomiya's first time playing a psychiatrist, did not air on television until September 24, 2009.
In January 2010, Ninomiya co-starred with the other members of Arashi in their first drama in nearly ten years in the human suspense drama special Saigo no Yakusoku "最後の約束". Ninomiya portrayed , a 27-year-old temporary security center employee who is caught up in a building hijack. On September 20, 2010, he made a guest appearance on the last episode of bandmate Matsumoto and Yūko Takeuchi's getsuku drama .
Ninomiya starred in the drama , his first serial drama since Ryūsei no Kizuna (2008). With Karina as his co-star, Ninomiya portrayed a freeter named . The drama maintained steady viewership ratings throughout its airing, having an average rating of 17.14% overall.
Film In 2002, he made his motion picture debut in Arashi's first movie together, . Ninomiya next took to the screen as Shuichi, a high school student trying to get rid of his abusive stepfather, in the 2003 film The Blue Light with Aya Matsuura as his co-star. In 2004, Arashi came together again to reprise their respective roles for the sequel of Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy, .