Born Masayoshi Kato in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, he first appeared on screen under the name Tadashi Ishihara before adopting the stage name Kenji Sahara when cast as the lead in Rodan (1956). A stalwart of Toho’s special-effects productions, Sahara holds the record for the most appearances in the Godzilla franchise, contributing to titles such as Godzilla (1954), The Mysterians (1957), Mothra (1961), Ki…
