Takuya Yokoyama
Photo: Akihito Abe
Takuya Yokoyama
Born in 1977 in Osaka Prefecture, Takuya Yokoyama is a playwright and director, and the head of theater unit iaku. While studying at Osaka University of Arts, he founded the theater company Urikomitai Beam with his classmates in 1996. Garnering attention as a promising young talent, he served as playwright and director for the company until his departure in 2011. In March 2012, he founded the theater unit iaku, creating works both in Osaka and Tokyo. He has presented dialogue-driven plays characterized by meticulously crafted conversations that build upon each layer like an ascending spiral staircase, bringing the audience into the characters’ struggles before they even notice. Grounded in sharp observations and thorough research, he strives to write plays that capture people and subjects through a multifaceted lens. His works are highly regarded for their entertaining and humorous dialogue while addressing social issues of everyday life. As an advocate for “durable theater” he actively restages his works over time. iaku’s first work and three-hander Hito no Ki mo Shiranaide (premiered in 2012 and awarded the Grand Prize at the 1st Sendai Short Play Prize) and Edaniku (premiered in 2009 and awarded the 15th Japan Playwrights Association’s New Playwright’s Award) have both been widely produced by other companies as well. In 2024, Momonba’s Tie Trap received the 27th Tsuruya Namboku Text Award. In 2025, Yokoyama was awarded the 59th Kinokuniya Theatre Award (Individual category) for writing and directing Nagarenna and for writing Watashitachi wa Monogatari. (Updated in April 2026)
