is a Japanese actor born in Kyoto. A multi-award winning thespian, he won best actor at the 30th Yokohama Film Festival and best-supporting actor at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Sorobanzuku.
Kobayashi starred in Yoichi Sai's Quill. He also appeared in Yuya Ishii's The Great Passage He appeared as "Master", the lead character in the Japanese TV series Midnight Diner and the two full-length films based on the series.