Ichikawa is a Japanese director, screenwriter and producer. He began his career working on animated films in the production house J. O., and later became assistant director. He made his directing debut with the short film Musume Dojoji (A Girl at Dojo Temple, 1946) which was lost during American occupation of Japan. During the 1950s and 1960s he worked closely with his wife, screenwriter Natto Wada. Together they adapted for screen many Japanese literary works such as Enjo (Flame of Torment, 1958), according to many his best film, Kagi (Odd Obsession, 1959) which won the Jury’s Award in Cannes in 1960., Hakai (The Outcast, 1962), Wagahai wa neko dearu (I Am a Cat, 1975) and Pu-san (Mr. Poo, 1953), a cartoon adaptation. He became famous outside of Japan with the film Biruma no tategoto (Harp of Burma, 1956) which won the San Giorgio award in Venice. His other successful titles include Okuman choja (A Billionaire, 1954), Nobi (Fires on the Plain, 1959), Yukinojo henge (An Actor's Revenge, 1963), documentary film Tokyo orimpikku (Tokyo Olympiad, 1965), Inugamike no ichizoku (Inugami Family, 1976), Eiga joyu (Actress, 1987), Shijushichinin no shikaku (47 Ronin, 1994), biography of Japanese actress and director Kinuyo Tanake. His last films are Dora-heita (2000) and Inugami-ke no ichizoku (The Inugamis, 2006).