His death was confirmed by his acting studio Mumeijuku, with reports stating he passed away from pneumonia in a Tokyo hospital early on Saturday.
Over a seven-decade career, Nakadai accumulated more than 150 screen credits, becoming a defining presence for directors like Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi.
He was renowned for iconic performances, including Kaji in The Human Condition, the rōnin in Harakiri, and the warlord Hidetora Ichimonji in Kurosawa's Ran.
Nakadai also considered himself primarily a stage actor, co-founded the Mumeijuku acting school, and received national honours, including the Order of Culture, for his contributions to the arts.