Takeshi's Castle (風雲！たけし城, Fūun! Takeshi-jō, literally Showdown! Takeshi Castle) was a Japanese game show that aired between 1986 and 1990 on the Tokyo Broadcasting System. It featured the Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano (also known as Beat Takeshi) as a count who owns a castle and sets up difficult challenges for players (or a volunteer army) to get to him. The show has become a cult television hit around the world.