Though he has played a wide range of characters, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of yakuza figures, most notably in the films of Takeshi Kitano.
[4] His childhood memory was when he and his mother walking to kindergarten together and his teacher called him "mu-chan" because of his cute face.
[5] Terajima's interest in acting began when he watched an action-comedy movie, Truck Yarou.
[4] He also loved to sing, impersonating members of the pop duo Pink Lady with his friends.
[7] Terajima played a supporting role in Violent Cop (1989), where he met his respectful mentor, Takeshi Kitano.