Born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Kato was the nephew of the film director Sadao Yamanaka. He entered the Toho studio in 1937 and first began by working on documentaries. He worked as an assistant director to Akira Kurosawa in Rashomon. After World War II he switched to making jidaigeki.

• Minagoroshi no reika (1968)

  
• 緋牡丹博徒　お竜参上 (1970)

  
• 紅顏の密使 (1959)

  
• Mabuta no haha (1962)

  
• 真田風雲録 (1963)