Seitaro Ichinohe (一戸 誠太郎, Ichinohe Seitarō; born 25 January 1996) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's…Seitaro Ichinohe (一戸 誠太郎, Ichinohe Seitarō; born 25 January 1996) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 5000 metres at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Daichi Yamanaka (山中 大地) (born 1 May 1990) is a Japanese speed skater. Yamanaka competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics for…Daichi Yamanaka (山中 大地) (born 1 May 1990) is a Japanese speed skater. Yamanaka competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics for Japan. In the 1000 metres he finished 36th overall. Yamanaka competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics for Japan. In the 500 metres he finished 5th overall and in the 1000 metres he finished 24th overall. Yamanaka made his World Cup debut in December 2012. As of September 2014, Yamanaka's top World Cup finish is 6th in a 1000 m B race at Nagano in 2012–13. His best overall finish in the World Cup is 50th, in the 1000 metres in 2012–13. As of May 2018, Yamanaka's top World Cup finish is 2nd in a 500 m A race at Stavanger in 2017–18. His best overall finish in the World Cup is 9th, in the 2017–18 ISU Speed Skating World Cup – Men's 500 metres.
Miyako Sumiyoshi (住吉 都, Sumiyoshi Miyako; 19 March 1987 – 20 January 2018) was a Japanese speed skater. She competed at…Miyako Sumiyoshi (住吉 都, Sumiyoshi Miyako; 19 March 1987 – 20 January 2018) was a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 2013 World Sprint Championships in Salt Lake City, where she placed thirteenth. She also placed thirteenth in the sprint combination at the 2014 World Sprint Championships in Nagano. She competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, in the 500 metres (14th) and in the 1000 metres (22nd). On 20 January 2018, she was found dead in her home in Nagano. NHK reported that she seemed to have committed suicide.
Nao Kodaira (Japanese: 小平 奈緒; born 26 May 1986) is a Japanese former long track speed skater who specialised in the…Nao Kodaira (Japanese: 小平 奈緒; born 26 May 1986) is a Japanese former long track speed skater who specialised in the sprint distances. She is the 2018 Olympic champion in the 500 m distance. Kodaira is the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic gold medal in speed skating. In 2009, she graduated from Shinshu University with a bachelor's degree in education.
Madoka Harada (原田窓香, born December 15, 1985) is a Japanese luger who has competed since 2004. Competing in two Winter…Madoka Harada (原田窓香, born December 15, 1985) is a Japanese luger who has competed since 2004. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 13th in the women's singles event at Turin in 2006. Harada's best finish at the FIL World Luge Championships was 19th in the women's singles event at Oberhof in 2008.
Ryosuke Takeda (Japanese: 武田 良介, Hepburn: Takeda Ryosuke; born 13 August 1979, Nagano Prefecture) is a member of the…Ryosuke Takeda (Japanese: 武田 良介, Hepburn: Takeda Ryosuke; born 13 August 1979, Nagano Prefecture) is a member of the Japanese House of Councillors and of the Japanese Communist Party. He was elected to his position in the National Diet in 2016. He supports the restoration of animals, plants, and their habitats.
Takahisa Oguchi (小口貴久; born January 11, 1979) is a Japanese luger who has competed since 1999. He finished 20th in the…Takahisa Oguchi (小口貴久; born January 11, 1979) is a Japanese luger who has competed since 1999. He finished 20th in the men's singles event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. At the previous Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Oguchi competed in the men's doubles event, but did not finish. Oguchi's best finish at the FIL World Luge Championships was 16th in the men's singles event at Lake Placid, New York, in 2009. He later went into graduate research in biomechanics at Shinshu University in Nagano, Japan. Oguchi qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics where he finished 30th in the men's singles event.
Hiroshi Sato (佐藤 浩, Satō Hiroshi; born January 30, 1978) is a Japanese curler and curling coach from Tokoro, Hokkaido…Hiroshi Sato (佐藤 浩, Satō Hiroshi; born January 30, 1978) is a Japanese curler and curling coach from Tokoro, Hokkaido, Japan. He represented Japan at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, where the Japanese men's team placed 5th.
Yoichi Fukazawa (深澤陽一, Fukazawa Yoichi; born 21 June 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…Yoichi Fukazawa (深澤陽一, Fukazawa Yoichi; born 21 June 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2020. From 2011 to 2020, he was a member of the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.
Shinichi Fukushima (福島 晋一, Fukushima Shin'ichi; born September 13, 1971) is a Japanese former professional racing…Shinichi Fukushima (福島 晋一, Fukushima Shin'ichi; born September 13, 1971) is a Japanese former professional racing cyclist and directeur sportif, active in cycling between 1996 and 2018.
You the Rock (stylized as YOU THE ROCK★; born Yu Takemae (竹前 裕, Takemae Yū); 5 September 1971, in Nagano, Nagano) is a…You the Rock (stylized as YOU THE ROCK★; born Yu Takemae (竹前 裕, Takemae Yū); 5 September 1971, in Nagano, Nagano) is a Japanese hip-hop musician, MC and tarento. He is nicknamed You-chan (Youちゃん) and Yū-chan Da Aniki YTR (ユウちゃん DA 兄貴 YTR).
Reversi is an abstract strategy board game for two players, played on an 8×8 uncheckered board. It was invented in…Reversi is an abstract strategy board game for two players, played on an 8×8 uncheckered board. It was invented in 1883. Othello, a variant with a fixed initial setup of the board, was patented in 1971. Two players compete, using 64 identical game pieces ("disks") that are light on one side and dark on the other. Each player chooses one color to use throughout the game. Players take turns placing one disk on an empty square, with their assigned color facing up. After a play is made, any disks of the opponent's color that lie in a straight line bounded by the one just played and another one in the current player's color are turned over. When all playable empty squares are filled, the player with more disks showing in their own color wins the game.
Goro Miyazaki (Japanese: 宮崎 吾朗, Hepburn: Miyazaki Gorō; born January 21, 1967) is a Japanese landscape architect and…Goro Miyazaki (Japanese: 宮崎 吾朗, Hepburn: Miyazaki Gorō; born January 21, 1967) is a Japanese landscape architect and animation director. His landscape projects include the Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park. The son of Hayao Miyazaki, Goro has directed three films—Tales from Earthsea (2006), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), and Earwig and The Witch (2020)—and the television series Ronja, the Robber's Daughter.
Kyoko Ishida (石田 京子, Ishida Kyōko; born 12 July 1960) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1984…Kyoko Ishida (石田 京子, Ishida Kyōko; born 12 July 1960) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In 1984, she was a member of the Japanese team that won the bronze medal in the Olympic tournament.
Yasuo Tanaka (田中 康夫, Tanaka Yasuo; born 12 April 1956) is a Japanese novelist and politician. He served as the governor…Yasuo Tanaka (田中 康夫, Tanaka Yasuo; born 12 April 1956) is a Japanese novelist and politician. He served as the governor of Nagano Prefecture from 2000 to 2006, became president of New Party Nippon, and has been elected to Japan's legislatures.
Mitsu Shimojo (下条 みつ, Shimojō Mitsu; born 29 December 1955) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan…Mitsu Shimojo (下条 みつ, Shimojō Mitsu; born 29 December 1955) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Matsumoto, Nagano and graduate of Shinshu University, he was elected for the first time in 2003 after an unsuccessful run in 2000.
Jun Shiraoka (白岡 順, Shiraoka Jun; 1944 – 17 March 2016) was a Japanese photographer. Internationally exhibited…Jun Shiraoka (白岡 順, Shiraoka Jun; 1944 – 17 March 2016) was a Japanese photographer. Internationally exhibited photographer Shiraoka pursued his singular photographic vision largely outside his native Japan, working abroad for almost three decades.
Shūsei Nakamura (仲村 秀生,, Nakamura Shuusei; born Hideo Nakamura (仲村 秀男,, Nakamura Hideo); March 9, 1935 – July 30, 2014)…Shūsei Nakamura (仲村 秀生,, Nakamura Shuusei; born Hideo Nakamura (仲村 秀男,, Nakamura Hideo); March 9, 1935 – July 30, 2014) was a Japanese actor and voice actor. Throughout his career he was represented by 81 Produce and later Production Baobab. He has referred to both Tokyo and Nagano Prefecture as his hometown. He was most known for the roles of Tōru Rikiishi (Ashita no Joe) and Daisuke Shima (Space Battleship Yamato). After his retirement, Hideyuki Tanaka took up the role of Daisuke Shima for the PS2 Yamato game series. The role had previously been taken over for the film Final Yamato by Isao Sasaki, but this was before Nakamura's retirement. Nakamura died on July 30, 2014, at a Tokyo hospital.
Kei Kumai (熊井 啓, Kumai Kei; 1 June 1930 – 23 May 2007) was a Japanese film director. After his studies in literature at…Kei Kumai (熊井 啓, Kumai Kei; 1 June 1930 – 23 May 2007) was a Japanese film director. After his studies in literature at Shinshu University, he began work as a director's assistant. He won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his second film, Nihon rettō, in 1965. His 1972 film Shinobu Kawa was entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1973 film Rise, Fair Sun was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival. Sandakan No. 8 received widespread acclaim for tackling the issue of a woman forced into prostitution in Borneo before the outbreak of World War II. Kinuyo Tanaka won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival for her performance. The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 48th Academy Awards. Kumai's follow-up film was 1976's Cape of North, starring French actress Claude Jade as a Swiss nun who falls in love with a Japanese engineer on a trip from Marseilles to Yokohama. His 1986 film The Sea and Poison won the Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1992, his film Luminous Moss was entered into the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival. Other works include Death of a Tea Master starring Toshirō Mifune as Sen no Rikyū (Silver Lion at the 46th Venice International Film Festival), and the 2002 film The Sea Is Watching, based on Akira Kurosawa's posthumous script. Kumai was married to the writer and researcher Akiko Kumai. He died in 2007 at age 76.
Koji Kobayashi (February 17, 1907 – November 30, 1996) was a Japanese engineer and businessman known for his…Koji Kobayashi (February 17, 1907 – November 30, 1996) was a Japanese engineer and businessman known for his contributions to the electronics industry. He served as the president of NEC from 1964 until 1976 and then as chairman until 1988.
Yoshimi Usui (臼井 吉見, Usui Yoshimi; June 17, 1905 – July 12, 1987) was a Japanese writer and critic from Azumino, Nagano…Yoshimi Usui (臼井 吉見, Usui Yoshimi; June 17, 1905 – July 12, 1987) was a Japanese writer and critic from Azumino, Nagano prefecture. Usui won the 1974 10th Tanizaki Prize for Azumino (安曇野). In 1977 he published a novelised account of Kawabata's death that led to a lawsuit against him by the Nobel Prize-winner's family.
Shin Kusakawa (草川 信 (くさかわ しん)) (February 14, 1893, Nagano, Nagano, Japan - September 20, 1948) was a Japanese composer…Shin Kusakawa (草川 信 (くさかわ しん)) (February 14, 1893, Nagano, Nagano, Japan - September 20, 1948) was a Japanese composer famous for his doyo, "夕やけこやけ (Yūyake koya ke)"/"Sunset Glow." His eldest son, Hiroshi, was killed in World War II. He was also a composer, and his works were discovered and performed in 2017.
Mizuho Ōta (太田 水穂, Ōta Mizuho; 9 December 1876 – 1 January 1955) was the pen-name of Teiichi Ōta (太田 貞一, Ōta Teiichi)…Mizuho Ōta (太田 水穂, Ōta Mizuho; 9 December 1876 – 1 January 1955) was the pen-name of Teiichi Ōta (太田 貞一, Ōta Teiichi), a Japanese poet and scholar of Japanese literature, active in Shōwa period Japan. He also occasionally used another pen name, Mizuhonoya.
Jiro Sato (佐藤 二朗, Satō Jirō; born 7 May 1969) is a Japanese actor, screenwriter and film director. He grew up in Tōgō…Jiro Sato (佐藤 二朗, Satō Jirō; born 7 May 1969) is a Japanese actor, screenwriter and film director. He grew up in Tōgō, Aichi District. He is represented with From First Production. He graduated from Shinshu University Faculty of Economics.
Miwako Shimizu (清水美和子, Shimizu Miwako; born June 26, 1986), known professionally as Predawn, is a Japanese…Miwako Shimizu (清水美和子, Shimizu Miwako; born June 26, 1986), known professionally as Predawn, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. Shimizu chose the name "Predawn" as a reference to a collection of fairy tales written by Mimei Ogawa, a fellow native of Niigata Prefecture.
