Aimi Kobayashi (小林 愛実, Kobayashi Aimi; born September 23, 1995) is a Japanese classical pianist. She was a finalist at…Aimi Kobayashi (小林 愛実, Kobayashi Aimi; born September 23, 1995) is a Japanese classical pianist. She was a finalist at the XVII International Chopin Piano Competition and won 4th prize at the subsequent XVIII International Chopin Piano Competition.
Yuko Takahashi (高橋 侑子, Takahashi Yūko; born 27 August 1991) is a Japanese triathlete. She won the gold medal in the…Yuko Takahashi (高橋 侑子, Takahashi Yūko; born 27 August 1991) is a Japanese triathlete. She won the gold medal in the women's triathlon at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. She also won the gold medal in the mixed relay event. In 2021, she competed in the women's event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She also competed in the mixed relay event. In 2024, she competed in the women's triathlon at the Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Mayuko Kamio (神尾 真由子, born June 12, 1986, in Toyonaka, Osaka) is a Japanese violinist. She won the First Prize at the…Mayuko Kamio (神尾 真由子, born June 12, 1986, in Toyonaka, Osaka) is a Japanese violinist. She won the First Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2007, the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in 2000, and was the youngest prize winner at the International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in 1998.
Takashi Yamamoto is a Japanese pianist who won the Silver Medal at the 2006 Gina Bachauer International Piano…Takashi Yamamoto is a Japanese pianist who won the Silver Medal at the 2006 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, a prestigious piano competition held in Salt Lake City, Utah. He shared 4th place in 2005 at the XV International Chopin Piano Competition.
Saho Terao (寺尾紗穂, Terao Saho; born November 7, 1981) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and essayist. Terao debuted in…Saho Terao (寺尾紗穂, Terao Saho; born November 7, 1981) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and essayist. Terao debuted in 2007 and has been musically active in a variety of fields, including live performances, commercial music, providing theme songs for films directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi and Momoko Ando, and performing with the band Fuyu ni Wakarete. In addition to writing serialized columns in magazines, newspapers, and web blogs, Terao has edited and published numerous essay collections and non-fiction books.
Rieko Matsunaga (Japanese: 松永 里絵子; born May 19, 1979) is a Japanese rhythmic gymnast. Matsunaga competed for Japan in…Rieko Matsunaga (Japanese: 松永 里絵子; born May 19, 1979) is a Japanese rhythmic gymnast. Matsunaga competed for Japan in the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-around competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. There she was 16th in the qualification round and did not advance to the final of 10 competitors.
Yoomi Tamai (玉井 夕海, Tamai Yūmi; born August 6, 1977), is a Japanese actress and singer from Tokyo. She is member of the…Yoomi Tamai (玉井 夕海, Tamai Yūmi; born August 6, 1977), is a Japanese actress and singer from Tokyo. She is member of the performance group Psalm (SARM).
Akiko Suwanai (諏訪内 晶子, Suwanai Akiko; born February 7, 1972) is a Japanese classical violinist. At the age of 18, she…Akiko Suwanai (諏訪内 晶子, Suwanai Akiko; born February 7, 1972) is a Japanese classical violinist. At the age of 18, she became the youngest winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1990. In addition, she was awarded second prize in the Paganini Competition in 1988 and Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1989 and is a laureate of the Music Competition of Japan. She has studied with Toshiya Eto at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, with Dorothy DeLay and Cho-Liang Lin at the Juilliard School of Music while at Columbia University, and with Uwe-Martin Haiberg at the Universität der Künste Berlin. Until 2019 she played the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. After it was returned she received the "Charles Reade" Guarneri del Gesù on loan from Japanese collector Ryuji Ueno.
Ari Fuji (藤 明里, Fuji Ari; born 1968) is the first female pilot in command and flight instructor at a commercial…Ari Fuji (藤 明里, Fuji Ari; born 1968) is the first female pilot in command and flight instructor at a commercial passenger airline in Japan. She earned her original aviation license in the United States of America and trained to be a certified pilot for commercial passenger airline under Japanese aviation regulations.
Kyoko Takezawa (竹澤 恭子, Takezawa Kyōko) is a prominent Japanese-born violinist. She has recorded for the RCA Victor Red…Kyoko Takezawa (竹澤 恭子, Takezawa Kyōko) is a prominent Japanese-born violinist. She has recorded for the RCA Victor Red Seal label. Born in Ōbu, Aichi in 1966, she started her training in Japan as a part of the Suzuki Method program and was part of a tour of the United States. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School (1989) where her teacher was Dorothy DeLay. Ms. Takezawa won the gold medal in 1986, and subsequently served as a judge for the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. She played on the Stradivarius loaned to her by the Nippon Music Foundation until it was sold at auction in 2006 for US$3,544,000.
Mikako Kotani (小谷 実可子, Kotani Mikako; born 30 August 1966) is a Japanese former synchronized swimmer who competed in…Mikako Kotani (小谷 実可子, Kotani Mikako; born 30 August 1966) is a Japanese former synchronized swimmer who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics, where she gained a bronze medal each for the solo and duet events, and the 1992 Summer Olympics. She was the first woman to be Japan's flag-bearer for the 1988 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Anna Nakagawa (中川安奈, Nakagawa Anna), real name Anna Kuriyama (栗山安奈, Kuriyama Anna) (August 30, 1965 – October 17, 2014)…Anna Nakagawa (中川安奈, Nakagawa Anna), real name Anna Kuriyama (栗山安奈, Kuriyama Anna) (August 30, 1965 – October 17, 2014) was a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 11th Yokohama Film Festival for A Sign Days.
Megumi Ogata (緒方 恵美, Ogata Megumi; born June 6, 1965) is a Japanese actress and singer from the Greater Tokyo Area. As…Megumi Ogata (緒方 恵美, Ogata Megumi; born June 6, 1965) is a Japanese actress and singer from the Greater Tokyo Area. As a singer, she goes by the name em:óu. She is best known for voicing Shinji Ikari in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yugi Mutou and Dark Yugi in the Toei version of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Makoto Naegi and Nagito Komaeda in the Danganronpa series, Ken Amada in Persona 3, Kurama in YuYu Hakusho, Sailor Uranus in the Sailor Moon series, Yuta Okkotsu in Jujutsu Kaisen, Hanako and Tsukasa in Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun and Yukito Tsukishiro/Yue in Cardcaptor Sakura. Due to her notability for playing male roles and boyish female roles, Ogata is sometimes referred to with the nickname aniki.
Yukiko Miyake (Japanese: 三宅 雪子; 5 March 1965 – 2 January 2020) was an American-born Japanese politician. She served one…Yukiko Miyake (Japanese: 三宅 雪子; 5 March 1965 – 2 January 2020) was an American-born Japanese politician. She served one term in the Japanese House of Representatives.
Tōru Yasunaga (安永 徹, Yasunaga Tōru; born November 14, 1951, in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a Japanese violinist. Yasunaga is…Tōru Yasunaga (安永 徹, Yasunaga Tōru; born November 14, 1951, in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a Japanese violinist. Yasunaga is an active chamber musician and soloist, and was a member of the Berlin Philharmonic from 1977, serving as concertmaster from 1983 until his retirement from the orchestra in March 2009.
Natsuo Kirino (桐野 夏生, Kirino Natsuo) (born October 7, 1951, in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture) is the pen name of Mariko…Natsuo Kirino (桐野 夏生, Kirino Natsuo) (born October 7, 1951, in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture) is the pen name of Mariko Hashioka, a Japanese novelist and a leading figure in the recent boom of female writers of Japanese detective fiction.
Yōko Asaji (浅茅 陽子, Asaji Yōko) (born April 2, 1951) is a Japanese actress from Shimizu (now part of the city of…Yōko Asaji (浅茅 陽子, Asaji Yōko) (born April 2, 1951) is a Japanese actress from Shimizu (now part of the city of Shizuoka), Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Yōko starred in the NHK morning drama Kumo no Jūtan, achieving widespread popularity. Since then she has appeared in various television, film, and stage productions. In addition to contemporary roles, Yōko has taken parts in jidaigeki. She portrayed Yaya in the 1987 NHK Taiga drama Onna Taikōki, and from 1988 to 1994 she played Osai, the wife of the fire captain, in Abarenbo Shogun (the second of three actresses for that character). Yōko voiced Maddie Hayes, the Cybill Shepherd role, in the dubbed version of Moonlighting.
Kentarō Haneda (羽田 健太郎, Haneda Kentarō; January 12, 1949 – June 2, 2007) was a Japanese pianist, composer and arranger.…Kentarō Haneda (羽田 健太郎, Haneda Kentarō; January 12, 1949 – June 2, 2007) was a Japanese pianist, composer and arranger. He composed for popular anime series, movies and video games. His popular name was Haneken.
Komaki Kurihara (栗原 小巻, Kurihara Komaki; born 14 March 1945) is a Japanese stage and film actress. She has appeared in…Komaki Kurihara (栗原 小巻, Kurihara Komaki; born 14 March 1945) is a Japanese stage and film actress. She has appeared in 30 films since 1967. She starred in the 1974 film Sandakan No. 8, which was entered into the 25th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1975 she was a member of the jury at the 9th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1981 she was a member of the jury at the 12th Moscow International Film Festival. In 2025, she was awarded Medal of Pushkin by Vladimir Putin.
Kazuyoshi Akiyama (秋山 和慶, Akiyama Kazuyoshi; January 2, 1941 – January 26, 2025) was a Japanese conductor who held…Kazuyoshi Akiyama (秋山 和慶, Akiyama Kazuyoshi; January 2, 1941 – January 26, 2025) was a Japanese conductor who held conducting posts of symphony orchestras in Japan, Canada and the U.S., such as the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra from 1964 for life, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra from 1972 to 1985, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 1993, and the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra from 1998. Akiyama conducted the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in the Japanese premieres of Schoenberg's Moses und Aron, John Adams's El Niño and Helmut Lachenmann's Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern, among others.
Shiho Takano (高野 志穂, Takano Shiho; born October 21, 1979, in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress who is represented by…Shiho Takano (高野 志穂, Takano Shiho; born October 21, 1979, in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress who is represented by the talent agency, Tom company. Takano's husband is actor Yukiya Kitamura.
Chihiro Yamanaka (山中千尋, Yamanaka Chihiro) (born 1976) is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer, born in Kiryū, Gunma…Chihiro Yamanaka (山中千尋, Yamanaka Chihiro) (born 1976) is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer, born in Kiryū, Gunma Prefecture. As of 2025, she was based in Tokyo. She has released more than 30 albums, most of them on Verve Records.
