Takerufuji Mikiya (Japanese: 尊富士 弥輝也; born April 9, 1999, as Mikiya Ishioka (石岡 弥輝也, Ishioka Mikiya)) is a Japanese…Takerufuji Mikiya (Japanese: 尊富士 弥輝也; born April 9, 1999, as Mikiya Ishioka (石岡 弥輝也, Ishioka Mikiya)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture. His highest rank is maegashira 4. Recognised as a wrestler of great potential, he stood out in 2024 by earning promotion straight into sumo's top division (makuuchi) after just one tournament in the second-highest jūryō division. In March 2024, he became the first wrestler in 110 years to win the championship in his inaugural top division tournament.
Daichi Shimoyama (下山 大地, Shimoyama Daichi; born August 8, 1989), nicknamed Chi, is a Japanese professional basketball…Daichi Shimoyama (下山 大地, Shimoyama Daichi; born August 8, 1989), nicknamed Chi, is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for the Aomori Wat's of the B.League in Japan. He had been the team captain of the Aomori Wat's.
Hiroomi Fujita (藤田 博臣, Fujita Hiroomi; born 23 February 1976) is a Japanese judoka. Fujita is from Goshogawara, Aomori.…Hiroomi Fujita (藤田 博臣, Fujita Hiroomi; born 23 February 1976) is a Japanese judoka. Fujita is from Goshogawara, Aomori. He began judo at the junior high school days and won gold medal at World Junior Championships in 1994, World University Championships in 1996, East Asian Games in 1997, and so on. After graduation from Tokai University, He belonged to Asahi Kasei. Fujita retired in 2000.
Junichi Kogawa (古川 純一, Kogawa Jun'ichi; born 12 February 1972) is a Japanese skier. He competed in the Nordic combineds…Junichi Kogawa (古川 純一, Kogawa Jun'ichi; born 12 February 1972) is a Japanese skier. He competed in the Nordic combineds at the 1994 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Kōji Hirayama (平山 幸司, Hirayama Kōji; born November 9, 1969) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan…Kōji Hirayama (平山 幸司, Hirayama Kōji; born November 9, 1969) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Goshogawara, Aomori and graduate of Kanto Gakuin University and Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 2007.
Wakako Sawara (佐原 若子) (born November 22, 1953) is a Japanese politician and dentist. She is a member of the House of…Wakako Sawara (佐原 若子) (born November 22, 1953) is a Japanese politician and dentist. She is a member of the House of Representatives (1 term) and a director of the Aomori Prefectural Medical Association.
Yoshi Ikuzō (吉幾三; born 11 November 1952, Goshogawara, Aomori) is the stage name of Yoshihito Kamata (鎌田 善人, Kamata…Yoshi Ikuzō (吉幾三; born 11 November 1952, Goshogawara, Aomori) is the stage name of Yoshihito Kamata (鎌田 善人, Kamata Yoshihito), a Japanese enka singer-songwriter. He has released several popular albums of enka music, a genre akin to Japanese folk or blues music in the Western world. Amongst his most famous hits are "Sake yo", "Suika", and "Yuki Guni". Additionally, he is self-described as the "first popular hip hop artist in Japan" due to the 1984 release of "Ora Tōkyō sa Iguda" (lit. "I'm going to Tokyo"), sung in his native Tsugaru dialect of Japanese. He has been on tour with fellow Japanese star Fukui Kodai. Ikuzō is married. His wife is named Hisako, and they have a daughter, Ikumi. His stage name is a pun for the common Japanese phrase "Yoshi, ikuzo!" (よし、いくぞー!, Alright, let's go!).
Futagodake Takeshi (Japanese: 二子岳 武; born Takeshi Yamanaka (山中 武), November 15, 1943 – September 10, 2026) was a…Futagodake Takeshi (Japanese: 二子岳 武; born Takeshi Yamanaka (山中 武), November 15, 1943 – September 10, 2026) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Kanagi, Aomori. He made his professional debut in January 1961, and reached the top division in January 1967. His highest rank was komusubi. He retired in September 1976 and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. In 1993 he branched out from Futagoyama stable and opened up Araiso stable. Araiso stable folded when Futagodake reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 in November 2008. In September 1974, his 11th day match with yokozuna Mienoumi was declared a draw (hikiwake) after multiple water breaks (mizu-iri) and a rematch (torinaoshi) failed to yield any progress. This was the first draw to be called in makuuchi since September 1963, and to date stands as the last such occurrence. Futagodake died from hepatocellular carcinoma on September 10, 2026, at the age of 82. The Japan Sumo Association announced his death on September 13.
Oiteyama Hirokuni, born Mitsugu Yamaguchi (16 June 1938 – 2 January 2014), was a sumo wrestler from Goshogawara…Oiteyama Hirokuni, born Mitsugu Yamaguchi (16 June 1938 – 2 January 2014), was a sumo wrestler from Goshogawara, Aomori, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1953 and reached the top division in May 1960. His highest rank was maegashira 6. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. He reached the Sumo Association's mandatory retirement age of 65 in June 2003.
Morio Kasai (葛西 森夫; September 29, 1922 – December 8, 2008) was a Japanese surgeon who had a strong interest in…Morio Kasai (葛西 森夫; September 29, 1922 – December 8, 2008) was a Japanese surgeon who had a strong interest in pediatric surgery. While Kasai went into practice at a time when pediatric surgery was not an established subspecialty, much of his clinical and research work was related to the surgical care of children. He is best known for devising a surgical procedure, the hepatoportoenterostomy, to address a life-threatening birth defect known as biliary atresia. The modern form of the operation is still known as the Kasai procedure. A graduate of the medical school at Tohoku University, Kasai remained there for most of his medical career, chairing the university's 2nd Department of Surgery and serving on the school's Board of Councilors. Though best known for the procedure that came to bear his name, Kasai also studied peritonitis in infants and children, and he made contributions to the understanding of esophageal cancer, pediatric liver cancer and a colon abnormality known as Hirschsprung's disease. Kasai practiced from the 1940s until 1993, spending the last few years of his career leading a hospital in Tohoku. He suffered a debilitating stroke in 1999 and died in 2008.
Shūji Tsushima (津島 修治, Tsushima Shūji; 19 June 1909 – 13 June 1948), known by his pen name Osamu Dazai (太宰 治, Dazai…Shūji Tsushima (津島 修治, Tsushima Shūji; 19 June 1909 – 13 June 1948), known by his pen name Osamu Dazai (太宰 治, Dazai Osamu), was a Japanese writer. A number of his most popular works, such as The Setting Sun (斜陽, Shayō) and No Longer Human (人間失格, Ningen Shikkaku), are considered modern classics. His influences include Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Murasaki Shikibu and Fyodor Dostoevsky. His last book, No Longer Human, is his most popular work outside of Japan. Another pseudonym he used was Shunpei Kuroki (黒木 舜平), for the book Illusion of the Cliffs (断崖の錯覚, Dangai no Sakkaku).
Shimizugawa Motokichi (清水川 元吉, Shimizugawa Motokichi; 13 January 1900 – 5 July 1967) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from…Shimizugawa Motokichi (清水川 元吉, Shimizugawa Motokichi; 13 January 1900 – 5 July 1967) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Goshogawara, Aomori, Japan. His highest rank was ōzeki.
Norihide Abe (阿部 規秀, Abe Norihide; September 8, 1887 – November 7, 1939) was a career officer and Lieutenant General in…Norihide Abe (阿部 規秀, Abe Norihide; September 8, 1887 – November 7, 1939) was a career officer and Lieutenant General in the Imperial Japanese Army who was the highest-ranking Japanese officer killed in combat during the Second Sino-Japanese War.