Kozo Shoda (正田 耕三, Shoda Kozo; born January 2, 1962) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder.
Japanese people database × places of origin
Famous People from Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture: 176 people
Neko Oikawa (及川 眠子, Oikawa Neko; born February 10, 1960) is a Japanese lyricist who has written J-pop and anime theme…
Neko Oikawa (及川 眠子, Oikawa Neko; born February 10, 1960) is a Japanese lyricist who has written J-pop and anime theme songs over her career.
Takeshi Miyamoto (宮本 岳志, Miyamoto Takeshi) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party who served in the House of…
Takeshi Miyamoto (宮本 岳志, Miyamoto Takeshi) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party who served in the House of Representatives. He is opposed to the policy that increases competitive research funds while cutting grants to post-secondary educational institutions, saying that the policy has forced some institutions to hire retired government officials.
🎓 Wakayama University🏫 Kishiwada High School📅 Born December 25🎂 Born 1959📍 From Wakayama Prefecture💼 Politician・Legislator
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Izumi Miyazaki (宮﨑泉, Miyazaki Izumi; born 21 February 1959) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of…
Izumi Miyazaki (宮﨑泉, Miyazaki Izumi; born 21 February 1959) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of Wakayama Prefecture since June 2025. He previously served as superintendent of the Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education and as vice governor of Wakayama Prefecture.
🎓 University of Osaka🏫 Toin High School📅 Born February 21🎂 Born 1959📍 From Wakayama(city), Wakayama Prefecture💼 Politician・Legislator
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Mitsutake Hagimoto (萩本 光威, Hagimoto Mitsutake) (born 10 February 1959 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a former Japanese…
Mitsutake Hagimoto (萩本 光威, Hagimoto Mitsutake) (born 10 February 1959 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a former Japanese rugby player and coach . He played as scrum-half.
🎓 Doshisha University🏫 Hōtoku Gakuen High School📅 Born February 10🎂 Born 1959📍 From Wakayama Prefecture
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Toru Sakai (born July 17, 1958) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of…
Toru Sakai (born July 17, 1958) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan since 2021.
🎓 University of Tokyo🏫 Tanabe High School📅 Born July 17🎂 Born 1958📍 From 田辺市芳養町, Wakayama Prefecture💼 Public Prosecutor
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Masami Yoshida (Japanese: 吉田 雅美; 14 June 1958 – 7 March 2000) was a javelin thrower from Japan, who represented his…
Masami Yoshida (Japanese: 吉田 雅美; 14 June 1958 – 7 March 2000) was a javelin thrower from Japan, who represented his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984. He was born in Arida. He achieved his personal best (75.96 metres) on 25 August 1991 during the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. Yoshida finished third behind David Ottley in the javelin throw event at the British 1985 AAA Championships. Yoshida committed suicide in Tokyo in 2000.
Yasuyuki Kishino (岸野 靖之, Kishino Yasuyuki; born June 13, 1958) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
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Kazumi Kotani (小谷一美, Kotani Kazumi; born April 3, 1957) better known by the ring name Daikokubō Benkei (大黒坊弁慶) is a…
Kazumi Kotani (小谷一美, Kotani Kazumi; born April 3, 1957) better known by the ring name Daikokubō Benkei (大黒坊弁慶) is a former Japanese sumo wrestler and professional wrestler best known for his time in the Japanese promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW).
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Shūhei Kishimoto (岸本周平, Kishimoto Shūhei; 12 July 1956 – 15 April 2025) was a Japanese politician who served as…
Shūhei Kishimoto (岸本周平, Kishimoto Shūhei; 12 July 1956 – 15 April 2025) was a Japanese politician who served as governor of Wakayama Prefecture from 2022 until his death in 2025. He was previously a member of House of Representatives from 2009 and 2022, being elected five times from Wakayama 1st district. Born in Wakayama and educated at the University of Tokyo, Kishimoto worked at the Ministry of Finance and Toyota before entering politics in 2009.
🎓 University of Tokyo🏫 Toin High School📅 Born July 12🎂 Born 1956📍 From Wakayama(city), Wakayama Prefecture💼 Politician・Legislator💼 Bureaucrat
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Yoshikazu Takeuchi (竹内 義和, Takeuchi Yoshikazu; born February 27, 1955 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a Japanese writer of…
Yoshikazu Takeuchi (竹内 義和, Takeuchi Yoshikazu; born February 27, 1955 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a Japanese writer of fan guides and novels, as well as a radio co-host. His work Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis (パーフェクト・ブルー 完全変態, Pāfekuto Burū: Kanzen Hentai) was the basis for the 1997 Satoshi Kon anime film Perfect Blue and a 2002 live-action film titled Perfect Blue: Yume Nara Samete. Takeuchi's book Ultraman Visits the Grave is about a young boy who happens to be a fan of Ultraman. Takeuchi has expressed interest in getting his work translated for an English-speaking audience. Seven Seas Entertainment published English-language versions of his Perfect Blue novels in 2018.
🎓 Kindai University🏫 Wakayama Technical High School📅 Born February 27🎂 Born 1955📍 From Wakayama(city), Wakayama Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Columnist💼 Editor💼 Youtuber
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Yasuhiro Oe (大江 康弘, Ōe Yasuhiro; born December 4, 1950) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a…
Yasuhiro Oe (大江 康弘, Ōe Yasuhiro; born December 4, 1950) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
🎓 Ashiya University🏫 Tanabe High School📅 Born December 4🎂 Born 1953📍 From Shirahama, Wakayama💼 Politician・Legislator
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Toshiyuki Shiga (志賀 俊之, Shiga Toshiyuki; born 16 September 1953) is a Japanese business executive. He served as the…
Toshiyuki Shiga (志賀 俊之, Shiga Toshiyuki; born 16 September 1953) is a Japanese business executive. He served as the chief operating officer of Nissan from 2005 to 2013.
Heizō Takenaka (竹中 平蔵, Takenaka Heizō; born 3 March 1951) is a Japanese economist, and key figure in Junichiro…
Heizō Takenaka (竹中 平蔵, Takenaka Heizō; born 3 March 1951) is a Japanese economist, and key figure in Junichiro Koizumi's administration (2001–2006), played a significant role in Japan's structural reforms, including labor market deregulation. As Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy and later Financial Services, he advocated for policies aimed at increasing economic flexibility, such as amending the Worker Dispatching Act (also known as the Temporary Staffing Services Act). These changes, enacted in 2003 and 2004, expanded the use of temporary (dispatched) workers by relaxing restrictions. Takenaka's reforms indirectly facilitated the replacement of regular government employees with temporary staff in public sectors, such as education, administrative services, and local government offices. Takenaka's affiliation with Pasona Group, Japan's largest temporary staffing agency, has sparked allegations of embezzlement from government and private sectors, stemming from claims that he replaced permanent employees with Pasona's temporary workers. He joined Pasona as a special advisor in February 2007 (shortly after leaving government) and became chairman in August 2009, serving until 2022. Takenaka benefited from the expanded dispatch market post-deregulation, securing government and private contracts in areas like administrative support, COVID-19 measures, and the Tokyo Olympics—leading to personal profits. Takenaka serves on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.
Naoki Tatsuta (龍田 直樹, Tatsuta Naoki; born September 8, 1950) is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production.…
Naoki Tatsuta (龍田 直樹, Tatsuta Naoki; born September 8, 1950) is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. He is known for the roles of Buta Gorilla in Kiteretsu Daihyakka, Daima Jin in High School! Kimengumi, Oolong in Dragon Ball, Dr. Escargon in Kirby of the Stars, Ashibe's Father in Shōnen Ashibe, Capone "Gang" Bege in One Piece, and Scoop-kun in Shūkan Kodomo News. His former stage name was Naoki Tatsuta (竜田 直樹, Tatsuta Naoki) and he is married to Japanese actress Sanae Takagi.
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Osamu Higashio (東尾 修, Higashio Osamu; born May 18, 1950) is a Japanese former baseball player who played in the…
Osamu Higashio (東尾 修, Higashio Osamu; born May 18, 1950) is a Japanese former baseball player who played in the Japanese professional leagues from 1969–1988, being remembered as one of the leading Japanese pitchers in the 1980s. He also was manager of the Seibu Lions from 1995 to 2001.
Hirofumi Hirano (平野 博文, Hirano Hirofumi; born 19 March 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic…
Hirofumi Hirano (平野 博文, Hirano Hirofumi; born 19 March 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and a former member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He is a native of Katsuragi, Wakayama and he started working for Panasonic Corporation in 1971 after graduating from Chuo University. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1996 as an independent. He was the Chief Cabinet Secretary in the Yukio Hatoyama administration. He represented the 11th District of Osaka Prefecture from 1996 until 2012, and again from 2014 to 2021.
Hiroyoshi Nishi (西 博義, Nishi Hiroyoshi; born 3 October 1948) is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a…
Hiroyoshi Nishi (西 博義, Nishi Hiroyoshi; born 3 October 1948) is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Arida District, Wakayama he attended University of Tokushima as both an undergraduate and graduate student and taught at a school in Wakayama from 1973 to 1992. In 1993, he was elected for the first time.
🎓 University of Tokushima🏫 Taikyu High School📅 Born October 3🎂 Born 1948📍 From Hirogawa, Wakayama💼 Politician・Legislator
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Tadatsugu Taniguchi (谷口 維紹, Taniguchi Tadatsugu; born January 1, 1948 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a Japanese…
Tadatsugu Taniguchi (谷口 維紹, Taniguchi Tadatsugu; born January 1, 1948 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a Japanese immunologist known for his pioneer research on Interferons and Interferon regulatory factors.
Taira Fujita (藤田 平, Fujita Taira; born October 19, 1947 in Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon…
Taira Fujita (藤田 平, Fujita Taira; born October 19, 1947 in Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder.
Tomoka Nakagawa (中川 智子, Nakagawa Tomoko) (born 28 September 1947 in Nachikatsuura) is a Japanese politician…
Tomoka Nakagawa (中川 智子, Nakagawa Tomoko) (born 28 September 1947 in Nachikatsuura) is a Japanese politician, representing the Japanese Social Democratic Party, in the House of Representatives of Japan, before becoming mayor of Takarazuka, the first woman to hold this position and the third woman to become mayor of Takarazuka.Hyōgo Prefecture.
Kenji Nakagami (Japanese: 中上 健次, Nakagami Kenji; 2 August 1946 – 12 August 1992) was a Japanese writer, critic, and…
Kenji Nakagami (Japanese: 中上 健次, Nakagami Kenji; 2 August 1946 – 12 August 1992) was a Japanese writer, critic, and poet. He was one of the most prominent and influential Japanese writers of the post-war era, known for his novels, short stories, and essays that powerfully depicted the lives of Japan's burakumin outcaste community. Born into a buraku in Shingū, Wakayama, Nakagami was the first writer from this background to win the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, which he received in 1976 for his novella The Cape (岬, Misaki). His writing is characterized by a rhythmic, visceral prose style that drew heavily on oral storytelling traditions, folklore, and the dialect of his native Kumano region. Nakagami's major works, including the "Akiyuki trilogy"—The Cape, Withered Tree Straits (枯木灘, Karekinada), and The Ends of the Earth, the Supreme Time (地の果て至上の時, Chi no hate, shijō no toki)—form a complex family saga set in the roji (路地, alleyways), a fictionalized version of his hometown's buraku. These narratives explore themes of bloodlines, incest, violence, sexuality, and the interplay between myth and history. After publicly revealing his burakumin origins in 1977, Nakagami became a vocal public intellectual, engaging in critical dialogues about discrimination, Japanese literature, and national identity. He sought to represent the voices of the mukoku (voiceless), the socially silenced people of Japan. He consciously positioned his work against the mainstream of modern Japanese literature, which he critiqued for its exclusion of marginalized voices and its adherence to what he called the "emperor's syntax". Adopting the concept of "parallax" to describe his dual perspective as both an insider to the buraku and an outsider to mainstream society, he sought to create a "strange new tongue" rooted in the peripheral experiences of his community. He died from kidney cancer at the age of 46.
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Noboru Tsujihara (辻原 登, Tsujihara Noboru; born 1945) is a prize-winning Japanese novelist.
Junko Terashima (Japanese: 寺島 純子, Hepburn: Terashima Junko; born 1 December 1945), known professionally as Sumiko Fuji…
Junko Terashima (Japanese: 寺島 純子, Hepburn: Terashima Junko; born 1 December 1945), known professionally as Sumiko Fuji (富司 純子, Fuji Sumiko), is a Japanese actress. She began acting in the 1960s under the name Junko Fuji (藤 純子, Fuji Junko), becoming famous as the female lead in yakuza films opposite such stars as Kōji Tsuruta and Ken Takakura. She even starred in her own series as the sword-wielding gambler Red Peony in the Hibotan Bakuto series. Initially retiring in 1972 after getting married, she began appearing on TV in 1974 under her real name. She later returned to films in 1989 using the name Sumiko Fuji, and expanded her acting repertoire. She won the Blue Ribbon Award for best supporting actress in 1999 and 2006. She is married to the kabuki actor Onoe Kikugorō VII and is the mother of the actress Shinobu Terajima and the kabuki actor Onoe Kikugorō VIII.
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Nenji Kobayashi (小林 稔侍, Kobayashi Nenji; born February 7, 1941) is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best…
Nenji Kobayashi (小林 稔侍, Kobayashi Nenji; born February 7, 1941) is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 23rd Japan Academy Prize for Poppoya. Kobayashi signed with Toei in 1961 and started his acting career with small roles.
Takuji Hayata (早田 卓次, Hayata Takuji; born October 10, 1940) is a retired Japanese gymnast. At the 1964 Summer Olympics…
Takuji Hayata (早田 卓次, Hayata Takuji; born October 10, 1940) is a retired Japanese gymnast. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, he won gold medals in the rings and team all-around events. Individually he finished eighth all around. At the 1970 World Championship he won a bronze medal at the horizontal bar, as well as a team gold. Later he became a coach and lead the Japanese team at the 1976 Summer Olympics and the 1978 World Championships. He also became a physical education professor at Nippon University, and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2004.
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Masahiro Tabata (田端 正広, Tabata Masahiro; 4 January 1940 – 5 January 2025) was a Japanese politician who served in the…
Masahiro Tabata (田端 正広, Tabata Masahiro; 4 January 1940 – 5 January 2025) was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the New Komeito Party. A native of Wakayama, Wakayama and graduate of Doshisha University, he was elected for the first time in 1993 after working as a journalist. Tabata died from pneumonia on 5 January 2025, at the age of 85.
Yukiko Otaka (大高 幸子, Ōtaka Yukiko; born 2 January 1940) is a Japanese former swimmer. She competed in two events at the…
Yukiko Otaka (大高 幸子, Ōtaka Yukiko; born 2 January 1940) is a Japanese former swimmer. She competed in two events at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Takashi Miki (born 27 April 1939) is a Japanese former javelin thrower who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Yoshiko Takamatsu (高松 好子, Takamatsu Yoshiko; born 16 April 1938) is a retired Japanese breaststroke swimmer who won the…
Yoshiko Takamatsu (高松 好子, Takamatsu Yoshiko; born 16 April 1938) is a retired Japanese breaststroke swimmer who won the 100 m and 200 m events at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo. She competed in the 200 m breaststroke at the 1960 Summer Olympics, but failed to reach the final, while her 4×100 metres medley relay team finished seventh.
Katsumi Fujimoto (藤本 勝巳, Fujimoto Katsumi; born August 8, 1937) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball first…
Katsumi Fujimoto (藤本 勝巳, Fujimoto Katsumi; born August 8, 1937) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played for the Osaka/Hanshin Tigers from 1956 to 1967.
Emiko Miyamoto (宮本 恵美子, Miyamoto Emiko; May 10, 1937 – December 7, 2023) was a Japanese volleyball player. She was a…
Emiko Miyamoto (宮本 恵美子, Miyamoto Emiko; May 10, 1937 – December 7, 2023) was a Japanese volleyball player. She was a member of the Japanese winning teams, Oriental Witches, at the 1962 World Championships and 1964 Summer Olympics. Miyamoto died from sepsis in Takahagi, on December 7, 2023, at the age of 86.
🏫 Wakayama Commercial High School📅 Born May 10🎂 Born 1937📍 From Wakayama(city), Wakayama Prefecture💼 Volleyball
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Kazuo Umezu or Kazuo Umezz (楳図 かずお, Umezu Kazuo; birth name 楳図一雄; September 3, 1936 – October 28, 2024) was a Japanese…
Kazuo Umezu or Kazuo Umezz (楳図 かずお, Umezu Kazuo; birth name 楳図一雄; September 3, 1936 – October 28, 2024) was a Japanese manga artist, musician and actor. Starting his career in the 1950s, he is among the most famous artists of horror manga and has been vital for its development, considered the "god of horror manga". In 1960s shōjo manga like Reptilia, he broke the industry's conventions by combining the aesthetics of the commercial manga industry with gruesome visual imagery inspired by Japanese folktales, which created a boom of horror manga and influenced manga artists of following generations. He created successful manga series such as The Drifting Classroom, Makoto-chan and My Name Is Shingo, until he retired from drawing manga in the mid 1990s. He was a public figure in Japan, known for wearing red-and-white-striped shirts and doing his signature "Gwash" hand gesture.
🏫 Gojo High School📅 Born September 3🎂 Born 1936📍 From Kōya, Wakayama💼 Manga Artist💼 TV Personality💼 Lyricist💼 Composer
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Masaru Furukawa (古川 勝, Furukawa Masaru; January 6, 1936 – November 21, 1993) was a Japanese swimmer and Olympic…
Masaru Furukawa (古川 勝, Furukawa Masaru; January 6, 1936 – November 21, 1993) was a Japanese swimmer and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, where he received a gold medal in the 200 m breaststroke.
🏫 Hashimoto High School📅 Born January 6🎂 Born 1936📍 From Wakayama Prefecture💼 Competitive Swimming・Swimming
Masayo Aoki (青木 政代, Aoki Masayo; born 9 December 1935) is a Japanese former swimmer. She competed in the women's 200…
Masayo Aoki (青木 政代, Aoki Masayo; born 9 December 1935) is a Japanese former swimmer. She competed in the women's 200 metre breaststroke at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Masatoshi Sakai (Japanese: 酒井政利; 1935–2021) was a Japanese record producer who produced a large number of hit songs. He…
Masatoshi Sakai (Japanese: 酒井政利; 1935–2021) was a Japanese record producer who produced a large number of hit songs. He received the Person of Cultural Merit in November 2020. He achieved sales of records to the value of more than ¥870 billion. He produced songs such as Ihojin by Saki Kubota, and Ii Hi Tabidachi and Playback Part 2 by Momoe Yamaguchi. He produced the song Ai to Shi o Mitsumete (Japanese: 愛と死をみつめて) by Kazuko Aoyama, which won the Japan Record Award at the 6th Japan Record Awards in 1964. He produced the song Miserarete by Judy Ongg, which won the Japan Record Award at the 21st Japan Record Awards in 1979. He won a special achievement award at the 63rd Japan Record Awards in 2021. Sakai received the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award from the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2005. He worked for Nippon Columbia from 1961, and for CBS/Sony from 1968. Sakai produced songs for the Candies, including Hohoemi Gaeshi. The Candies' Toshishita no Otokonoko was another one of Sakai's hits. He produced the song 17-sai by Saori Minami, and the album Pacific (1978). He produced songs for Hiromi Go, including Otokonoko Onnanoko (English title: "Hey Go, Go"). and Yoroshiku Aishuu. He was involved, with Shūji Terayama, in the creation of the song Toki ni wa Haha no Nai Ko no Yō ni by Carmen Maki. He produced the song Yo Ga Akete by Sumiko Sakamoto. He also worked with Mari Amachi, Yukiji Asaoka, Eikichi Yazawa, Four Leaves, Seiko Matsuda and Rie Miyazawa. He produced songs for more than 350 artists. In 2019, it was announced that there would be a film about Masatoshi Sakai and Yū Aku. Masatoshi Sakai is a character in the NHK television drama Aidoru tanjō kagayake Shōwa kayō (Japanese: アイドル誕生 輝け昭和歌謡) (2023), played by the actor Masaki Miura.
🎓 Rikkyo University🏫 Minoshima High School📅 Born November 17🎂 Born 1935📍 From Arida, Wakayama💼 Producer
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Yōichi Higashi (東陽一, Higashi Yōichi; 14 November 1934 – 21 January 2026) was a Japanese film director. He began his…
Yōichi Higashi (東陽一, Higashi Yōichi; 14 November 1934 – 21 January 2026) was a Japanese film director. He began his career working on documentaries at Iwanami Productions but, after going independent, turned to fiction film. He won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for Yasashii Nipponjin in 1971, and then the award for Best Director at the 17th Hochi Film Awards for The River with No Bridge. In 1996, he won the Silver Bear for an outstanding single achievement at the 46th Berlin International Film Festival for the film Village of Dreams. Higashi died on 21 January 2026, at the age of 91.
Misako Tamura (田村 美佐子, Tamura Misako; born 8 April 1934) is a Japanese former freestyle swimmer. She competed in two…
Misako Tamura (田村 美佐子, Tamura Misako; born 8 April 1934) is a Japanese former freestyle swimmer. She competed in two events at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Sawako Ariyoshi (有吉 佐和子 Ariyoshi Sawako, 20 January 1931 – 30 August 1984) was a Japanese writer, known for such works…
Sawako Ariyoshi (有吉 佐和子 Ariyoshi Sawako, 20 January 1931 – 30 August 1984) was a Japanese writer, known for such works as The Doctor's Wife and The River Ki. She was known for her advocacy of social issues, such as the elderly in Japanese society, and environmental issues. Several of her novels describe the relationships between mothers and their daughters. She also had a fascination with traditional Japanese arts, such as kabuki and bunraku. She also described racial discrimination in the United States, something she experienced firsthand during her time at Sarah Lawrence, and the depopulation of remote Japanese islands during the 1970s economic boom.
🎓 Tokyo Woman's Christian University🏫 Takenodai High School📅 Born January 20🎂 Born 1931📍 From Wakayama(city), Wakayama Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Playwright💼 Stage Director
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Shosaku Numa, ForMemRS (沼 正作, Numa Shousaku; February 7, 1929 – February 15, 1992) was a Japanese neuroscientist known…
Shosaku Numa, ForMemRS (沼 正作, Numa Shousaku; February 7, 1929 – February 15, 1992) was a Japanese neuroscientist known for his pioneering research on neurotransmitters and ion channels, and for his contributions to the understanding of molecular mechanisms of neural signalling.
Shiro Hashizume (橋爪四郎, Hashizume Shirō; September 20, 1928 – March 9, 2023) was a Japanese Olympic freestyle swimmer.…
Shiro Hashizume (橋爪四郎, Hashizume Shirō; September 20, 1928 – March 9, 2023) was a Japanese Olympic freestyle swimmer. He won the silver medal in the men's 1500m freestyle at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He broke the world record in the same event on August 16, 1949, clocking 18:35.7. That time was bettered the same day, however, by compatriot Hironoshin Furuhashi at the American Swimming Championships in Los Angeles, California.
🎓 Nihon University📅 Born September 20🎂 Born 1928📍 From Wakayama(city), Wakayama Prefecture💼 Competitive Swimming・Swimming💼 Horse Racing
Juzo Sanada (真田 重蔵, Sanada Jūzō; May 27, 1923 – May 30, 1994) was a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. From 1948 to…
Juzo Sanada (真田 重蔵, Sanada Jūzō; May 27, 1923 – May 30, 1994) was a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. From 1948 to 1954 he went by the name of Shigeo Sanada.
Hiroo Onoda (Japanese: 小野田 寛郎, Hepburn: Onoda Hiroo; IPA: [o̞no̞da̠ çiɾo̞ː]) (19 March 1922 – 16 January 2014) was a…
Hiroo Onoda (Japanese: 小野田 寛郎, Hepburn: Onoda Hiroo; IPA: [o̞no̞da̠ çiɾo̞ː]) (19 March 1922 – 16 January 2014) was a Japanese soldier who served as a second lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. One of the last Japanese holdouts, Onoda continued fighting for nearly 29 years after the war's end in 1945, carrying out guerrilla warfare on Lubang Island in the Philippines until 1974. Onoda initially held out with three other soldiers. One surrendered in 1950, and two were killed, one in 1954 and one in 1972. The men did not believe flyers and letters from their families stating that the war was over. They survived on wild fruits, game, and stolen rice, and occasionally engaged in shootouts (using their service rifles) with locals and police. Onoda was contacted in the jungles of Lubang by Japanese adventurer Norio Suzuki in 1974 but still refused to surrender until he was formally relieved of duty by his former commanding officer, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, who flew from Japan to the island to issue the order. Onoda surrendered on 10 March 1974 and received a hero's welcome when he returned to Japan. That year, he wrote and published an autobiography and later moved to Brazil, where he became a cattle rancher. In 1984, Onoda returned to Japan, where he died in 2014 at the age of 91.
🏫 Kainan High School📅 Born March 19🎂 Born 1922📍 From Kainan, Wakayama💼 Military Officer💼 Company President・Entrepreneur
Yukio Nishimoto (西本 幸雄, Nishimoto Yukio; 25 April 1920 – 25 November 2011) was a Japanese baseball player and manager.…
Yukio Nishimoto (西本 幸雄, Nishimoto Yukio; 25 April 1920 – 25 November 2011) was a Japanese baseball player and manager. He played for the Mainichi Orions from 1950 to 1955. In nearly 500 games for the Orions, he batted .244 and was on the field for the Orions winning the 1950 Japan Series. As a manager he won eight Pacific League pennants for three different teams: Daimai Orions, Hankyu Braves, and the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Only one other person has won pennants for three different teams since Nishimoto. However, his clubs lost in the Japan Series each time, earning him the nickname "Great Tragic Leader". Nishimoto was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. He died of heart failure on 25 November 2011 at the age of 91.
Kazue Kojima (小島 一枝, Kojima Kazue; October 30, 1916 – 1992) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1932…
Kazue Kojima (小島 一枝, Kojima Kazue; October 30, 1916 – 1992) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics. In 1932 she was a member of the Japanese relay team that finished fifth in the 4×100 mm freestyle relay. In the 100 m freestyle competition she was eliminated in the first round. Four years later she finished sixth in the 400 m freestyle. In the 100 m freestyle competition she was eliminated in the semi-finals, and as part of the Japanese 4 × 100 m relay team she was eliminated in the first round.
🎓 Sugiyama Jogakuen University🏫 Sugiyama Jogakuen High School📅 Born October 30🎂 Born 1916📍 From Wakayama Prefecture💼 Competitive Swimming・Swimming
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Kaku Takagawa (高川 格, Takagawa Kaku; September 21, 1915—November 26, 1986), also known as Shūkaku Takagawa (高川 秀格…
Kaku Takagawa (高川 格, Takagawa Kaku; September 21, 1915—November 26, 1986), also known as Shūkaku Takagawa (高川 秀格, Takagawa Shūkaku), was one of the most successful professional Go players of the twentieth century.
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Hideko Maehata (前畑 秀子, Maehata Hideko; May 20, 1914 – February 24, 1995) was a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. She was…
Hideko Maehata (前畑 秀子, Maehata Hideko; May 20, 1914 – February 24, 1995) was a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. She was the first Japanese and Asian woman to win a gold medal in the Olympics. Maehata was born in Hashimoto, Wakayama, as the daughter of a tofu producer and as a child learned to swim in the Kinokawa River. In the fifth grade of elementary school, she set an unofficial youth record for the 50-meter breaststroke. She went on to win numerous competitions, and was sponsored to attend a women’s boarding school in Nagoya which specialized in swimming, but the sudden death of her parents in 1931 forced her to return home. Yet she was selected for the Japanese Olympic swimming team for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and won the silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke event. She lost to Clare Dennis a mere 0.1 of a second. During the post-Olympic celebration after her return to Japan, she stated that she was considering to retire from competitive swimming due to family issues, but then Tokyo mayor Hidejirō Nagata reportedly asked her why she did not bring back a gold medal. Over the next four years, Maehata trained very hard, and set a new world record for the 200-meter breaststroke on September 30, 1933. During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Maehata competed in a dead heat against the reigning German national champion, Martha Genenger, winning the gold medal for the Women's 200 m breaststroke by over one second. Despite the time difference, the race was broadcast live in Japan by NHK Radio. In 1937, Maehata married Masahiko Hyodo, a professor of the medical school of Nagoya University, and retired from competition. She was awarded the Purple Ribbon of Merit by the Japanese government in 1964 and inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979. She had a cerebral hemorrhage in 1983, which killed both her parents, but recovered. In 1990 she was designated a Person of Cultural Merit, the first sportswoman in Japan to receive such an honor. She died of acute renal failure in 1995.
🎓 Sugiyama Jogakuen University🏫 Sugiyama Jogakuen High School📅 Born May 20🎂 Born 1914📍 From Hashimoto, Wakayama💼 Competitive Swimming・Swimming
Takeo Hatanaka (畑中 武夫, Hatanaka Takeo; 1 January 1914 – 10 November 1963) was a Japanese radio astronomer. He founded…
Takeo Hatanaka (畑中 武夫, Hatanaka Takeo; 1 January 1914 – 10 November 1963) was a Japanese radio astronomer. He founded the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. The crater Hatanaka on the Moon is named after him.
🎓 University of Tokyo🏫 Shingu High School📅 Born January 1🎂 Born 1914📍 From Tanabe, Wakayama💼 Literary Scholar
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Shoichiro Takenaka (竹中 正一郎, Takenaka Shōichirō; 30 September 1912 – 4 April 1997) was a Japanese long-distance runner.…
Shoichiro Takenaka (竹中 正一郎, Takenaka Shōichirō; 30 September 1912 – 4 April 1997) was a Japanese long-distance runner. He competed in the men's 5000 metres at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
🎓 Tokyo Dental College🏫 Toin High School📅 Born September 30🎂 Born 1912📍 From Wakayama Prefecture💼 Long-Distance Running・Marathon💼 Scholar・Professor・Associate Professor
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Yozo Hamaguchi (April 5, 1909 - December 25, 2000) was a Japanese copper printmaker who specialized in mezzotint and…
Yozo Hamaguchi (April 5, 1909 - December 25, 2000) was a Japanese copper printmaker who specialized in mezzotint and was responsible for its resurgence as a printmaking medium in the mid-20th century. Hamaguchi's prints are distinguished for their careful attention to detail of boldly hued animals and objects contrasted against a velvety black background. The corpus of Hamaguchi's prints are focused on the still life genre. Once considered a major printmaking medium in Europe throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries, the influence and technological ingenuity of photography signaled the end of mezzotint printmaking as a modern reproducible form. However, Hamaguchi valued its emphasis on tonality and texture as expressed in a work's lighting and tactile qualities. By working in a European-born printing technique, Hamaguchi received praise from the European, American, and Japanese art centers for his distinct mezzotint printing methods and re-popularization of the long-ignored medium. His works attained global exposure after Hamaguchi participated in the prestigious São Paulo Biennale in Brazil (1957) and was included in the Japanese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in Italy (1960). Hamaguchi's legacy is preserved in the Musee Hamaguchi Yozo that possesses much of his prints and it frequently organizes exhibitions centered on his printmaking, alongside works by his wife Keiko Minami and contemporary practitioners of mezzotint printmaking.