Hiroki Sasahara (笹原 廣喜, Sasahara Hiroki) is a Paralympian athlete from Japan competing mainly in category T54…
Hiroki Sasahara (笹原 廣喜, Sasahara Hiroki) is a Paralympian athlete from Japan competing mainly in category T54 long-distance events. Sasahara was born on April 20, 1974, in Bungotakada City, Oita Prefecture. He competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. There he finished tenth in the men's 10000 metres - T54 event and finished ninth in the men's Marathon - T54 event. He also competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. There he won a silver medal in the men's Marathon - T54 event and went out in the semi-finals of the men's 800 metres - T54 event
Famous People from Oita Prefecture
Oita Prefecture: 239 people
Eri Fukatsu (深津 絵里, Fukatsu Eri; born January 11, 1973) is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at…
Eri Fukatsu (深津 絵里, Fukatsu Eri; born January 11, 1973) is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 18th Yokohama Film Festival for Haru and the best actress award at the 2010 Montreal World Film Festival for her performance in Villain. She also received acclaim for her role in the Japanese TV series Bayside Shakedown and the subsequent spin-off films of the series. In 1988, she starred in "Christmas Express" commercials for the Central Japan Railway Company.
Keiko Yamada (山田 桂子, Yamada Keiko; born August 18, 1972) is the lead vocalist of the pop group Globe. Since 2001, she…
Keiko Yamada (山田 桂子, Yamada Keiko; born August 18, 1972) is the lead vocalist of the pop group Globe. Since 2001, she has had a solo career, starting with the single "A Song Is Born" in collaboration with Ayumi Hamasaki. In late 2003, she released her first solo EP called KCO. Keiko, under the name KCO, released her first solo album O-Crazy Luv on Universal in 2008. The album contains a total of 11 tracks, including her first single under the new name, "Haru no Yuki" (Spring Snow).
Tomoe Abe (安部 友恵, Abe Tomoe; born 13 August 1971 in Kitsuki, Ōita) is a retired Japanese ultramarathon and marathon…
Tomoe Abe (安部 友恵, Abe Tomoe; born 13 August 1971 in Kitsuki, Ōita) is a retired Japanese ultramarathon and marathon runner who won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 1993 World Championships with a time of 2:31:01. Her personal best time is 2:26:09, achieved when she won the 1994 Osaka Ladies' Marathon. She is the female world record holder in the ultramarathon of 100 kilometres with a time of 6:33:11, which was set on June 25, 2000, at the Lake Saroma Ultramarathon, an official IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) race held annually in Hokkaido, Japan.
Yusuke Torigoe (鳥越 裕介, Torigoe Yusuke; born July 1, 1971 in Usuki, Ōita, Japan), nicknamed "Usuki", is a former Nippon…
Yusuke Torigoe (鳥越 裕介, Torigoe Yusuke; born July 1, 1971 in Usuki, Ōita, Japan), nicknamed "Usuki", is a former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder.
Risa Honda (本田 理沙, Honda Risa; born 27 May 1971) is a Japanese idol singer, actress and tarento who has appeared in a…
Risa Honda (本田 理沙, Honda Risa; born 27 May 1971) is a Japanese idol singer, actress and tarento who has appeared in a number of television series, variety shows, videos, and magazines. Her real name is Kozue Honda (本田 こずえ, Honda Kozue). She was born in Nakatsu, Ōita. She is represented with the agency Prism.
Kenjiro Kawasaki (川崎 憲次郎, born January 8, 1971) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Masatsugu Ono (小野 正嗣, Ono Masatsugu; born 1970) is a Japanese writer. He resides in Ōita Prefecture and is associate…
Masatsugu Ono (小野 正嗣, Ono Masatsugu; born 1970) is a Japanese writer. He resides in Ōita Prefecture and is associate professor at the Rikkyo University. He was awarded the 152nd Akutagawa Prize (for 2014, presented in 2015), for the novel Kyūnen-mae no inori ("A Prayer Nine Years Ago").
Shinji Ando (安藤 真児, Andō Shinji) (born September 2, 1970) is a former professional baseball player based in Japan. He…
Shinji Ando (安藤 真児, Andō Shinji) (born September 2, 1970) is a former professional baseball player based in Japan. He played second and first base for the Seibu Lions of the Japan Pacific League.
Junko Iwao (岩男 潤子, Iwao Junko; born February 18, 1970 in Beppu, Ōita) is a Japanese voice actress and singer. Her most…
Junko Iwao (岩男 潤子, Iwao Junko; born February 18, 1970 in Beppu, Ōita) is a Japanese voice actress and singer. Her most notable role is in Cardcaptor Sakura, providing the voice to Sakura's best friend and cousin, Tomoyo Daidōji. She also voiced lead character Mima Kirigoe in Perfect Blue, Ceres in Ceres, Celestial Legend, and Kikyo in Hunter x Hunter. In video games, she voiced Pai Chan in Virtua Fighter, Carole Pepper in Honkai Impact 3rd, Mint in Tales of Phantasia and Serika in To Heart.
Kiyoshi Adachi (born December 14, 1969, in Ōita Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of…
Kiyoshi Adachi (born December 14, 1969, in Ōita Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2019 until his resignation in 2023 to run for Governor of Ōita Prefecture. He represented the Ōita at-large district as an independent. He was a member of the Committee on Financial Affairs.
Masahiko Kaneda (金田 政彦, Kaneda Masahiko; born April 30, 1969) is a former professional baseball player from…
Masahiko Kaneda (金田 政彦, Kaneda Masahiko; born April 30, 1969) is a former professional baseball player from Bungotakada, Ōita, Japan.
Skull Reaper A-ji (スカルリーパーA-ji, Sukaru Rīpā Eiji; born November 13, 1968) is a Japanese masked wrestler, politician and…
Skull Reaper A-ji (スカルリーパーA-ji, Sukaru Rīpā Eiji; born November 13, 1968) is a Japanese masked wrestler, politician and professional mahjong player. He is a member of the Ōita City Council, representing the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Skull Reaper A-ji's real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in lucha libre (the style of pro-wrestling that influenced him) where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans.
Kiyoshi Imazumi (今泉清, Imazumi Kiyoshi) (born 13 September 1967) is a Japanese former rugby union player. He played as…
Kiyoshi Imazumi (今泉清, Imazumi Kiyoshi) (born 13 September 1967) is a Japanese former rugby union player. He played as fullback.
Kenjiro Nomura (野村 謙二郎, Nomura Kenjirō; born September 19, 1966) is a retired Japanese baseball player. He was with the…
Kenjiro Nomura (野村 謙二郎, Nomura Kenjirō; born September 19, 1966) is a retired Japanese baseball player. He was with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League. He was born in Saiki, Ōita. He led his team into League Champion (1991). His number #7, one of the Honored Numbers of Hiroshima Carp.
Toyohiko Yoshida (吉田 豊彦, Yoshida Toyohiko; born September 4, 1966 in Kunisaki, Ōita, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon…
Toyohiko Yoshida (吉田 豊彦, Yoshida Toyohiko; born September 4, 1966 in Kunisaki, Ōita, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Naomi Zaizen (財前 直見, Zaizen Naomi; born 10 January 1966 in Ōita, Ōita) is a Japanese actress.
Kotobeppu Yōhei (born 17 October 1965 as Yōhei Miura) is a former sumo wrestler from Beppu, Ōita, Japan. In March 1981…
Kotobeppu Yōhei (born 17 October 1965 as Yōhei Miura) is a former sumo wrestler from Beppu, Ōita, Japan. In March 1981, he made his professional debut and he reached the jūryō division in July 1989, but had to withdraw in his jūryō debut because of nephritis and a long absence from competition due to uremia saw him fall greatly in rank. During this time he was close to requiring dialysis but eventually made a full recovery. He reached the top division in November 1992, becoming the first former sekitori to fall to the lowest jonokuchi division and subsequently manage to reach the top division. The only other wrestler to achieve this feat as of January 2018 is Ryūden. A previous member of Sadogatake stable, former ōzeki Kotokaze, had fallen from sekiwake to makushita and had been referred to as "the man who saw hell" and after Kotobeppu's even bigger fall he was called, "the man who saw the new hell." Kotobeppu received the Fighting Spirit Prize for winning ten bouts in his top division debut. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in November 1997. He trained as a ramen maker and opened a ramen restaurant in Chiba Prefecture and later in his hometown of Beppu, Ōita where he also served chankonabe.
Noriko Watanabe (渡辺 典子, Watanabe Noriko; born 22 July 1965 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese actress and…
Noriko Watanabe (渡辺 典子, Watanabe Noriko; born 22 July 1965 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese actress and singer. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for His Motorbike, Her Island.
Riki Takeuchi (Japanese: 竹内 力, Hepburn: Takeuchi Riki; born January 4, 1964) is a Japanese actor best known for his…
Riki Takeuchi (Japanese: 竹内 力, Hepburn: Takeuchi Riki; born January 4, 1964) is a Japanese actor best known for his roles in v-cinema yakuza movies. Takeuchi has starred in many yakuza films and action films, such as Dead or Alive by Takashi Miike. Takeuchi also starred in Battle Royale II: Requiem, in which he played a fictionalized version of himself. Takeuchi had also a short stint at the end of the professional wrestling promotion Hustle in 2009, posing as a villainous character based on himself called "King RIKI". The same year, Takeuchi recorded with Avex Group a version of Morning Musume's "Love Machine" for the song's tenth anniversary, appearing under his RIKI persona along with wrestlers Riki Choshu and Yoshihiro Takayama.
Mutsumi Hatano (波多野 睦美, Hatano Mutsumi) is a Japanese mezzo-soprano who has appeared mostly in concert. She is a member…
Mutsumi Hatano (波多野 睦美, Hatano Mutsumi) is a Japanese mezzo-soprano who has appeared mostly in concert. She is a member of the Bach Collegium Japan, and has appeared internationally.
Kenji Anan (阿南 健治, Anan Kenji; born on February 24, 1962, in Taketa, Ōita, Japan) is a Japanese stage and film actor.…
Kenji Anan (阿南 健治, Anan Kenji; born on February 24, 1962, in Taketa, Ōita, Japan) is a Japanese stage and film actor. He began work with the Tokyo Sunshine Boys in 1983, and since then has performed in a variety of roles mostly in television dramas.
Kaoru Okazaki (岡崎 郁, Okazaki Kaoru; born June 7, 1961) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder.
Fuyumi Ono (小野 不由美, Ono Fuyumi; born December 24, 1960) is a Japanese novelist best known for writing The Twelve…
Fuyumi Ono (小野 不由美, Ono Fuyumi; born December 24, 1960) is a Japanese novelist best known for writing The Twelve Kingdoms (十二国記, Jūni Kokuki), which was adapted into a popular anime series. She is married to Yukito Ayatsuji, the author of the horror novel Another.
Takahisa Zeze (瀬々敬久, Zeze Takahisa; born 24 May 1960) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter first known for his…
Takahisa Zeze (瀬々敬久, Zeze Takahisa; born 24 May 1960) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter first known for his soft-core pornographic pink films of the 1990s. Along with fellow directors, Kazuhiro Sano, Toshiki Satō, and Hisayasu Sato, he is known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Pink" (ピンク四天王, pinku shitennō). In recent years, he has directed such major commercial hits as 64: Part I, 64: Part II, and The 8-Year Engagement, while continuing to make independent art films like Heaven's Story and The Chrysanthemum and the Guillotine.
Masako Tamura (田村 雅子, Tamura Masako; born November 29, 1959 in Ōita Prefecture, Japan), known professionally as Masako…
Masako Tamura (田村 雅子, Tamura Masako; born November 29, 1959 in Ōita Prefecture, Japan), known professionally as Masako Miura (三浦 雅子, Miura Masako), is a Japanese voice actress employed by the talent management firm Arts Vision.
Satoshi Yamaguchi (山口 悟, Yamaguchi Satoshi; born August 1, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…
Satoshi Yamaguchi (山口 悟, Yamaguchi Satoshi; born August 1, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Yūko Kotegawa (古手川祐子, Kotegawa Yūko; born July 16, 1959) is a Japanese actress from the city of Ōita.
Fuyumi Soryo (惣領 冬実, Sōryō Fuyumi; born January 6, 1959) is a Japanese manga artist.
Jun Suemi (末弥純 Suemi Jun, born 1959) is a Japanese illustrator, born in Ōita, Ōita, Japan.
Shuji Kira (吉良 州司, Kira Shūji; born 16 March 1958) is a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives…
Shuji Kira (吉良 州司, Kira Shūji; born 16 March 1958) is a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (the national legislature of Japan), representing Ōita 1st district. He was a member of the Democratic Party of Japan until its dissolution and later Yūshi no Kai. A native of Ōita and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he ran unsuccessfully for the governorship of Ōita Prefecture in 2003. In the same year, he ran for the House of Representatives as an independent and was elected for the first time. After failing to get reelected in 2026, he announced his retirement from politics.
Kiichiro Satō (佐藤 樹一郎, Satō Kiichirō; born 28 November 1957) is a Japanese politician. He currently serves as governor…
Kiichiro Satō (佐藤 樹一郎, Satō Kiichirō; born 28 November 1957) is a Japanese politician. He currently serves as governor of Ōita Prefecture since 2023.
Yōsuke Isozaki (礒崎 陽輔, Isozaki Yōsuke; born 9 October 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…
Yōsuke Isozaki (礒崎 陽輔, Isozaki Yōsuke; born 9 October 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet. A native of Ōita, Ōita, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs after graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1982. After leaving the ministry in 2006, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007. He is affiliated with the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
Kyoji Yamawaki (山脇 恭二, Yamawaki Kyōji; born September 17, 1957) is a former Japanese gymnast. He invented and named the…
Kyoji Yamawaki (山脇 恭二, Yamawaki Kyōji; born September 17, 1957) is a former Japanese gymnast. He invented and named the skill on Horizontal bar known as the Yamawaki. Yamawaki competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics and won the bronze medal in the team final. He also won a bronze medal in the still rings event at the 1985 world championships
Tatsuharu Mawatari (馬渡 龍治, Mawatari Tatsuharu; born July 26, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…
Tatsuharu Mawatari (馬渡 龍治, Mawatari Tatsuharu; born July 26, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Tokyo and graduate of Sophia University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005. He is an assenter of "The Truth about Nanjing(movie)."
Shinya Adachi (足立 信也, Adachi Shin'ya; born June 5, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party for the…
Shinya Adachi (足立 信也, Adachi Shin'ya; born June 5, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party for the People, and a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Hatsuko Yamasaki (山崎 初子; born May 18, 1957), known professionally as Hako Yamasaki (山崎ハコ, Yamasaki Hako), is a Japanese…
Hatsuko Yamasaki (山崎 初子; born May 18, 1957), known professionally as Hako Yamasaki (山崎ハコ, Yamasaki Hako), is a Japanese folk singer-songwriter, actress, and writer. She recorded her first album Tobimasu in 1975. In 1991, she made her acting debut.
Akie Sato (佐藤 秋恵, Satō Akie; née Shuto (首藤, Shutō), born October 23, 1956, in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan), better…
Akie Sato (佐藤 秋恵, Satō Akie; née Shuto (首藤, Shutō), born October 23, 1956, in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan), better known as Akie Asaka (浅香 あき恵, Asaka Akie), is a Japanese comedian who is represented by the talent agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo. Asaka was a resident in Kita-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. She is also an actress for Yoshimoto Shinkigeki.
Takuzo Aida (相田 卓三, Aida Takuzō, born 3 May 1956) is a Japanese polymer chemist specializing in supramolecular…
Takuzo Aida (相田 卓三, Aida Takuzō, born 3 May 1956) is a Japanese polymer chemist specializing in supramolecular chemistry and materials science. He is deputy director of the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and a distinguished professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology at the University of Tokyo.
Itai Keisuke (板井圭介, Itai Keisuke; 21 March 1956 – 14 August 2018) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Usuki, Oita, Japan.…
Itai Keisuke (板井圭介, Itai Keisuke; 21 March 1956 – 14 August 2018) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Usuki, Oita, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He held the record for most consecutive victories from entry into sumo for several years before it was broken by Jōkōryū in 2012. After his retirement, Itai caused controversy by claiming that the outcomes of many of his matches were set by match-fixing.
Tadatomo Yoshida (吉田 忠智, Yoshida Tadatomo; born 7 March 1956 in Usuki, Ōita Prefecture) is a Japanese politician…
Tadatomo Yoshida (吉田 忠智, Yoshida Tadatomo; born 7 March 1956 in Usuki, Ōita Prefecture) is a Japanese politician currently serving as a member of the House of Councillors for Ōita at-large district; he previously represented the National PR block, having been elected on two separate occasions in 2010 and in 2019. He previously served as a member of the Ōita Prefectural Assembly from 2000 to 2010.
Masashi Yamamoto (山本政志, Yamamoto Masashi) (born 24 January 1956) is a Japanese film director.
Megumi Asaoka (麻丘めぐみ, Asaoka Megumi) (born October 11, 1955) is a Japanese pop singer, and actress. Her real name is…
Megumi Asaoka (麻丘めぐみ, Asaoka Megumi) (born October 11, 1955) is a Japanese pop singer, and actress. Her real name is Kayoko Fujii.
Junko Mabuki (麻吹 淳子, Mabuki Junko) is a retired pink film actress who became famous in Nikkatsu Roman Porno films…
Junko Mabuki (麻吹 淳子, Mabuki Junko) is a retired pink film actress who became famous in Nikkatsu Roman Porno films, particularly in 1981.
Shoko Takayanagi (高柳 昌子, Takayanagi Shōko) (born 13 September 1954) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic…
Shoko Takayanagi (高柳 昌子, Takayanagi Shōko) (born 13 September 1954) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. Takayanagi was a member of the Japanese winning team at the 1976 Olympic games.
Tatsumi Fujinami (藤波 辰巳, Fujinami Tatsumi; ring name: 藤波 辰爾) (born December 28, 1953) is a Japanese professional…
Tatsumi Fujinami (藤波 辰巳, Fujinami Tatsumi; ring name: 藤波 辰爾) (born December 28, 1953) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is best known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and four-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also the owner and founder of the Dradition wrestling promotion. Known for his fluid catch wrestling submission style, Fujinami is nicknamed "The Dragon"; he is credited with inventing moves such as the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex. Other championships held by Fujinami include the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion and World Wrestling Federation (WWF) International Heavyweight Champion. He is an inductee of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and WWE Hall of Fame. Bret Hart said of Fujinami: "I always wanted to be the great wrestler that Tatsumi Fujinami was."
Kenjirō Ishimaru (石丸 謙二郎, Ishimaru Kenjirō; born 1 November 1953) is a Japanese actor and TV narrator. He is best known…
Kenjirō Ishimaru (石丸 謙二郎, Ishimaru Kenjirō; born 1 November 1953) is a Japanese actor and TV narrator. He is best known for his role in Kamen Rider series Kamen Rider Den-O as the owner of the DenLiner. He has also appeared in multiple competitions of Sasuke as a competitor and during that time has become one of only two people to fall off the Rolling Log obstacle in the First Stage and take the log with them. Ishimaru is the narrator in the anime series Toriko. He also narrates TV Asahi's series See the World by Train, which has run since June 1987.
Shigeru So (宗 茂, Sō Shigeru) (born 9 January 1953 in Usuki, Ōita) is a Japanese retired long-distance runner who…
Shigeru So (宗 茂, Sō Shigeru) (born 9 January 1953 in Usuki, Ōita) is a Japanese retired long-distance runner who represented his native country at two Summer Olympics: 1976 and 1984. He won the 1985 edition of the Tokyo Marathon. His twin brother Takeshi So is also a retired Olympic marathoner, and finished fourth in Los Angeles, California (1984). Both Shigeru So and his twin brother Takeshi So were known for attending training camps in New Zealand, including at Mount Taranaki. Some road racing authorities consider his winning run at the Beppu-Ōita Marathon in 1978 (2:09:05.6) to have been a marathon world best.
Takeshi So (宗猛, Sō Takeshi; born January 9, 1953 in Usuki, Ōita) is a retired long-distance runner from Japan, who…
Takeshi So (宗猛, Sō Takeshi; born January 9, 1953 in Usuki, Ōita) is a retired long-distance runner from Japan, who represented his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.
Masaya Oki (沖 雅也, Oki Masaya; 12 June 1952 – 28 June 1983) was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in many films…
Masaya Oki (沖 雅也, Oki Masaya; 12 June 1952 – 28 June 1983) was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in many films and television series.