Famous People Born in Japan

Japan has been the birthplace of many influential figures. Explore a curated list of notable individuals born in Japan - from living celebrities to historical personalities who have shaped their fields. Each profile includes birthplace details and an interactive map to help you explore their origins geographically.

Famous People Born by City

Tokyo Fukuoka Sendai Edo (Tokyo) Osaka Takaida Hachinohe Nagasaki Hadano Matsumoto Hyogo Kagoshima Kyoto Inzai Okayama Uki Higashi-Azabu Kitakyushu Kunitomi Tsu Ose

🗺️ Birthplaces in Japan

35 Famous People born in Japan

Kobo Abe, Playwright, Writer - born in Tokyo, Japan

Kobo Abe

Playwright, Writer Born on March 7th, 1924 in Tokyo, Japan
Shusaku Endo, Writer - born in Tokyo, Japan

Shusaku Endo

Writer Born on March 27th, 1923 in Tokyo, Japan
Leo Esaki, Inventor, Physicist - born in Takaida, Japan

Leo Esaki

Inventor, Physicist Born on March 12th, 1925 in Takaida, Japan
Hamasaki Ayumi, Singer - born in Fukuoka, Japan

Hamasaki Ayumi

Singer Born on October 2nd, 1978 in Fukuoka, Japan
Hanyu Yuzuru, Athlete, Figure Skating - born in Sendai, Japan

Hanyu Yuzuru

Athlete, Figure Skating Born on December 7th, 1994 in Sendai, Japan
Hiroshige Utagawa, Painter, Printmaker - born in Edo (Tokyo), Japan

Hiroshige Utagawa

Painter, Printmaker Born on January 1st, 1797 in Edo (Tokyo), Japan
Hokusai Katsushika, Painter, Printmaker - born in Edo (Tokyo), Japan

Hokusai Katsushika

Painter, Printmaker Born on October 31st, 1760 in Edo (Tokyo), Japan
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Icho Kaori

Athlete, Wrestling Born on June 13th, 1984 in Hachinohe, Japan
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Kazuo Ishiguro

Writer Born on November 8th, 1954 in Nagasaki, Japan
Kanno Yoko, Composer, Singer - born in Sendai, Japan

Kanno Yoko

Composer, Singer Born on March 18th, 1963 in Sendai, Japan
Yasunari Kawabata, Writer - born in Osaka, Japan

Yasunari Kawabata

Writer Born on June 14th, 1899 in Osaka, Japan
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Kawakami Mieko

Novelist, Poet Born on August 29th, 1976 in Osaka, Japan
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Hiromi Kawakami

Novelist Born on April 1st, 1958 in Tokyo, Japan
Kikuchi Rinko, Actor - born in Hadano, Japan

Kikuchi Rinko

Actor Born on January 6th, 1981 in Hadano, Japan
Kitajima Kosuke, Athlete, Swimming - born in Tokyo, Japan

Kitajima Kosuke

Athlete, Swimming Born on September 22nd, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan
Kurosawa Akira, Filmmaker - born in Tokyo, Japan

Kurosawa Akira

Filmmaker Born on March 23rd, 1910 in Tokyo, Japan
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Kusama Yayoi

Installation artist, Painter Born on March 22nd, 1929 in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
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Matsuda Aoko

Novelist Born on October 11th, 1979 in Hyogo, Japan
Matsumoto Seicho, Writer - born in Kagoshima, Japan

Matsumoto Seicho

Writer Born on December 21st, 1909 in Kagoshima, Japan
Yukio Mishima, Poet, Writer - born in Tokyo, Japan

Yukio Mishima

Poet, Writer Born on January 14th, 1925 in Tokyo, Japan
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Miura Shion

Novelist Born on September 23rd, 1976 in Tokyo, Japan
Miyazaki Hayao, Animator, Filmmaker - born in Tokyo, Japan

Miyazaki Hayao

Animator, Filmmaker Born on January 5th, 1941 in Tokyo, Japan
Haruki Murakami, Writer - born in Kyoto, Japan

Haruki Murakami

Writer Born on January 12th, 1949 in Kyoto, Japan
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Sayaka Murata

Novelist Born on August 14th, 1979 in Inzai, Japan
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Ogawa Yōko

Novelist Born on March 30th, 1962 in Okayama, Japan
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Reona

Artist, Singer Born on October 20th, 1998 in Tokyo, Japan
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Saeki Sayaka

Novelist Born on July 12th, 1980 in Fukuoka, Japan
Sanada Hiroyuki, Actor - born in Tokyo, Japan

Sanada Hiroyuki

Actor Born on October 12th, 1960 in Tokyo, Japan
Sōseki Natsume, Writer - born in Uki, Japan

Sōseki Natsume

Writer Born on February 9th, 1867 in Uki, Japan
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Actor - born in Higashi-Azabu, Japan

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Actor Born on September 27th, 1950 in Higashi-Azabu, Japan
Karl Taro Greenfeld, Journalist, Novelist - born in Tokyo, Japan

Karl Taro Greenfeld

Journalist, Novelist Born on 1965 in Tokyo, Japan
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Uchimura Kohei

Athlete, Gymnastics Born on January 3rd, 1989 in Kitakyushu, Japan
Ken Watanabe, Actor - born in Kunitomi, Japan

Ken Watanabe

Actor Born on October 21st, 1959 in Kunitomi, Japan
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Yoshida Saori

Athlete, Wrestling Born on October 5th, 1982 in Tsu, Japan
Kenzaburō Ōe, Writer - born in Ose, Japan

Kenzaburō Ōe

Writer Born on January 31st, 1935 in Ose, Japan