Japanese Famous Names Starting with Letter O

Was a Japanese novelist, peace activist, academic and Time Asian Hero.[1]His travels through Europe

Was a Japanese novelist, peace activist, academic and Time Asian Hero.[1]His travels through Europe and Asia on a budget of a dollar a day formed the basis of his 1961 bestseller Nandemo Mite yaro ("I'll go and see everything").[3] His first book Assatte no Shuki ("The Notebook of the Day After Tomorrow") was published in 1951. It was based on experiences during World War II and the Korean War.[4]Oda won the Lotus Prize in 1981 of the Afro-Asian Writers' Association for his book Hiroshima.[5] This led to a 1990 English translation as well as translations in French, Arabic, Italian, Korean and Russian. It was written about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki not only in Japan but on the Hopi Indians and Americans who lived near the testing sites.

Was a Japanese daimyo who lived from the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period. Also know

Was a Japanese daimyo who lived from the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period. Also known as Urakusai (???), he was a brother of Oda Nobunaga[1]. Nagamasu converted to Christianity in 1588 and took the baptismal name of John. His brother Oda Nobunaga took the Christian name of Geronimo.Nagamasu was an accomplished practitioner of the tea ceremony, which he studied under the master, Sen no Rikyu. He eventually started his own school of the tea ceremony.

Was a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuh

Was a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy shugo (military governor) with land holdings in Owari province.[1][2] Nobunaga lived a life of continuous military conquest, eventually conquering a third of Japanese daimyo before his death in 1582.

Was a samurai, bureaucrat, politician, entrepreneur and social activist in the late Meiji and Taisho

Was a samurai, bureaucrat, politician, entrepreneur and social activist in the late Meiji and Taisho period Empire of Japan. He is noted as one of the more progressive figures of the early Meiji period, although his record is complex. His wife was the younger daughter of Goto Shojiro.Oe was born in Hata District, Tosa Domain, what is now Otsuki, Kochi. He grew up in Nagasaki, but towards the end of the Bakumatsu period returned to his native Tosa to join the Rikuentai, a paramilitary group of Tosa samurai supporting the Sonno joi movement and dedicated to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate. His fellow members included Sakamoto Ryoma, Nakaoka Shintaro and Mutsu Munemitsu. In 1868, he participated in an attack against the foreign consulates in Kobe.

Is a former sumo wrestler from Nogata, Fukuoka, Japan. His highest rank was juryo 6. He was well kno

Is a former sumo wrestler from Nogata, Fukuoka, Japan. His highest rank was juryo 6. He was well known to sumo audiences for his performance of the bow twirling ceremony (jumitori-shiki) which takes place at the end of every tournament day,a role he began

Also known as Ogawa Kazuma or Ogawa Isshin, was a Japanese photographer, printer and publisher who w

Also known as Ogawa Kazuma or Ogawa Isshin, was a Japanese photographer, printer and publisher who was a pioneer in photomechanical printing and photography in the Meiji era.

Is a former sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. His

Is a former sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. His father and brother were also sumo wrestlers. He is now a coach at Dewanoumi stable. Oginishiki has stayed in the sumo world as a coach at Dewanoumi stable

A Japanese actor, who gained a rise in popularity by starring in the hit TV drama, Hana Yori Dango,

A Japanese actor, who gained a rise in popularity by starring in the hit TV drama, Hana Yori Dango, and its sequel. His most recent role in TV drama is in Binbo Danshi as Kazumi Koyama, the lead role. He also won an award for his movie Crows Zero.Shun made his way into the acting industry because he was an avid admirer of Yuki Uchida, a popular Japanese idol in the 1990s. He wished to meet her, and he joined theater and acting classes to do so. He admits he didn't really like theater or the acting classes, but somehow, his ambition to meet his idol -- and the pretty girls in his class -- kept on driving him. Now, Shun says acting is his life and wouldn't want it any other way.

A Japanese actress. She has made over 150 films in her career including such classics as Miyamoto Mu

A Japanese actress. She has made over 150 films in her career including such classics as Miyamoto Musashi and Ako Roshi. She was born in 1935 and joined Toei Studios under her stage name in 1955. She quickly became very popular and was referred to as Toei's "Princess" from the many roles she played as a heroine.

Was a Japanese scholar who contributed to the development of arts in Japan. Outside Japan, he is chi

Was a Japanese scholar who contributed to the development of arts in Japan. Outside Japan, he is chiefly remembered today as the author of The Book of Tea.he attended Tokyo Imperial University, where he first met and studied under Ernest Fenollosa. In 1890, Okakura was one of the principal founders of the first Japanese fine-arts academy, Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko (Tokyo School of Fine Arts) and a year later became the head, though he was later ousted from the school in an administrative struggle. Later, he also founded Nihon Bijutsuin (Japan Institute of Fine Arts) with Hashimoto Gaho and Yokoyama Taikan. He was invited by William Sturgis Bigelow to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in 1904 and became the first head of the Asian art division in 1910.

A Japanese actress. She was given a Best New Talent award at the 1998 Yokohama Film Festival.[1]

A Japanese actress. She was given a Best New Talent award at the 1998 Yokohama Film Festival.[1]

Was a politician and cabinet minister in the late Meiji and Taisho period Empire of Japan.Okazaki wa

Was a politician and cabinet minister in the late Meiji and Taisho period Empire of Japan.Okazaki was born as the younger son in a samurai class family in Wakayama Domain, what is now Wakayama Prefecture. His father was a karo with revenues of 400 koku as a direct retainer of the Kiishu Tokugawa family, and he was the first cousin of Mutsu Munemitsu.After the Meiji Restoration, at the invitation of Mutsu Munemitsu, Okazaki left Wakayama for Tokyo in 1873. When Mutsu was appointed as ambassador to the United States, Okazaki accompanied him as his secretary and enrolled in the University of Michigan, where he became acquainted with Minakata Kumagusu

Was a Japanese statesman during the early Meiji period.Oki was born into a samurai family in Saga, i

Was a Japanese statesman during the early Meiji period.Oki was born into a samurai family in Saga, in Hizen province (present-day Saga prefecture). He studied at the domain school Kodokan, and promoted reform of the domain administration. During the Boshin War he was a leader in the Saga forces committed to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate.After the Meiji Restoration, he supervised the transfer of the imperial capital from Kyoto to Tokyo, and was appointed the first Governor of Tokyo.

Was a sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 23rd Yokozuna. He was second yokozuna to be recognised from

Was a sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 23rd Yokozuna. He was second yokozuna to be recognised from Osaka sumo, and the only yokozuna who spent his whole active career in Osaka. In January 1910, he was promoted to yokozuna by the Osaka Sumo Association, w

A Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the House of Representative

A Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kagoshima Prefecture and graduate of Chuo University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1972 as an independent. He later joined the LDP and served as the Minister of Justice from 2000 to 2001. He was later returned to the post of Minister of Justice under Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on August 1, 2008.[1]

Is a sumo wrestler from Okinoshima, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. He joined professional sumo in 2005,

Is a sumo wrestler from Okinoshima, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. He joined professional sumo in 2005, reaching the top division in 2010. His highest rank has been maegashira 10. He wrestles for Hakkaku stable. At school he attended local sumo clubs and took

A Japanese film director.Oku Shutaro, who is currently enjoying a flourishing career as a film direc

A Japanese film director.Oku Shutaro, who is currently enjoying a flourishing career as a film director, started his career as a visual planner in 1996, contributing to stage productions for TOHO musicals, NODA-MAP, Takarazuka Revue, and Otona Keikaku, etc. Since then, he has been engaged in a wide range of stage performances such as fringe theatre, ballet, dance and musicals. His best known works include "Elisabeth," "Mozart!" (TOHO Musical), "2001 people Play", "Oil", "Run, Merusu!" (NODA-MAP), "Bara no Fuin", "Never say goodbye" (Takarazuka Revue), and "One Seed" (EXPO2005 AICHI JAPAN, Japan Pavilion). Recently he has also been involved in the stage direction of ground breaking tap dance and Japanese calligraphy shows, which have caused a sensation with their effective use of visual images on the stage.

Was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji

Was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan.Shimazu Nariakira recognized Okubo's talents and appointed him to the position of tax administrator in 1858. When Nariakira died, Okubo joined the plot to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. Unlike most Satsuma leaders, he favored the position of tobaku (??, overthrowing the Shogunate), as opposed to kobu gattai (????, marital unity of the Imperial and Tokugawa families) and hanbaku (opposition to the Shogunate) over the Sonno joi movement

Is a bilingual singer-songwriter.[1] The daughter of an American father and a Ryukyuan mother, she s

Is a bilingual singer-songwriter.[1] The daughter of an American father and a Ryukyuan mother, she sometimes writes about being mixed-race in songs such as "solarhalfbreed." Her sister Caroline Lufkin is also a singer (under the name Caroline).Olivia Lufkin was born on December 9, 1979 in Naha, Okinawa. In 1982, she moved to San Diego, California then back to Okinawa. Olivia later moved again to North Carolina for two years before moving back to Okinawa.Olivia was discovered by the director of "Rising Productions" (Vision Factory) while attending the Okinawa Actors' School, subsequently signing to Avex Trax as part of the Japanese idol group D&D. Famed producer Tetsuya Komuro heard of Olivia one day and decided that she would be perfect for a project in which he was planning along with Jean Michel Jarre.

Was the pen-name of a scholar and translator of French literature in Taisho period and Showa period

Was the pen-name of a scholar and translator of French literature in Taisho period and Showa period Japan. His real name was Komaki Omiya.Komaki returned to Japan in 1919 and founded a literary magazine named Tane Maku Hito (The Sowers), after the famous painting by the French painter Jean-François Millet. He used this as his platform to promote his pacifist and Marxist ideals through poems and essays, many of which he wrote. He was one of the first Japanese members of Comintern, and a pioneer in the Proletarian Literature Movement. The movement attracted the attention of Arishima Takeo, and other noted leftist writers. In 1924 another literary magazine Bungei Sensen (Literary Battlefront) spun out from the original Tane Maku Hito group.

Was a Japanese Rinzai Roshi, a successor in the Tenryu-ji line of Rinzai Zen, a teacher of Jikishink

Was a Japanese Rinzai Roshi, a successor in the Tenryu-ji line of Rinzai Zen, a teacher of Jikishinkage Ryu swordsmanship, and a calligrapher in the Taishi school of Yamaoka Tesshu. He became well-known for his unique approach to Zen practice integrating insights from his martial and fine arts training with traditional Zen methods. The author of more than 20 books in the Japanese language, he founded Seitaiji monastery in Japan and Daihonzan Chozen-ji in Honolulu, Hawaii, the only Rinzai headquarters temple established outside of Japan according to canon law. He also served as president of Hanazono University, the Rinzai university in Kyoto, Japan. Omori was well-known for his influence in government circles prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.

Is a Japanese conceptual artist living in New York City since 1965. He has shown in many solo and gr

Is a Japanese conceptual artist living in New York City since 1965. He has shown in many solo and group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale in 1976.Since 1966 he has made a long series of "date paintings" (the Today series), which consist entirely of the date on which the painting was executed in simple white lettering set against a solid background. If Kawara is unable to complete the painting on the day it was started he immediately destroys it. Other series of works include the I Went and I Met series of postcards sent to his friends detailing aspects of his life, another series of postcards, I Got Up At, rubber-stamped with the time he got up that morning, and a series of telegrams sent to various people bearing the message "I AM STILL ALIVE".

Was a Japanese author inspirational to upcoming Japanese authors.

Was a Japanese author inspirational to upcoming Japanese authors.

Was a Japanese sumo wrestler who is known for being active in the top makuuchi division at the age o

Was a Japanese sumo wrestler who is known for being active in the top makuuchi division at the age of 51, which is a record after the beginning of the Meiji era. At first, he joined Tokitsukaze stable in Osaka sumo but was recruited by former yokozuna Ume

Was a sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 28th Yokozuna. He started sumo in Kyoto in 1898, later movin

Was a sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 28th Yokozuna. He started sumo in Kyoto in 1898, later moving to Osaka. He entered the top makuuchi division in February 1906. He was promoted to ozeki in June 1910. In April 1918 he became the 28th yokozuna (the th