List of Famous people born in Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Hitoshi Saito
Hitoshi Saito was a Japanese judoka who won two consecutive gold medals at the Olympic games.
Kaori Icho
Kaori Icho is a Japanese freestyle wrestler. She is a ten-time World Champion and four-time Olympic Champion, winning gold in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Icho was undefeated between 2003 and 2016. On 29 January 2016 at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2016 Icho lost to Pürevdorjiin Orkhon of Mongolia. This was her first loss after a long domination.
Wakanohana Kanji II
Wakanohana Kanji II is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Ōwani, Aomori. He was the sport's 56th yokozuna. After retirement he became head coach of Magaki stable. Due to poor health he left the Japan Sumo Association in December 2013.
Makoto Teguramori
Makoto Teguramori is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Tadamori Oshima
Tadamori Ōshima is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the National Diet. He is affiliated to the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
Motoko Hani
Name variations: Matsuoka Moto.
Mitsuru Fukikoshi
Mitsuru Fukikoshi is a Japanese actor.
Asahifuji Seiya
Asahifuji Seiya is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Aomori. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top makuuchi division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of ōzeki in 1987 and became the 63rd yokozuna in the history of the sport in 1990 at the age of 30. He won four tournaments and was a runner-up on nine other occasions. He retired in 1992 and is now the head coach of Isegahama stable.
Shinichi Shinohara
Shinichi Shinohara is a retired Japanese judo and winner of the gold medal at the 1999 World Judo Championships in Birmingham. To Shinohara's disappointment, French champion David Douillet did not compete at Birmingham due to back injury; Shinohara was quoted as saying, "Even though I lifted the double crown at the worlds, it won't mean anything as long as people say it was won in Douillet's absence." Douillet had previously been declared victor at the 1997 championships in Paris after a French judge gave Shinohara a controversial penalty.
Kayoko Fukushi
Kayoko Fukushi is a Japanese long-distance runner, who specializes in the 5000, 10,000 metres and marathon. Fukushi represented Japan at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She was the bronze medallist in the marathon at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics. She holds a marathon best of 2:22:17 hours.