List of Famous people born in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Rumiko Takahashi is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with Urusei Yatsura in 1978, Takahashi is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages, with over 200 million copies in circulation. She has won the Shogakukan Manga Award twice, once in 1980 for Urusei Yatsura and again in 2001 for Inuyasha, and the Seiun Award twice, once in 1987 for Urusei Yatsura and again in 1989 for Mermaid Saga. She also received the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême in 2019, becoming the second woman and second Japanese to win the prize. In 2020, the Japanese government awarded Takahashi the Medal with Purple Ribbon for her contributions to the arts.

Yuko Mori is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Party and a member of the House of Councillors of Japan in the Diet. She was previously with the Democratic Party of Japan and briefly belonged to the Tomorrow Party of Japan founded by Yukiko Kada, of which she was the deputy leader. A native of Niigata and graduate of Niigata University, she was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2001 after serving in the town assembly of Yokogoshi, Niigata between 1999 and 2001.

Akiko Yajima is a Japanese voice actress from Kashiwazaki, Niigata. Her best-known role is as the title character Shinnosuke Nohara in the long-running anime series Crayon Shin-chan. She also voices Mipple in the original Futari wa Pretty Cure, Sally Yoshinaga in The Brave Express Might Gaine, Paffy Pafuricia in Haō Taikei Ryū Knight, Relena Peacecraft in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Ayumi Himekawa in Glass Mask, Riku and Diva in Blood+, Longlong in Shizuku-chan and Kohaku in Inuyasha. In video games, she voices Annie Barrs in Tales of series, and has dubbed for Anakin Skywalker and Harry Potter in some of the live-action films and video games. She is also known for being the voice of Spyro the Dragon in the Spyro video games, which she retired from in 2000. On June 29, 2018, Akiko Yajima retired from her career as Shinnosuke Nohara's voice actress and newly announced that Yumiko Kobayashi took over the role as Shinnosuke Nohara.

Ayumu Hirano is a Japanese competitive snowboarder. He won the silver medal in the superpipe in 2013 Winter X Games XVII at the age of 14, becoming the youngest medalist in X Games history, and won silver medals in the halfpipe at both the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Fumika Baba is a Japanese actress and model who is represented by the talent agency Name Management.

Hisashi Owada is a former Japanese jurist, diplomat and law professor, and served as a judge on the International Court of Justice from 2003 until June 7, 2018, and was President of the Court from 2009 to 2012. He is the father-in-law of the incumbent Emperor of Japan, Naruhito.

Lee Sang-il is a Zainichi Korean film director and screenwriter. His first film, Chong, was a short film about the lives of third generation Koreans living in Japan.

Satoko Ito is a Japanese television tarento and caster. She is a Visiting Professor of the Graduate Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. She is represented with Sankei.

Natsuko Yokosawa is a Japanese actress and comedian from Itoigawa, Niigata.

Yuki Togashi is a Japanese professional basketball player who currently plays for the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League in Japan.