Nakayama (written: lit. "Central Mountain") is a Japanese surname. The Nakayama are descended from 12th century aristocrat

Nakayama Tadachika was a Japanese court noble and writer during the late Heian and early Kamakura period and a member of the influential Fujiwara family. His works are valuable historical documents describing a pivotal period in Japanese history when power shifted f ...

, most notably as the mother of the Emperor Meiji,

Nakayama Yoshiko was a Japanese people, Japanese lady-in-waiting in the court of the Imperial House of Japan. She was a favourite Concubinage, concubine of Emperor Kōmei and the mother of Emperor Meiji. Biography Parents Nakayama Yoshiko was the daughter of ...

. Other Nakayama may be related to this branch, or have adopted the name as servants or retainers to the clan. Nakayama is the 57th most common name in Japan as of 2008, belonging to approximately 1 out of 474 people, or 270,000 individuals. They are most prevalent in the

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

area. The Japanese reading of the characters in one of Chinese leader

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen (; also known by several other names; 12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)Singtao daily. Saturday edition. 23 October 2010. section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution 100th anniversary edition . was a Chinese politician who serve ...

's familiar names, Sun Zhongshan (孫中山), is also read as "Nakayama" in Japanese. Other notable people with the surname include: ''(Names are listed by field, alphabetically by given name in the western convention of ''given-name, surname'' for clarity.)''

Academics

* Gishu Nakayama (1900–1969), author *

Ichiro Nakayama was a Japanese economist. He graduated from The Tokyo University of Commerce (now Hitotsubashi University) in 1926, and then studied under Joseph Schumpeter in Germany. He was a pioneer of mathematical economics in Japan. After serving as assist ...

(1898-1981), economist *

Ken Nakayama Ken Nakayama is an American psychologist and prior to retirement was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He is known for his work on prosopagnosia, an inability to recognize faces, and super recognisers, people with sign ...

(Born 1942), American psychologist known for prosopagnosia *

Paula A. Nakayama Paula Aiko Nakayama (born October 19, 1953) is an American lawyer who served as an associate justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court from 1993 to 2023. After Rhoda V. Lewis, Nakayama is second woman to ever serve on the Hawaii State Supreme Cour ...

(born 1953), Hawaii Supreme Court justice * Tadachika Nakayama (1131–1195), Japanese court noble and author * Tadashi Nakayama (1912–1964), mathematician * Tadashi Nakayama, (born 1927), artist

Arts and entertainment

*, Japanese voice actress *, Japanese actress *

Miho Nakayama is a Japanese singer and actress. She is affiliated with Big Apple Co., Ltd. Nakayama is nicknamed , and sometimes uses the pseudonyms or when she writes the lyrics. Biography History Nakayama was born in Saku, Nagano, Japan. Following her ...

(born 1970), actress, model, and singer *Nana Nakayama, real name of

Nana Yamada Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana (c ...

, Japanese idol, actor, and talent *

Sara Nakayama is a Japanese Voice acting in Japan, voice actress from Saitama Prefecture, Japan. She was previously credited as . Biography Filmography Television animation *''.hack//Legend of the Twilight'' - Female Heavy Blade *''.hack//SIGN'' - Kao-chi ...

or Manami Nakayama (born 1974), voice actress *

Shinpei Nakayama was a Japanese songwriter, famous for his many children's songs and popular songs (''ryūkōka'') that have become deeply embedded in Japanese popular culture. Nakayama was born in Nagano Prefecture, Nakano City, in 1887. His father died while ...

(1887–1952), songwriter *

Shinobu Nakayama is an actress and a former J-pop singer. The younger sister of singer and actress Miho Nakayama, she released her first single on 2 November 1988; her final release as a J-pop artist was on 1 March 1991. Nakayama was also a member of the short-l ...

(born 1973), actress and singer *

Tracy Nakayama Tracy Nakayama (born 1974) is a contemporary American artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California and was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Education Nakayama received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York, NY and her BFA from the ...

(born 1974), American artist *

Uri Nakayama is a female singer-songwriter and hairdresser in Japan. Musical characteristics Nakayama, in addition to singing, plays the accordion, trumpet, and guitar. When performing live, she is usually accompanied by four supporting members playing g ...

(born 1981), singer-songwriter *

Yuma Nakayama is a Japanese actor and singer. He was born in Osaka, Japan. He was a past member of many Johnny's Jr. groups such as Top Kids and 7 West. He released his debut CD single in 2009 as part of Yuma Nakayama w/B.I.Shadow and NYC Boys. He both perf ...

(1994), actor and singer *Yūsuke Nakayama or

Yūsuke Santamaria , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor and singer. Biography Santamaria appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2003 film '' Doppelganger''. He starred in Katsuyuki Motohiro is a Japanese film director. Filmography *''Odoru Daisosase ...

(born 1971), playwright and entertainer

Politics

Kyoko Nakayama is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party for Japanese Kokoro. In the past she has been a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sunrise Party of Japan and Japan Restoration Party and is serving her second term as a memb ...

(born 1940), politician and party leader *

Masa Nakayama was a Japanese politician and educator who was the first woman appointed to the Cabinet of Japan when she became Minister of Health and Welfare in 1960. Early life and education Nakayama was born Masa Iida-Powers in Nagasaki, the daughter of ...

(1891–1976), politician and first female cabinet minister in Japan * Nobuzane Nakayama (1865-1934), baron, son of the last daimyo of the Matsuoka domain *Shō Nakayama or

(1866–1925), first President of the Republic of China * Tadayasu Nakayama (1809–1888), scion of the

Fujiwara Fujiwara (, written: 藤原 lit. "''Wisteria'' field") is a Japanese surname. (In English conversation it is likely to be rendered as .) Notable people with the surname include: ; Families * The Fujiwara clan and its members ** Fujiwara no Kamatari ...

, guardian to

Emperor Meiji , also called or , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 13 February 1867 to his death, he was the first monarch of the Empire of Japan and presided over the Meiji era. He was the figur ...

* Takamaro Nakayama (1851-1919), marquess, chamberlain to the crown prince Taishō *

Taro Nakayama is a Japanese doctor and politician serving in the House of Representatives of Japan, House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan, Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), Liberal Democratic Party. A nati ...

(born 1924), Japanese politician, Minister for Foreign Affairs (1989–1991) *

Tosiwo Nakayama was the first President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He served two terms from 1979 until 1987. Biography Nakayama was born on November 23, 1931, on Piserach Island, part of Nomwunweito Atoll in what is now Chuuk State. At the tim ...

(1931–2007), 1st President of the

Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...

* Yoshiko Nakayama (1836–1907), concubine to

Emperor Kōmei was the 121st Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')孝明天皇 (121)/ref> Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867, corresponding to the final years of the ...

, mother of

Sports and martial arts

Akinori Nakayama is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic gold medalist. Nakayama was born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and is a graduate of Chukyo University in Nagoya. Nakayama is one of only two gymnasts to become an Olympic Champion in rings twice, the first to do ...

(born 1943), Olympic gymnast *, Japanese cricketer *, Japanese badminton player * Hakudo Nakayama (1873–1958), martial artist *, Japanese ice hockey player *

Jun Nakayama is a Japanese male curling, curler. At the international level, he is a , a three-time Pacific bronze medallist (2000, 2002, 2004) and a two-time Curling at the Asian Winter Games, Asian Winter Games silver medallist (2003, 2007). At the natio ...

(born 1981), Japanese curler *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese footballer *

Masashi Nakayama is a Japanese football manager and former player who is the manager of Azul Claro Numazu from 2023. He played as a forward in his playing career. Club career Playing as a forward, Nakayama made his J1 League debut on 11 March 1994. From then ...

(born 1967), professional soccer player *

Masatoshi Nakayama was an internationally famous Japanese master of Shotokan karate.DF_56_of_80">("S_...,_who_were_known_as_kenjutsu_instructors,_from_the_Nagano_Prefecture.html" ;"title="kenjutsu.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ..., who were k ...

(1913–1987), karate master *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese marathon runner *, Japanese racing driver *

Yuki Nakayama , is a Japanese professional association football, footballer who plays as Forward (association football), forward for Giravanz Kitakyushu. Club statistics ''Updated to 23 February 2019''.Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ� ...

(born 1994), Japanese footballer *, Japanese sport shooter

Others

Gordon Goichi Nakayama Gordon Goichi Nakayama (G.G. Nakayama, 中山吾一, 16 November 1900 – 8 October 1995) was Japanese Canadian Anglican priest, author and pedophile. He was active in his ministry in Western Canada and the Pacific Rim (notably Okinawa, Souther ...

(中山吾一, 1900–1995), Japanese Canadian Anglican priest *, Japanese businessman *

Jimmy Nakayama The Battle of Ia Drang (, ; in English ) was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), as part of the Pleiku Campaign conducted early in the Vietnam War, at the eastern foot of the Chu Pong Mas ...

(1943-1965), U.S. Army Pfc. participated in the Battle of la Drang, Vietnam * Miki Nakayama (1798–1887), founder of the Tenrikyo religion *

Niki Nakayama Niki Nakayama (born 1975 in Los Angeles) is a Japanese-American chef and the owner of Michelin-starred n/naka restaurant in Los Angeles, specializing in modern Japanese kaiseki cuisine. Early life Nakayama was born to Japanese parents in Korea ...

(born 1975), American

Michelin Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ''région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and la ...

-starred chef *Yasubei Nakayama or

Horibe Yasubei was a warrior in Japan. Yasubee was born to , a samurai of the Shibata Domain (a Han (country subdivision), ''han'' in present-day Niigata Prefecture) . When Yasubee was 13, his father lost his position and became a rōnin. Soon afterwards, Yaji ...

(1670-1703), samurai and master swordsman {{surname Japanese-language surnames