BADMINTON PLAYERS from Japan

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Japanese Badminton Players of all time. This list of famous Japanese Badminton Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Japanese Badminton Players.

1. Kento Momota (b. 1994)

With an HPI of 35.45, Kento Momota is the most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages on wikipedia.

Kento Momota (桃田 賢斗, Momota Kento, born 1 September 1994) is a former Japanese badminton player. He has won several major badminton tournaments including two World Championships titles, two Asian Championships titles, and one All England title. Momota has received a Guinness World Records certificate for "The most badminton men's singles titles in a season", for his achievements by winning 11 titles in the 2019 season.

2. Akane Yamaguchi (b. 1997)

With an HPI of 33.26, Akane Yamaguchi is the 2nd most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Akane Yamaguchi (山口茜, Yamaguchi Akane, born 6 June 1997) is a Japanese badminton player. She was a two-time world champion who won gold medals in the women's singles at the 2021 and 2022 World Championships. She was a member of the winning Japanese team at the Asian Junior Championships in 2012 and won the World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014, the Asian Junior Championships in 2014, and the Asian Championships in 2019. At the Asia Team Championships, Yamaguchi helped Japan win by 3–0 in 2017, 2018, and 2020. In 2018, she won the Uber Cup, which Japan had not won for 37 years.

3. Nozomi Okuhara (b. 1995)

With an HPI of 33.23, Nozomi Okuhara is the 3rd most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Nozomi Okuhara (奥原 希望, Okuhara Nozomi, born 13 March 1995) is a Japanese badminton player. A former World's number 1 in the BWF rankings for the women's singles, she is well known for her speed, agility and endurance. She won a bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and gold medal at the 2017 World Championships.

4. Misaki Matsutomo (b. 1992)

With an HPI of 30.90, Misaki Matsutomo is the 4th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Misaki Matsutomo (松友 美佐紀, Matsutomo Misaki, born 8 February 1992) is a Japanese badminton player who is a doubles specialist. She won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympic women's doubles alongside Ayaka Takahashi. Despite playing doubles, she was also a finalist in girls' singles at the 2010 BWF World Junior Championships in Mexico.

5. Ayaka Takahashi (b. 1990)

With an HPI of 30.25, Ayaka Takahashi is the 5th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Ayaka Takahashi (高橋 礼華, Takahashi Ayaka, born 19 April 1990) is a retired Japanese badminton player who was affiliated with Unisys badminton team. She is an Olympic Games gold medalist, two-time Asian Champion, two-time Asian Games silver medalist, and World Championship bronze medalist. Playing for the Unisys team with her regular partner Misaki Matsutomo in the women's doubles, she won five National Championships titles. In the international event, Takahashi and Matsutomo were ranked world number ones in October 2014. They won numerous international titles, including the year-end tournament finals in 2014 and 2018; the historical All England Open in 2016; the Olympic Games in 2016; and also the Asian Championships in 2016 and 2017. The duo won the Badminton World Federation's Female Player of the Year award in 2016. Takahashi was also a member of the victorious Japanese team at the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships and of the victorious women's team at the 2018 Asia Team Championships, 2018 Asian Games, and the 2018 Uber Cup.

6. Miyuki Maeda (b. 1985)

With an HPI of 26.39, Miyuki Maeda is the 6th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Miyuki Maeda (前田 美順, Maeda Miyuki, born 14 October 1985) is a Japanese international badminton player from the Renesas badminton club and later affiliated with Saishunkan team. She participated at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, and also in three Asian Games editions from 2006 to 2014.

7. Reika Kakiiwa (b. 1989)

With an HPI of 25.01, Reika Kakiiwa is the 7th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Reika Kakiiwa (垣岩 令佳, Kakiiwa Reika, born 19 July 1989) is a Japanese badminton player from Renesas badminton club. Reika Kakiiwa has gained prominence in the badminton community because of her success in women's doubles. She has reached a career high ranking of third in the world with her partner Mizuki Fujii. She has also competed in mixed doubles reaching a peak ranking of 51st with her partner Kenta Kazuno.

8. Mizuki Fujii (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 24.67, Mizuki Fujii is the 8th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Mizuki Fujii (藤井 瑞希, Fujii Mizuki, born 5 August 1988) is a badminton player from Ashikita, Kumamoto, Japan and plays for the Renesas badminton club. Mizuki Fujii concentrates on doubles badminton. Most of her success has come with women's doubles partner Reika Kakiiwa. Together they reached the final of the 2010 Korea Open Super Series, their first major final as a pair. She also assisted her team in winning the bronze medal at the 2010 Uber Cup. In the mixed doubles she pairs with Hirokatsu Hashimoto. Her career highest achievement was the silver medal in the women's doubles at the 2012 London Summer Olympics with Kakiiwa. She retired from professional badminton after the win at London.

9. Mayu Matsumoto (b. 1995)

With an HPI of 0.00, Mayu Matsumoto is the 9th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into different languages.

Mayu Matsumoto (松本 麻佑, Matsumoto Mayu, born 7 August 1995) is a Japanese badminton player. Born in Hokkaido, she graduated from Shiritsu Towanomorisanai High School. She was part of the Hokuto Bank team. Matsumoto was awarded as the 2018 Most Improved Player of the Year by the BWF together with her partner Wakana Nagahara. They obtained the honor after their win in the 2018 BWF World Championships title and improving their ranking from 14 to 3 in the world. In 30 April 2019, she reached a career high as a women's doubles world No. 1.

10. Keigo Sonoda (b. 1990)

With an HPI of 0.00, Keigo Sonoda is the 10th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  His biography has been translated into different languages.

Keigo Sonoda (園田 啓悟, Sonoda Keigo, born 20 February 1990) is a Japanese badminton player. He affiliated with the YKK AP Yatsushiro, before joining the Tonami team in 2010. Sonoda was part of the national team that won the 2014 Thomas Cup. He captured his first Superseries title at the 2016 Hong Kong Open, and reached a career high of world number 2 in the men's doubles partnered with Takeshi Kamura in January 2017. Sonoda won the silver medal at the 2018 World Championships and a bronze in 2017. In the continental level, he helped the national team to win the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships, and he also collected a silver and three bronze medals in the individual men's doubles event. He competed at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games. He retired in 2021 after competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics.