Soccer Players from Japan

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Japanese Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Japanese Soccer 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 Soccer Players.

1. #1

   

   Takashi Kasahara

   1918 - 1996

   HPI 72.9449 langs

   Takashi Kasahara was most famous for representing Japan in international football during the pre-World War II era, including participation...Read moreShow less

   Takashi Kasahara was most famous for representing Japan in international football during the pre-World War II era, including participation in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He was part of the historic Japanese team that achieved a famous upset victory over Sweden, one of the earliest major successes for Japanese football on the global stage. His contributions helped lay the groundwork for the development of football in Japan.

2. #2

   

   Tameo Ide

   1908 - 1998

   HPI 70.3050 langs

   Japanese footballer

3. #3

   

   Kakuichi Mimura

   1931 - 2022

   HPI 70.0852 langs

   Japanese footballer and manager

4. #4

   

   Ko Arima

   b. 1917

   HPI 69.7749 langs

   Japanese footballer

5. #5

   

   Yukio Tsuda

   1917 - 1979

   HPI 69.5650 langs

   Yukio Tsuda is most famous for his book, "The Japanese Psyche: Major Motifs in the Fairy Tales of Japan."

6. #6

   

   Masao Ono

   1923 - 2001

   HPI 69.5550 langs

   Masao Ono is most famous for his sushi restaurant, Sushi Ono, which he opened in 1971. He also became known for his book, The Sushi Economy,...Read moreShow less

   Masao Ono is most famous for his sushi restaurant, Sushi Ono, which he opened in 1971. He also became known for his book, The Sushi Economy, and his appearances on the TV show Iron Chef.

7. #7

   

   Jiro Miyake

   1900 - 1984

   HPI 69.4350 langs

   Jiro Miyake is most famous for being the owner of a sushi restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. He is the subject of the 2011 documentary "Jiro Dreams...Read moreShow less

   Jiro Miyake is most famous for being the owner of a sushi restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. He is the subject of the 2011 documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."

8. #8

   

   Usaburo Hidaka

   b. 0

   HPI 69.4351 langs

   Japanese footballer

9. #9

   

   Hiroaki Sato

   1932 - 1988

   HPI 69.3151 langs

   Hiroaki Sato is most famous for his work in the field of computational geometry.

10. #10

    

    Kunishige Kamamoto

    1944 - 2025

    HPI 69.2060 langs

    Kunishige Kamamoto is most famous for his role in the assassination of Inejiro Asanuma.