Is Shohei Ohtani’s Wife a Beautiful Basketball Player? The Reasons Behind Japan’s Online Buzz

After baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers announced his marriage, the online community has been buzzing with speculation about his wife’s identity, strongly suggesting former basketball player Mamiko Tanaka as the prime candidate. This conjecture arose following a YouTube video from an LA Dodgers training camp, which gained attention for featuring a woman resembling Tanaka. With a background as a karate athlete before turning to basketball in middle school, Tanaka became a celebrated figure in Japanese women’s basketball, achieving success in high school and university, and even representing Japan at the Universiade. Despite her retirement from professional basketball last year and closing her Instagram account, her match with Ohtani’s described preferences in interviews—enjoying the company of tall, athletic individuals—has fueled the fire. American baseball journalists have described Ohtani’s wife as a tall, beautiful former basketball player and a graduate of a prestigious private university, which aligns with Tanaka’s profile. Despite the intense speculation and matching descriptions, Ohtani has remained private about his wife’s identity, only sharing that she is a “very ordinary Japanese person” he met three to four years ago, emphasizing the joy and understanding she brings to his life.