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 43.45, Kento Momota is the most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  His biography has been translated into 17 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 becoming a two time World Champion, becoming a two time Asian Champion, and winning one All England title. Momota received a Guinness World Records certificate for "The most badminton men's singles titles in a season", for winning 11 titles in the 2019 season. Known for his unpredictable and explosive playing style, he became the first ever Japanese men's singles player to achieve a BWF ranking of No.1 in 2018, holding this distinction for 121 weeks and subsequently being awarded the BWF's best male player of the year award. He is considered to be one of the greats of men's singles badminton.

2. Chiharu Shida (b. 1997)

With an HPI of 41.94, Chiharu Shida is the 2nd most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Chiharu Shida (志田 千陽, Shida Chiharu; born 29 April 1997) is a Japanese badminton player affiliated with the Saishunkan team. She is the Women's Doubles bronze medalist at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Shida was part of the Japan winning team in the 2020 Asia Team Championships. She reached a career high as world number 2 in the BWF World rankings on 8 November 2022 with Nami Matsuyama. In September 2025, Shida began a new partnership with Arisa Igarashi. Shida is the bronze medalist at the Asian and World Junior Championships in 2014 and 2015. Shida won her first international title at the 2016 Vietnam International, and claimed her first BWF World Tour at the 2018 Chinese Taipei Open.

3. Akane Yamaguchi (b. 1997)

With an HPI of 40.93, Akane Yamaguchi is the 3rd most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Akane Yamaguchi (山口茜, Yamaguchi Akane; born 6 June 1997) is a Japanese badminton player. She was a three-time world champion who won gold medals in the women's singles at the 2021, 2022 and 2025 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.

4. Misaki Matsutomo (b. 1992)

With an HPI of 40.89, Misaki Matsutomo is the 4th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 20 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. Nozomi Okuhara (b. 1995)

With an HPI of 39.76, Nozomi Okuhara is the 5th 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.

6. Ayaka Takahashi (b. 1990)

With an HPI of 39.35, Ayaka Takahashi is the 6th 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.

7. Yuta Watanabe (b. 1997)

With an HPI of 38.51, Yuta Watanabe is the 7th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Yuta Watanabe (渡辺 勇大, Watanabe Yūta; born 13 June 1997) is a Japanese badminton player. He is a former member of the Japanese national team and joined J-Power in April 2025. He is known for his quick and explosive movements with signature drop shots. Partnered with Arisa Higashino, Watanabe won consecutive mixed doubles bronze medals at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. The pair has also secured four medals at the BWF World Championships.

8. Yuki Fukushima (b. 1993)

With an HPI of 38.37, Yuki Fukushima is the 8th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 12 different languages.

Yuki Fukushima (福島由紀, Fukushima Yūki; born 6 May 1993) is a Japanese badminton player affiliated with Gifu Bluvic. She and her partner Sayaka Hirota won the 2017 Most Improved Player of the Year award. The duo were ranked as world No. 1 at the BWF World Ranking in 21 June 2018.

9. Nami Matsuyama (b. 1998)

With an HPI of 37.66, Nami Matsuyama is the 9th most famous Japanese Badminton Player.  Her biography has been translated into 14 different languages.

Nami Matsuyama (松山 奈未, Matsuyama Nami; born 28 June 1998) is a Japanese badminton player affiliated with the Saishunkan team. She is the Women's Doubles bronze medalist at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Matsuyama helps the national team won the 2020 Asia Team Championships. She reached a career high as world number 2 in the BWF World rankings on 8 November 2022 with Chiharu Shida. Matsuyama is the girls' doubles gold medalist at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Bilbao, Spain partnered with Sayaka Hobara. Matsuyama won her first senior international title in Thailand at the 2017 Smiling Fish International tournament with Chiharu Shida.

10. Miyuki Maeda (b. 1985)

With an HPI of 37.06, Miyuki Maeda is the 10th 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.