What Shohei Ohtani's siblings taught him about discipline and dreams
Shohei Ohtani’s siblings, Ryuta and Yuka Ohtani, have played crucial roles in shaping his drive and discipline from childhood. Growing up in a household where every family member pursued sports, Shohei learned the value of commitment, teamwork, and focus. Their shared family discipline, guided by their parents, turned ordinary routines into lifelong habits of excellence.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Shohei Ohtani is the youngest of three siblings.
- Ryuta Ohtani, became a baseball coach and manager.
- Yuka Ohtani played volleyball in high school, but she is now a nurse.
- Shohei’s father, Toru Ohtani, coached him strictly from childhood.
- His mother, Kayoko Ohtani, is a former national badminton player.
Profile summary
Full name | Shohei Ohtani |
Nickname | Showtime |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 5 July 1994 |
Age | 31 years old (as of 2025) |
Zodiac sign | Cancer |
Place of birth | Ōshū, Iwate Prefecture, Japan |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Nationality | Japanese |
Ethnicity | Asian |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in inches | 6’3” |
Height in centimetres | 190 |
Weight in pounds | 210 |
Weight in kilograms | 95 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Brown |
Father | Toru Ohtani |
Mother | Kayoko Ohtani |
Siblings | 2 |
Marital status | Married |
Partner | Mamiko Tanaka |
School | Hanamaki Higashi High School |
Profession | Professional baseball player |
Get to know Shohei Ohtani’s siblings
Shohei Ohtani's siblings grew up training and playing together, which helped shape his discipline and strong sense of teamwork. Here is a closer look at the baseball star’s siblings.
Ryuta Ohtani
Ryuta Ohtani, born on 20 March 1988, is Shohei Ohtani’s elder brother and a respected baseball coach in Japan. He developed his passion for the sport early, following in his father’s footsteps.
Ryuta played in Iwate Prefecture’s local leagues before joining the Toyota Motor East Japan corporate team in 2012. Over the years, he transitioned from player-coach to full-time coach, earning admiration for his discipline and leadership.
Source: Getty Images
In late 2024, Shohei Ohtani’s brother, Ryuta, was appointed manager of the Toyota East Japan team, where he shared his vision for success:
We will continue to build a team that is rooted in Tohoku and loved by the community…we will be determined to win and fight head-on with all our might...I will work hard every day to share happiness and excitement with everyone.
Ryuta’s bond with Shohei has remained strong through the years. Their father, Toru Ohtani, told Mainichi that seeing Ryuta’s experience shaped how he guided Shohei. He reflected on his parenting, saying:
If only I had worked together with [Ryuta] more… I’ve got to give to Shohei what I couldn’t give to his older brother.
Yuka Ohtani
Yuka Ohtani is Shohei Ohtani’s older sister and the firstborn child of Toru and Kayoko. She grew up in Ōshū, Iwate Prefecture, where she actively participated in school sports.
Yuka played volleyball through high school and continued during college before pursuing a healthcare career. After completing her studies, she became a nurse.
Shohei Ohtani’s parents: Meet Kayoko and Toru Ohtani
Source: Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani’s parents, Toru and Kayoko Ohtani, are former athletes who raised their children to value discipline, humility, and hard work.
Toru Ohtani played as an outfielder in Japan’s corporate baseball leagues until a shoulder injury ended his career. He later worked at an automobile plant but remained dedicated to coaching his children.
Kayoko Ohtani, meanwhile, excelled in badminton at a national level during high school and taught her children the importance of self-reliance and perseverance. Shohei often expresses deep gratitude for his parents’ influence. During a press conference, the baseball player said:
They were always there, taking me to practice. I wouldn’t be here without them.
Kayoko Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani’s mother, Kayoko Ohtani, was born in 1963. She is a former national-level badminton player from Yokohama. Known for her discipline and self-reliance, she brought the same values into her parenting.
Source: UGC
From a young age, Kayoko introduced Shohei to sports by taking him along to her badminton practices. Kayoko reflected on Shohei’s childhood during an interview with Nippon, saying she used to let him play with her badminton equipment:
I would let Shohei play with [my] equipment… Maybe it’s because the motions in badminton are similar to baseball, but he could swing the racquet like a champ without me having to show him.
Those early experiences helped develop Shohei’s coordination and sense of focus. Despite his later success and immense wealth, Kayoko has remained grounded and independent.
The baseball player often speaks fondly of his mother’s influence and determination. He once joked that he still cannot beat her in badminton. Her humility and strong work ethic continue to inspire his approach to life and baseball.
Toru Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani’s father, Toru Ohtani, is a former outfielder who played for a corporate-sponsored baseball team in Japan. A shoulder injury and work responsibilities ended his playing career, leading him to focus on his family while working at a factory. Despite that, Toru remained deeply connected to the sport and became Shohei’s first and most influential coach.
Source: UGC
On the field, Shohei learned to see his father as a mentor rather than a parent. In the aforementioned Nippon Sports interview, he said:
Up until I reached high school, we probably spent more time together on the field than anywhere else. There was no special treatment… I didn’t think of [him] as my dad. He was first and foremost my coach.
Toru trained Shohei from early childhood, carefully tracking his progress and writing notes on how he could improve. His structured approach and high standards pushed Shohei Ohtani to give his best at all times. Toru’s commitment shaped Shohei’s mindset.
FAQs
- Who is Shohei Ohtani? Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball player known for excelling as both a pitcher and hitter in Major League Baseball.
- How old is Shohei Ohtani? Shohei Ohtani is 31 years old as of October 2025.
- Who is Shohei Ohtani’s sister? His sister, Yuka Ohtani, is a former volleyball player who now works as a nurse.
- Does Shohei Ohtani have a twin brother? Shohei Ohtani does not have a twin brother; his only brother is Ryuta Ohtani.
- What does Shohei Ohtani’s brother do? His brother, Ryuta Ohtani, is a baseball coach and the manager of Toyota East Japan’s corporate baseball team.
- Who is Shohei Ohtani’s father? Shohei Ohtani’s father is Toru Ohtani, a former corporate league baseball player and youth baseball coach.
- Who is Shohei Ohtani’s mother? His mother is Kayoko Ohtani, a former national-level badminton player from Japan.
The story of Shohei Ohtani’s siblings and parents highlight how strong family values can shape exceptional discipline and focus. Ryuta and Yuka Ohtani’s dedication to their own sports set the standard that Shohei followed in baseball. Their shared upbringing under athletic parents created an environment where effort and humility came before fame.
Legit.ng recently published an informative post about Dak Prescott's parents and siblings. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback’s parents, Nathaniel and Peggy Prescott, have been essential to his life and career.
Dak Prescott and his two siblings (Tad and Jase Prescott) were raised by their mother in Haughton, Louisiana. His parents separated when Dak was young, but continued co-parenting. Read on to discover how his parents and siblings shaped his life.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
