Who is Mamiko Tanaka? All you need to know about Shohei Ohtani’s wife

When Shohei Ohtani announced via Instagram that he had gotten married to “someone from my Native country Japan” and that she was “a normal Japanese woman,” media and fans were full of questions. Who could have captured the heart of one of the sporting world’s most eligible bachelor.

Well, now all has been revealed, and while Mrs Ohtani is perhaps not a household name, at least on this side of the Pacific, she can never be described as just an ordinary woman.

Mamiko Tanaka is a high-profile Japanese athlete herself as a professional basketball player for the Fujitsu Red Wave. The 27-year-old Tanaka stands at 5 feet, 11 inches and posted 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, averaging 24 minutes of playing time.

WNBA draft eligible, Tanaka finished college at Waseeda University in 2018, but opted to stay and play in Japan instead.

Mamiko’s profile on the International Basketball Federation website shows that she represented Japan in the U16 and U18 Asia championships and U17 world championship between 2011 and 2014.

The world got their first glimpse of the married couple as the Dodgers boarded their flight to South Korea ahead of the MLB season opener dubbed the Seoul Series.

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As the Dodgers arrived in Seoul, Ohtani’s Los Angeles team mates are caught in the center of this swirling media circus and even for stars accustomed to the spotlight, this is at another level. “It’s been crazy,” said Dodgers outfielder James Outman. “I’m telling you, he’s like Elvis. Everyone screams just getting a glimpse of him.”

For Mamiko Tanaka, Ohtani-mania has just begun. Fans everywhere hope that the couple can maintain their private lives, away from the spotlight as much as possible. Shohei is notoriously reticent to speak to the press and fans everywhere generally respect that decision. It is part of what makes us love him. Hopefully, that blanket of protection can extend to his wife as well.