List of Ryukyuans

This article lists notable Ryukyuans, the indigenous people of the Ryukyu Islands, they live in either Okinawa Prefecture, or Kagoshima Prefecture within Japan in East Asia.

Martial arts

• Sōkon Matsumura
• Ankō Itosu
• Ankō Asato
• Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū)
• Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan)
• Chōjun Miyagi (Gōjū-ryū)
• Chōki Motobu (Motobu-ryu)
• Tatsuo Shimabuku (Isshin-ryū)
• Kanbun Uechi (Uechi-ryū)
• Kentsū Yabu (Shōrin-ryū)

Academics, journalism, and literature

• Sai On
• Shō Shōken
• Tei Junsoku
• Iha Fuyū
• Higashionna Kanjun
• Ōta Chōfu, journalist
• Tatsuhiro Oshiro, novelist
• Kushi Fusako, novelist

Music

• Namie Amuro
• Begin
• Beni
• Cocco
• Da Pump
• Gackt, singer-songwriter and actor
• Chitose Hajime
• High and Mighty Color
• MAX
• Mongol800
• Orange Range
• Speed
• Stereopony

Visual arts

• Mao Ishikawa (born 1953), photographer
• Yuken Teruya (born 1973), sculptor, visual artist
• Chikako Yamashiro (born 1976), filmmaker

Entertainment

• Yui Aragaki (born 1988), model, actress, known for her role in the TV drama The Full-Time Wife Escapist
• Rino Nakasone, choreographer
• Fumi Nikaido, actress, model
• Manami Higa, actress known for her role in the film My Teacher

Sports

• Nagisa Arakaki (born 1980), baseball player
• Hideki Irabu (1969–2011), baseball player
• Yukiya Arashiro, bicycle racer
• Kazuki Ganaha, football
• Yoko Gushiken, boxer
• Akinobu Hiranaka, boxer
• Katsuo Tokashiki, boxer
• Daigo Higa (born 1995), boxer
• Ai Miyazato, golfer
• Ken Gushi, drifter

Ryukyuans in the diaspora

In Hawaii

• Ethel Azama (1934–1984) jazz singer of Okinawan descent
• Ryan Higa (born 1990), YouTuber
• David Ige (born 1957), former governor of Hawaii
• Yeiki Kobashigawa (1917–2005), U.S. World War II soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
• Yoshi Oyakawa (born 1933), Olympic gold medalist
• Jake Shimabukuro (born 1976), ukulele player

Other parts of the United States

• Kishi Bashi, musician
• Yuki Chikudate, singer
• Tamlyn Tomita, actor
• Brian Tee, actor
• Natasha Allegri, storyboard artist
• Dave Roberts, baseball player and coach
• Maya Higa, YouTuber and conservationist

In other countries

• Takeshi Kaneshiro, actor in Taiwan
• Sakura Miyawaki, singer in South Korea, member of the idol group Le Sserafim

Notable fictional characters

• Mr. Miyagi, played by Pat Morita from the Karate Kid trilogy
• Mugen from the anime series Samurai Champloo
• Mutsumi Otohime from the manga series Love Hina
• Maxi from the Soulcalibur series of video games
• Ryota Miyagi from the manga and anime series Slam Dunk
• Yuri Miyazono, the lead protagonist of the Witchblade: Ao no Shōjo novels
• Nanjo Takeshi, Arakaki Mari, and Ryuzuka, characters in the 1973 film Bodigaado Kiba: Hissatsu sankaku tobi
• Shisa from the manga and anime series Chiikawa