Kobayashi

For other uses, see Kobayashi (disambiguation).

Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林, lit. 'small woods') is the 8th most common Japanese surname.^[1] A less common variant is 古林. Notable people with the surname include:

Arts

Film, television, theater and music

• Ai Kobayashi (小林 愛; born 1973), Japanese actress and voice actress
• Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二; 1930–1996), Japanese actor
• Akira Kobayashi (小林 旭; born 1938), Japanese actor
• Chiaki Kobayashi (小林 千晃; born 1994), Japanese voice actor
• Chikahiro Kobayashi (小林 親弘; born 1983), Japanese voice actor
• Haru Kobayashi (小林 ハル; 1900–2005), Japanese musician
• Katsuya Kobayashi (小林 且弥; born 1981), Japanese actor
• Kei Kobayashi (小林 希唯; born 1976), Japanese voice actress
• Keiju Kobayashi (小林 桂樹; 1923–2010), Japanese actor
• Kendo Kobayashi (ケンドーコバヤシ; born 1972), Japanese comedian and actor
• Kentarō Kobayashi (小林 賢太郎; born 1973), Japanese comedian, actor, dramaturge, theatre director and manga artist
• Kiyoshi Kobayashi (小林 清志; born 1933), Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator
• Masaki Kobayashi (小林 正樹; 1916–1996), Japanese film director
• Michitaka Kobayashi (小林 通孝; born 1955), Japanese voice actor
• Naoki Kobayashi (小林 直己; born 1984), Japanese dancer and actor
• Nenji Kobayashi (小林 稔侍; born 1941), Japanese actor
• Ryoko Kobayashi (小林 涼子; born 1989), Japanese actress
• Satomi Kobayashi (小林 聡美; born 1965), Japanese actress
• Sayaka Kobayashi (小林 さやか; born 1970), Japanese actress and voice actress
• Seidō Kobayashi (小林 正道; born 1944), Japanese musician
• Seiran Kobayashi (小林 星蘭; born 2004), Japanese actress
• Shigeo Kobayashi (小林 成男; born 1970), Japanese actor
• Yasuhiro Kobayashi (小林 靖宏; born 1959), Japanese musician
• Yui Kobayashi (小林 由依; born 1999), Japanese singer and model
• Yukiko Kobayashi (小林 夕岐子; born 1946), Japanese actress
• Yuko Kobayashi (小林 優子; born 1961), Japanese voice actress
• Yumiko Kobayashi (小林 由美子; born 1979), Japanese voice actress
• Yūsuke Kobayashi (小林 裕介; born 1985), Japanese voice actor

Literature

• Audrey Kobayashi (born 1951), Canadian geographer and writer
• Hideo Kobayashi (小林 秀雄; 1902–1983), Japanese writer and literary critic
• Katsuyo Kobayashi (小林 カツ代; 1937–2014), Japanese chef and food writer
• Kobayashi Issa (小林 一茶; 1763–1828), Japanese poet
• Takiji Kobayashi (小林 多喜二; 1903–1933), Japanese writer and communist
• Tamai Kobayashi (born 1966), Canadian writer
• Yasuko Kobayashi (小林 靖子; born 1965), Japanese screenwriter
• Yasumi Kobayashi (小林 泰三; born 1962), Japanese writer

Music

• Aika Kobayashi (小林 愛香; born 1993), Japanese singer and voice actress
• Aimi Kobayashi (小林 愛実; born 1995), Japanese classical pianist
• Chie Kobayashi (小林 千絵; born 1963), Japanese actress and singer
• Hana Kobayashi (born 1982), Venezuelan singer
• Kaori Kobayashi (小林 香織; born 1981), Japanese jazz saxophonist and flautist
• Key Kobayashi (小林 啓, Kobayashi Kei), Japanese music producer, better known as Kobametal
• Megumi Kobayashi (小林 恵; born 1977), Japanese model, actress and singer
• Ron Kobayashi, American jazz pianist
• Sachiko Kobayashi (小林 幸子; born 1953), Japanese enka singer and voice actress
• Sanae Kobayashi (小林 沙苗; born 1980), Japanese voice actress and singer
• Saori Kobayashi (小林 早織), Japanese video game composer and pianist
• Satoru Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Sumio Kobayashi (小林 純生; born 1982), Japanese classical composer
• Takeshi Kobayashi (小林 武史; born 1959), Japanese keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger and record producer
• Yo Kobayashi (小林 洋; born 1981), Japanese roboticist
• Yū Kobayashi (小林 ゆう; born 1982), Japanese voice actress and singer

Other artists

• Kobayashi Eitaku (小林 永濯; 1843–1890), Japanese artist
• Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林 清親; 1847–1915), Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker
• Kokei Kobayashi (小林 古径; 1883–1957), Japanese painter
• Jin Kobayashi (小林 尽; born 1977), Japanese manga artist
• Kobayashi Keisei (小林 敬生; born 1944), Japanese artist
• Kunio Kobayashi (bonsai artist) (小林 國雄 born 1948), Japanese bonsai artist
• Meison Kobayashi (小林 鳴村; 1889–?), Japanese photographer
• Motofumi Kobayashi (小林 源文; born 1951), Japanese manga artist
• Naomi Kobayashi (小林 尚美; born 1945), Japanese artist
• Norio Kobayashi (小林 のりお; born 1952), Japanese photographer
• Shinichiro Kobayashi (小林 伸一郎), Japanese photographer
• Robert Kobayashi (1925–2015), American artist
• Tomoki Kobayashi (小林 智樹), Japanese anime director
• Toshihiko Kobayashi (小林 俊彦), Japanese manga artist
• Tsuneo Kobayashi (小林 常夫; born 1965), Japanese anime director
• Yoshinori Kobayashi (小林 善範; born 1953), Japanese manga artist
• Yūshi Kobayashi (小林 祐史; 1898–1988), Japanese photographer

Military

• Kobayashi Torasaburō (小林 虎三郎; 1828–1877), Japanese samurai
• Masami Kobayashi (小林 仁; 1890–1977), Imperial Japanese Navy admiral
• Seizō Kobayashi (小林 躋造; 1877–1962), Imperial Japanese Navy admiral and Governor-General of Taiwan

Politics and law

• Ann Kobayashi (born 1937), American politician and businesswoman
• Bert T. Kobayashi (1916–2005), Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii
• Bertrand Kobayashi (fl. 2010s), American politician
• Leslie E. Kobayashi (born 1957), American judge
• Kazumi Kobayashi (小林 一三; born 1936), Japanese politician, 6th Mayor of Niitsu, Niigata
• Masao Kobayashi (小林 正夫; born 1947), Japanese politician
• Mieko Kobayashi (小林 美恵子; born 1958), Japanese politician

Scientists and engineers

• Albert S. Kobayashi (1924–2025), American engineer and scientist
• Hisashi Kobayashi (小林 久志; 1938–2023), Japanese electrical engineer and computer scientist
• Kevin Wesley Kobayashi, American engineer
• Kiyoshi Kobayashi (professor) (小林 潔司), Japanese academic
• Makoto Kobayashi (小林 誠 born 1944), Japanese physicist
• Riki Kobayashi (1924–2013), American chemical engineer
• Shoshichi Kobayashi (小林 昭七; 1932–2012), Japanese-American mathematician
• Takao Kobayashi (小林 隆男; born 1961), Japanese amateur astronomer
• Tatsuo Kobayashi (小林 龍生; born 1951), Japanese computer scientist
• Toru Kobayashi (小林 徹), Japanese astronomer
• Toshiyuki Kobayashi (小林 俊行; born 1962), Japanese mathematician

Sports

Baseball

• Masahide Kobayashi (小林 雅英; born 1974), Japanese baseball player
• Ryokan Kobayashi (小林 亮寛; born 1979), Japanese baseball player
• Seiji Kobayashi (小林 誠司; born 1989), Japanese baseball player
• Shigeru Kobayashi (小林 繁; 1952–2010), Japanese baseball player

Football (soccer)

• Daigo Kobayashi (小林 大悟; born 1983), Japanese footballer
• George Kobayashi (小林 ジョージ; born 1947), Japanese footballer
• Hiroki Kobayashi (小林 弘記; born 1977), Japanese footballer
• Hiroki Kobayashi (footballer, born 1992), Japanese footballer
• Jun Kobayashi (小林 洵; born 1999), Japanese footballer
• Kan Kobayashi (小林 幹; born 1999), Japanese footballer
• Masamitsu Kobayashi (小林 成光; born 1978), Japanese footballer
• Minoru Kobayashi (小林 稔; born 1976), Japanese footballer
• Paulinho Kobayashi (born 1970), Brazilian footballer
• Rikako Kobayashi (小林 里歌子; born 1997), Japanese women's footballer
• Riku Kobayashi (小林 里駆; born 2001), Japanese footballer
• Ryo Kobayashi (小林 亮; born 1982), Japanese footballer
• Ryota Kobayashi (小林 亮太; born 1988), Japanese footballer
• Seigo Kobayashi (小林 成豪; born 1994), Japanese footballer
• Shinji Kobayashi (小林 伸二; born 1960), Japanese footballer and manager
• Shota Kobayashi (古林 将太; born 1991), Japanese footballer
• Tadao Kobayashi (小林 忠生; born 1930), Japanese footballer and manager
• Tatsuki Kobayashi (小林 竜樹; born 1985), Japanese footballer
• Teruaki Kobayashi (小林 久晃; born 1979), Japanese footballer
• Yasutaka Kobayashi (小林 康剛; born 1980), Japanese footballer
• Yayoi Kobayashi (小林 弥生; born 1981), Japanese women's footballer
• Yoshiyuki Kobayashi (小林 慶行; born 1978), Japanese footballer
• Yōsuke Kobayashi (小林 陽介; born 1983), Japanese footballer
• Yu Kobayashi (footballer) (小林 悠; born 1987), Japanese footballer
• Yugo Kobayashi (footballer) (born 1991), Japanese footballer
• Yuki Kobayashi (football, born 2000), Japanese footballer
• Yuzo Kobayashi (小林 祐三; born 1985), Japanese footballer

Mind sports

• Izumi Kobayashi (小林 泉美; born 1977), Japanese Go player
• Kenji Kobayashi (小林 健二; born 1957), Japanese shogi player
• Koichi Kobayashi (小林 光一; born 1952), Japanese Go player
• Reiko Kobayashi (Go player) (小林 禮子; 1939–1996), Japanese Go player

Winter sports

• Junshirō Kobayashi (小林 潤志郎; born 1991), Japanese ski jumper
• Miki Kobayashi (小林 美貴; born 1987), Japanese biathlete
• Norihito Kobayashi (小林 範仁; born 1982), Japanese Nordic combined skier
• Reiko Kobayashi (小林 れい子; born 1961), Japanese figure skater and coach
• Ryōyū Kobayashi (小林 陵侑; born 1996), Japanese ski jumper
• Ryuichi Kobayashi (小林 竜一; born 1976), Japanese bobsledder

Wrestling

• Abdullah Kobayashi (アブドーラ小林; born 1976), or Yosuke Kobayashi, Japanese professional wrestler
• Eita Kobayashi (小林 瑛太; born 1991), Japanese professional wrestler
• Kaho Kobayashi (小林 香萌; born 1992), Japanese professional wrestler
• Kenta Kobayashi (小林 健太; born 1981), also known as Hideo Itami, Japanese professional wrestler
• Kuniaki Kobayashi (小林 邦昭; born 1956), Japanese professional wrestler
• Takeshi Kobayashi (wrestler) (小林 武; born 1948), Japanese sport wrestler

Other athletes

• Chisa Kobayashi (小林 千紗; born 1987), Japanese synchronized swimmer
• Celes Kobayashi (born 1974), Japanese boxer
• Daisuke Kobayashi (小林 大祐; born 1987), Japanese basketball player
• Dawn Kobayashi (born 1971), Jamaican sport shooter
• Etsuko Kobayashi (born 1992), Japanese cricketer
• Fujio Kobayashi (小林 富士夫; born 1944), Japanese golfer
• Fumikazu Kobayashi (小林 史和; born 1978), Japanese middle-distance runner
• Hideo Kobayashi (canoeist) (小林 英男; born 1943), Japanese sprint canoeist
• Hiroko Kobayashi (小林 弘子; born 1970), Japanese slalom canoeist
• Kai Kobayashi (小林 快; born 1993), Japanese racewalker
• Kamui Kobayashi (小林 可夢偉; born 1986), racing driver
• Kazuo Kobayashi (小林 一男; 1908–?), Japanese diver
• Kenya Kobayashi (小林 研也; born 1983), Japanese gymnast
• Kunio Kobayashi (karateka) (小林 國雄 born 1967), Japanese karateka
• Maki Kobayashi (小林 眞樹; born 1965), Japanese rower
• Marino Kobayashi (小林 海; born 1994), Japanese cyclist
• Masanori Kobayashi (小林 正則; born 1976), Japanese golfer
• Misaki Kobayashi (小林 海咲; born 1990), Japanese squash player
• Miwako Kobayashi (小林 美和子; born 1952), Japanese swimmer
• Nobuaki Kobayashi (小林 伸明; 1942–2019), Japanese three-cushion billiards player
• Royal Kobayashi (born 1949), Japanese boxer
• Ryosei Kobayashi (born 1994), Japanese squash player
• Susumu Kobayashi (小林 晋; born 1973), Japanese sport shooter
• Takako Kobayashi (小林 貴子; born 1968), Japanese judoka
• Takeru Kobayashi (小林 尊; born 1978), Japanese competitive eater
• Yasuo Kobayashi (小林 保雄; born 1936), Japanese aikidoka
• Yoshimi Kobayashi (小林 良美; born 1968), Japanese softball player
• Yugo Kobayashi (小林 優吾; born 1995), Japanese badminton player
• Yuka Kobayashi (小林 優香; born 1994), Japanese cyclist
• Yuriko Kobayashi (小林 祐梨子; born 1988), Japanese middle- and long-distance runner
• Yuta Kobayashi (小林 祐太; born 1987), Japanese basketball player

Others

• Emi Kobayashi (小林 恵美; born 1983), Japanese gravure idol
• Hannah Kobayashi (born 1994), American missing person
• Hitomi Kobayashi (小林 ひとみ; born 1965), Japanese AV idol
• Ichizō Kobayashi (小林 一三; 1873–1957), Japanese industrialist
• Kana Kobayashi (小林 香菜; born 1991), Japanese idol
• Keiichiro Kobayashi (小林 慶一郎; born 1966), Japanese economist
• Ken Kobayashi (小林 健; born 1949), Japanese businessman
• Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi (小林 研一郎; born 1940), Japanese conductor and composer
• Sanzaburo Kobayashi (小林 参三郎, 1863–1926), Japanese surgeon
• Maya Kobayashi (小林 麻耶; born 1979), Japanese journalist
• Yotaro Kobayashi (小林 陽太郎; 1933–2015), Japanese businessman
• Yumi Kobayashi (小林 優美; born 1988), Japanese fashion model

Fictional characters

• Kobayashi (小林), a character in the manga series The Law of Ueki
• Kobayashi (小林), the protagonist in the manga series Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
• Kobayashi, a character in the film The Usual Suspects
• Akane Kobayashi (小林 あかね), a character in the manga series Doki Doki School Hours
• Amiko Kobayashi, a character in Marvel Comics
• Atari Kobayashi, a character in the film Isle of Dogs
• Daigo Kobayashi, a character in the film Departures
• Hayato Kobayashi (ハヤト・コバヤシ), a character in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam
• Hitomonji Kobayashi (小林 一文字), a character in the manga series Cheeky Angel
• Hatoko Kobayashi (小林 鳩子) and Kotaro Kobayashi (小林 虎太郎), characters in the manga series Angelic Layer
• Koji Kobayashi, a character in the film Godzilla Raids Again
• Masafumi Kobayashi, a character in the film Noroi: The Curse
• Matcha Kobayashi (小林 抹茶), a character in the media franchise Project 575
• Rin Kobayashi (小林 輪), a character in the manga series Please Save My Earth
• Sanpeita Kobayashi (小林 三平太), protagonist of the manga series Kemeko Deluxe!
• Sashi Kobayashi, a character in the Disney XD animated series Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero
• Sumiko Kobayashi (小林 澄子), a character in the manga series Case Closed
• Tamami Kobayashi (小林 玉美) a side character in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
• Washu Kobayashi (小林 鷲羽), also known as Washu Hakubi, a character in Tenchi Muyō! media

See also

• Akiko Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Atsushi Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Fumiaki Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Hideaki Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Hirokazu Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Hiromi Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Hiroshi Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Hiroyuki Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Kaoru Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Kōji Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Makoto Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Mao Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Masahiro Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Masato Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Miyuki Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Osamu Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Takashi Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Yuki Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Yūsuke Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
• Yutaka Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people