This is a list of Japanese Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants, but not Japanese nationals living or working in the US. The list includes a brief description of their reason for notability.
Arts and architecture Nina Akamu, artist Kichio Allen Arai (c. 1901–1966), architect Shusaku Arakawa (1936–2010), artist and architect Ruth Asawa (1926–2013), sculptor Norio Azuma (1928-2004), painter and serigraph artist Hideo Date (1907–2005), painter associated with Synchromism movement Isami Doi (1903–1965), printmaker and painter Paul Horiuchi (1906–1999), painter and collagist Miyoko Ito (1918–1983), painter and watercolorist Ben Kamihira (1924–2004), artist and teacher Jeff Matsuda, Emmy award-winning concept artist, comics artist, and animator John Matsudaira (1922–2007), painter George Matsumoto (1922–2016), architect and educator Jimmy Mirikitani (1920–2012), painter Luna H. Mitani, surrealist painter Robert Murase (1938–2005), world-renowned landscape architect Hashime Murayama (1879–1954), painter George Nakashima (1905–1990), Nisei, woodworker, architect, and furniture maker Hideo Noda (1908–1939), modernist painter and muralist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), artist, sculptor, designer Kenjiro Nomura (1896–1956), painter Chiura Obata (1885–1975), well-known artist and recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 5th Class, for promoting goodwill and cultural understanding between the United States and Japan Toshio Odate (born 1930), Japanese woodworker, sculptor, educator; born in Japan and moved to the United States in 1948. Arthur Okamura (1932–2009), California painter, illustrator and screen-printer associated with the San Francisco Renaissance Miné Okubo (1912–2001), Nisei, painter, author of Citizen 13660, her book documenting life during her confinement in the Japanese American internment Sueo Serisawa (1910–2004), Issei, Californian Impressionist artist Larry Shinoda, automotive designer noted for his work on the Corvette and the Boss 302 Mustang Toshiko Takaezu (1922–2011), born and died in Hawaii; ceramic artist and painter; known for closed pots and cylindrical vessels Adrian Tomine, graphic novelist (Shortcomings) George Tsutakawa (1910–1997), sculptor and painter Minoru Yamasaki (1912–1986), Nisei, architect, best known for the New York World Trade Center "Twin Towers" Ray Yoshida (1930–2009), painter and collagist, teacher at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an important mentor of the Chicago Imagists
Business and economics Barbara Adachi, principal at Deloitte Takeshi Amemiya (1935–2026), economist, Stanford professor Hiroaki Aoki, founder of Benihana Glen Fukushima, co-president and Representative Director, NCR Japan, Ltd., and former president, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Francis Fukuyama, political economist and political scientist Glen Gondo, businessman and founder of the Japan Festival of Houston. Kelly Goto, American entrepreneur and author specializing in user experience design and contextual research. Robert Hamada, Edward Eagle Brown Distinguished Service Professor of Finance; former Dean of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Walter Hamada, film executive and producer Jon Ikeda, automobile designer, Vice President and Brand Officer of Acura Wayne Inouye, former president and CEO of Gateway, Inc. Roy Kusumoto, founder of Solectron Darren Kimura, founder of Sopogy, inventor of MicroCSP technology Nobu Matsuhisa, founder of Nobu and Matsuhisa Fujimatsu Moriguchi (1898–1962), founder of Uwajimaya Bill Naito (1925–1996), prominent businessman in Portland, Oregon Alice Sae Teshima Noda (1894–1964), businesswoman, dental hygienist, and beauty industry entrepreneur Scott Oki, former Senior Vice President of sales and marketing at Microsoft William Saito, founder of I/O Software, Inc. (acquired by Microsoft in 2004), venture capitalist and public policy consultant Richard Sakai, producer and President of Gracie Films Miyoko Schinner, founder Miyoko's Creamery, chef and cookbook author George Shima (1864–1926), first Japanese American millionaire Gary A. Tanaka, financier Dave Tatsuno, businessman and filmmaker Kevin Tsujihara, CEO, Warner Brothers Ken Uston, blackjack player, strategist, and author
Entertainment Keiko Agena, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series) Jhene Aiko, singer/songwriter, maternal grandfather is Japanese-American (Nisei) Anna Akana, YouTube celebrity, actress/comedian, filmmaker, author Asa Akira, pornographic actress and director Toshiko Akiyoshi, Shin-Issei, musician, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader Shuko Akune, actress Daniella Alonso, actress; father is of part Japanese descent Sally Amaki, singer and voice actress, member of idol group 22/7 Ella Anderson, actress; is of 1/8th Japanese descent on her father's side Devon Aoki, model and actress; half Japanese Steve Aoki, house musician and record producer Tsuru Aoki (1892–1961), Issei, actress Gregg Araki, film director Reiko Aylesworth, actress known for portraying Michelle Dessler in TV Series 24; grandmother is Japanese Nadia Azzi, pianist Darren Barnet, actor Nichole Bloom, actress and model; mother is Japanese Kaylee Bryant, actress on Legacies (Okinawan via her grandfather) Kenji Bunch, composer and violist Artt Butler, voice actor; half Japanese Charlie Bushnell, actor; is of Costa Rican, Japanese and Irish descent Dean Cain, actor, best known for playing the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; paternal grandfather is of Japanese descent Asia Carrera, former pornographic actress; half Japanese Louis Ozawa Changchien, actor; half Japanese China Chow, actress and model (daughter of Tina Chow); 1/4 Japanese. Tina Chow, model and jewelry designer who was considered an influential fashion icon of the 1970s and 1980s; mother is Japanese mother Mark Dacascos, actor and martial artist; biological mother, Moriko McVey-Murray, is half Japanese. Ian Anthony Dale, actor (Mr. 3000); mother is Japanese, father is French-English Romi Dames, actress, voice artist Lynn Yamada "Lynja" Davis (1956–2024), chef and TikTok celebrity Marié Digby, singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist; half Japanese DJ Heavygrinder, disc jockey; mother is Japanese Yvonne Elliman, singer-songwriter; mother is Japanese Lieko English, model and actress. She is known for being Playboys Playmate of the Month in 1971. Maya Erskine, film actress; half Japanese Takayo Fischer, Nisei, actress Tak Fujimoto, Nisei, cinematographer of many Hollywood films, including The Silence of the Lambs and Ferris Bueller's Day Off Jun Fujita (1888–1963), Issei, silent movie actor, Essanay Studios of Chicago Koichi Fukuda, Static-X band member Karen Fukuhara, actress Cary Fukunaga, Emmy-award-winning filmmaker and writer known for directing & executive producing the first season of HBO series True Detective and for directing the 2021 James Bond film No Time to Die (father is 3rd generation Japanese American) Umi Garrett, pianist Rigel Gemini, music artist; one quarter Japanese Kimiko Glenn, actress and singer, known for portraying "Brook Soso" in the Netflix TV series Orange Is the New Black Alésia Glidewell, web series director, producer and voice actress. Known for providing face and body models in Portal and Portal 2, Left 4 Dead and other video games; mother is Japanese Griffin Gluck, film & TV actor; paternal grandmother is Japanese Tom Gorai, film producer Midori Gotō, classical violinist and recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize Ryu Goto, violinist Kina Grannis, singer-songwriter, guitarist and a YouTuber; mother is Japanese Conan Gray, singer-songwriter and social media personality; mother is Japanese Alice Greczyn, actress and model; part Japanese Ann Harada, actress (musical Avenue Q) Teri Harrison, model and actress. Playboys Playmate of the Month in October 2002; mother is half-Japanese Janet Hatta, actress; mother is Japanese Kayo Hatta (1958–2005), filmmaker (Sundance Award winner Picture Bride) Chris Hart, singer, songwriter, and producer Sessue Hayakawa (1886–1973), Issei, Academy Award-nominated actor Matt Heafy, lead vocalist of band Trivium; mother is Japanese Marie Helvin, fashion model; mother is Japanese Don Henrie, self-proclaimed vampire and an "Alt" on the short-lived Sci Fi Channel series Mad Mad House; half Japanese Ryan Higa, YouTube celebrity, actor, comedian, and producer Judith Hill, singer-songwriter, provided backing vocals for such artists as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Josh Groban; mother is Japanese Satoshi Hino, voice actor Kazu Hiro, Academy Award-winning special make-up effects artist and visual artist Remington Hoffman, actor; great-grandparents are Japanese James Holzhauer, Jeopardy! contestant and professional sports gambler; grandmother born in Japan Shizuko Hoshi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actress Glenn Howerton, actor, producer, screenwriter, and director, best known as Dennis Reynolds on the TV series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; born in Japan to American parents James Iha, guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle Suzee Ikeda, singer who was the first Asian-American solo artist at Motown. Best known for her work "behind the scenes" at Motown with such acts as Michael Jackson and The Temptations; father is Japanese Jeff Imada, actor, stuntman, stunt coordinator Grant Imahara (1970–2020), Yonsei, builder and host on MythBusters TV series on Discovery Channel Carrie Ann Inaba, dancer, actress Joe Inoue, pop and rock musician Brittany Ishibashi, TV and film actress Tatsuya Ishida, creator of the webcomic Sinfest Miki Ishikawa, actress Miyuki Melody Ishikawa, singer and former host of NHK World TV music show J-Melo Maryanne Ito, soul singer, songwriter, and performer Robert Ito, Nisei (Canadian-born), actor, best known as "Dr. Sam Fujiyama" on the TV series Quincy, M.E. Yuna Ito, singer and actress, also of half Korean descent Micah Iverson, musician and contestant from The Voice season 18; born and raised in Japan, later moved to the United States Mila J, singer, rapper, dancer; sister of Jhene Aiko Jadagrace, actress, dancer, and singer. She appeared in the 2009 film, Terminator Salvation; mother is Japanese-American Jero, born Jerome Charles White, Jr., enka singer in Japan; grandmother was Japanese Ben Jorgensen, musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Armor for Sleep; part Japanese Rodney Kageyama (1941–2018), Nisei, actor Stacy Kamano, TV actress known for her role on Baywatch; father is Japanese Janice Kawaye, voice actress Candace Kita, film and TV actress Hayley Kiyoko, actress, singer Ariane Koizumi, film actress Christina Kokubo, film and TV actress Hokuto Konishi, dancer and b-boy, member of the season three-winning crew on America's Best Dance Crew Mia Korf, film and TV actress; mother is Japanese Kane Kosugi, actor and martial artist, son of Sho Kosugi Sho Kosugi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor and martial artist Shin Koyamada, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor, producer, philanthropist, and martial artist Louisa Krause, film, stage, and television actress; father is of half-Japanese descent (from Okinawa, Japan) Emily Kuroda, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series) Karyn Kusama, director Clyde Kusatsu, actor George Kuwa (1885–1931), actor Bob Kuwahara, animator for Walt Disney and Terrytoons; created Hashimoto-san series Dan Kwong, performance artist, writer, playwright (Be Like Water) Jeff LaBar, guitarist of Cinderella Jake E. Lee, heavy metal guitarist, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and in his own band Badlands Sean Ono Lennon, Hapa Nisei, musician, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono James Hiroyuki Liao, actor; half Japanese