Yamanaka (written: ; lit: "middle of mountain") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: Akira Joe Yamanaka, singer for the Flower Travellin' Band Akiko Yamanaka (born 1945), Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party Chihiro Yamanaka, Japanese jazz pianist and composer Daichi Yamanaka (born 1990), Japanese speed-skater Hirofumi Yamanaka (born 1985), professional Japanese baseball player Hiroko Yamanaka (born 1978), retired Japanese female mixed martial arts fighter Lisa Yamanaka, Japanese Canadian actress and voice actress Lois-Ann Yamanaka (born 1961), Japanese American poet and novelist from Hawaii Miwako Yamanaka (born 1978), retired Japanese long-distance runner , Japanese female table tennis player Norio Yamanaka (born 1928) , Japanese diver Ryoji Yamanaka (born 1983), former Japanese football player Ryosuke Yamanaka (born 1993), Japanese football player , Japanese footballer Ryuya Yamanaka (born 1995), Japanese boxer Sadajirō Yamanaka (1866-1936), Japanese art dealer Sadao Yamanaka (1909–1938), Japanese film director and screenwriter Sawao Yamanaka (born 1968), the frontman of the bands The Pillows Seiko Yamanaka (born 1989), Japanese football player Shino Yamanaka (born 1990), Japanese modern pentathlete Shinsuke Yamanaka (born 1982), Japanese professional boxer Shinya Yamanaka (born 1962), Japanese Nobel Prize-winning stem cell researcher , Japanese ice hockey player Tsuyoshi Yamanaka (born 1939), Japanese olympic swimmer Yamanaka Yukimori (1545–1578), Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period Fictional characters Ino Yamanaka, a character in the Naruto Anime and Manga Inoichi Yamanaka, a character in the Naruto Anime and Manga Sawako Yamanaka, a character in the K-ON! Anime and Manga See also Yamanaka, Ishikawa, former town located in Enuma District Meiden-Yamanaka Station, train station located in Okazaki Lake Yamanaka, one of the Fuji Five Lakes in Japan Yamanaka factors, regulators in cell reprogramming. Japanese-language surnames