Shohei Ohtani, the two-way baseball star often compared with Babe Ruth, is a professional baseball player from Japan who plays for the Dodgers, recently shattered the internet after the news of his marriage broke when his supposed wife showed up with him in Seoul, where the Dodgers were set to open the regular MLB season.
So who is Shohei Ohtani’s wife and how long have they been together? Let’s learn all the details about these newly wed love birds from Japan.
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Who Is Shohei Ohtani’s Wife?
Shohei Ohtani’s wife was instantly identified as the renowned former Japanese professional basketball player, Mamiko Tanaka, who began her career in 2019 for the Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women’s Japan Basketball League before eventually deciding to retire in 2023 after reaming at the top of her game and having a noteworthy career.
When questioned in an interview why she decided to take off so early, she replied “a lot of reasons why”.
Dossier
| Full Name | Mamiko Tanaka |
| Date Of Birth | December 11, 1996 |
| Hometown | Tokyo, Japan |
| Ethnicity | Japanese |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Height | 180 cm (5 feet 11 inches) |
| Weight | 70 kg (154 lbs) |
| Spouse | Shohei Ohtani |
| Net Worth | $1 Million |
Early Life And Family
Mamiko Tanaka was born on December 11, 1996, in the capital of Tokyo, Japan, in a middle class family. She was relatively taller than her peers from a very young age and the fact that her height gave her an advantage on court, it was natural for her to develop a firm love for the game of basketball.
Mamiko isn’t the only athlete in her household, she also has a younger brother who was born in 1994, named Shinichi Tanaka. He plays rugby for the Rico Black Rams in Japan and also has his own successful clothing brand on the side.
Education And Career
Mamiko Tanaka was a diverse athlete during her school days in Tokyo Seitoku University High School and excelled in various sports before finally deciding to set sail on her basketball journey. She pursued her higher education from Waseda University, where she played center. She has also represented the women’s national team twice along with representing Japan in various FIBA World Championships at the U16, U17, and U18 levels which definitely earned some recognition and fans at home.
In her last season in 2023, Tanaka averaged 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentages of 47.7% from the field and 69.9% from the free-throw.
How Did Shohei Ohtani And Mamiko Tanaka First Meet?
Although Shohei has a fuzzy memory about his first encounter with his wife Shoehei, the story goes something like- Ohtani and Tanaka first met while at a training facility a couple of years ago, where Ohtani was immediately mesmerized by the fun loving nature of Tanaka, especially after she greeted him as they were passing each other by. Then as fate has it, they saw each other more and more under a short span of three weeks which sparked their initial chemistry.
Shohei Ohtani And Mamiko Tanaka’s Relationship And Marriage
After that they both remained in touch and eventually got into a long distance relationship for at least two years before deciding to get married. “Shotime” eventually broke the news on Feb 29, 2024, in an interview without really revealing the identity of his new wife “Not only have I began a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have began a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married,”. However, he did describe her as the “Normal Japanese Woman”.
The world finally got introduced to her after photos of her alongside Mamiko on the airport in front of a plane were published via his social media and got disturbed among various media outlets.
Even Shohei was glad that she was in attendance during his match in Seoul and commented that “It is her first time coming with me to a game like this so I think it’s going to be really great memories for both of us”.
Conclusion
Shohei Ohtani has entered a new phase of his life with his lovely wife Mamiko Tanaka and they both seem very happy with their married life right now. We wish the Dodger’s superstar pitcher unlimited success, and a very happy and long marriage that adds to making his life more meaningful.
