Michael J. Fox once said, “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” While some lucky few always remain close to their families, aims and aspirations take others thousands of miles away. Shohei Ohtani, MLB’s Japanese wonder, is pursuing his baseball dream away from his parents and siblings. But to him, the family that inspired that dream stays close to his heart.

Ohtani’s family can be spotted attending some of the Los Angeles Angels star’s games sometimes. Now that he’s essentially become the face of baseball, let’s take a look at the two-way sensation’s history.

Where was Ohtani born?

The boy who would grow up to be called baseball’s unicorn was born in Mizusawa, now part of Oshu, in the Iwate prefecture. Coming into the world on July 5th, 1994, no one could have predicted that the small baby would one day surpass Babe Ruth.

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Not remaining that tiny for long, the baby would eventually shoot up to 6 feet 4 inches and became one of the biggest names in Japan. Raised in the countryside, a young Shohei Ohtani was an active child, taking after his parents.

Who are Shohei’s parents?

Born to Toru and Kayoko Ohtani, Shohei had a relatively ordinary upbringing. His parents inculcated important values in him as a child that he still follows today. His mother, Kayoko, was born in Yokohama and went on to play badminton at the national level.

But the person who had the most impact on him was perhaps his father, Toru-kun. He coached his youngest son in baseball, enabling him to cultivate immense skill on both sides of the ball. Sho-time’s record-breaking stats are in huge part thanks to him.

What do Ohtani’s parents do?

As mentioned before, Kayoko Ohtani played badminton through high school, reaching the national level. Since then, she has played for non-professional clubs throughout the rest of her life. Toru Ohtani originally worked for a local automobile manufacturing plant, but was always interested in baseball.

An amateur player, he even played for the Japanese Industrial League. But he switched professions when a young Shohei started showing an avid interest in the sport too.

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As he entered junior high and enrolled at a club 45 minutes away from home, Toru Ohtani decided to coach that team. Easily receiving permission because of his history with the sport, the father taught his youngest son everything he knew. It was special because he had been unable to do it with his oldest child.

Does Ohtani have any siblings?

The youngest of three kids, Shohei Ohtani, has an older brother and a sister. The eldest child in the family, Ryuta, is also an amateur baseball player. Toru Ohtani has stated before that he regrets not doing enough to nurture Ryuta’s baseball talent.

His work and raising two other kids kept him busy. Toru feels that if perhaps he could have done more, who knows, Ryuta might have been competing with his brother today. But the past is the past, and the father gave everything he could to his youngest son.

Shohei also has an older sister named Yuka. According to some sources, she used to play volleyball and is now in the nursing profession.

Shohei was the youngest and most loved child

As is the case with any family, the youngest in the house usually gets the most love and attention. The older sibling(s) come under scrutiny for any wrongdoing the younger ones may indulge in. It’s an inescapable fate but fortunately for the Ohtanis, Shohei was not quite so mischievous.

With blossoming talent as a hitter as well as a pitcher, Sho-time’s personality bloomed too. Even today, the MLB world knows him as one of the friendliest guys in the sport.

Athleticism runs in the Ohtani family!

The child of two athletes, it was a given that Shohei would excel at some sport in his life. Although he’s a baseball prodigy today, the Angels player tried his hand at other games too. Kayoko Ohtani used to take him to badminton practice with her and naturally, Shohei had a good swing from the beginning.

Another activity he loved was swimming, and as he told Nippon.com, “I was always playing different sports and games. That’s how I learned to move and control my body.” 

All that running and playing around as a kid has given Ohtani excellent stamina to maintain his position as a pitcher as well as a hitter. As he wowed audiences in Japan before, now he continues to amaze the whole world.

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