Before Shohei Ohtani became a baseball star, he already had a strong athlete at home. In a 2017 interview, Shohei was asked which parent was the better athlete. He chose his mother and said he still could not beat her at badminton.

Kayoko Ohtani played serious badminton before becoming the mother of the Los Angeles Dodgers star. She competed in Japan and later played for a company team while working a regular job.

She and her husband, Toru Ohtani, raised three children in Japan. Their home valued sport, work, family meals, and personal choice. Those values stayed the same even after Shohei became famous around the world.

Quick Bio

Who Is Kayoko Ohtani?

Kayoko Ohtani was born in 1963 and grew up in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Sport became a big part of her life when she was young.

She went to Yokohama Tateno High School and played badminton there. The school had a strong badminton program, so training took many hours.

Her day could include practice before class and more training after school. She often came home late because of the long practice schedule.

She competed at Japan’s Inter High level. She won matches at the national high school event but did not become one of Japan’s top badminton stars.

After school, she kept playing the sport.

Her Competitive Badminton Background

After high school, Kayoko Ohtani joined Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Yokohama. The company had a badminton team, so she could keep playing while working.

She worked during the day and trained after work. Some weekends also included practice or matches.

The company team played at the prefectural level. It also tried to earn places in national events. Badminton helped Kayoko build speed, balance, timing, and control.

Her skill later became part of a family joke.

When Shohei Ohtani spoke about his parents, he said his mother was the better athlete. He also said he still could not beat her at badminton.

Shohei made that comment after he had already become a top athlete.

Marriage to Toru Ohtani

Kayoko married Toru Ohtani, who also had a sports background.

Toru played baseball for a company team. He later worked in a factory and helped coach youth baseball.

The couple had three children. Their oldest son is Ryuta Ohtani. Their daughter is Yuka Ohtani, and Shohei Ohtani is the youngest.

Sport was common in the family. Ryuta also played baseball. Shohei spent time around baseball, badminton, swimming, and other activities.

The family later lived in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, where Shohei spent much of his childhood.

Kayoko Ohtani and Young Shohei

Badminton became part of Shohei’s early life because of his mother.

When he was young, Kayoko Ohtani sometimes took him to badminton practice. He played nearby and learned how to hold and swing a racket.

She saw that he could use the racket well with little help.

Shohei also took swimming lessons from kindergarten into elementary school. Swimming helped him build body control. Badminton gave him another sport that needed speed and good timing.

Baseball later became his main sport.

His father took a bigger role in baseball training. Toru Ohtani coached youth baseball and helped Shohei with throwing, hitting, and game habits.

Kayoko stayed close to daily family life while Shohei tried different sports.

Family Life in the Ohtani Home

The Ohtani family kept a simple home routine while the children grew up.

Before Shohei started elementary school, his mother worked from home. This gave her more time with the children.

She later took a part time job. She tried to keep weekends free when she could so she could spend time with the family.

The children often called her after school while she was at work.

Sometimes they asked what snack they could eat. Other times, they told her what had happened that day.

Family meals were also important.

The children often waited for Toru Ohtani to come home so they could eat together. On some days, they cooked food together at the table.

Shohei was thin as a child and did not always eat much. His mother tried to keep meals calm and pleasant.

How Did Kayoko Ohtani Raise Her Children?

Kayoko Ohtani helped her children without making every choice for them.

When they wanted to try something, she helped with what they needed. She could look for information, buy gear, or help with simple plans.

Big choices stayed with the children.

That style also appeared in Shohei’s baseball life. His parents gave him support, but they expected him to work for his own progress.

His father used baseball notebooks to talk with him about games. Shohei had to think about his mistakes and work on them.

His father did not give him playing time just because he was his son.

At home, both parents also tried not to argue in front of the children. They wanted the house to feel calm.

A Family That Valued Work

Work stayed important in the Ohtani family even after Shohei started earning a lot of money.

Kayoko Ohtani began part time work when Shohei was in elementary school. Reports later said she kept working after he became a pro baseball star.

Shohei moved to the United States in 2018 after joining the Los Angeles Angels.

His income grew as his career took off. In December 2023, he agreed to a 10 year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

His parents did not change their daily lives around his money.

Reports in Japan said they kept working and did not want to depend on Shohei’s income for normal costs.

Reports also said Shohei offered to help with large costs, such as housing. His parents chose to keep paying their own way.

Why Did Kayoko Ohtani Keep Working?

Her decision to keep working drew more attention after Shohei became famous.

Reports describe Kayoko Ohtani as someone who saw work as part of normal life. Her son’s wealth did not change that habit.

Shohei once asked how long she planned to keep working.

Her reply matched the values she had followed for years. She did not want to depend on her son only because he had become rich.

Some English posts later shared strong versions of quotes about her refusing Shohei’s money. The exact wording is not always the same. Japanese reports still support the main point that his parents kept working and did not depend on his wealth.

The family kept many of the same habits they had before fame.

Kayoko and Toru Ohtani’s Different Roles

Toru Ohtani played a direct role in Shohei’s baseball training.

His own baseball past helped him teach his son. He worked on skills, talked about games, and asked Shohei to study his own play.

Kayoko brought a different sports background.

Her sport was badminton, not baseball. She knew what hard practice felt like. She also knew how to balance work with sport.

She also handled much of the family’s daily routine.

The children grew up with two parents who had played serious sport. But the home did not center on fame.

Shohei became the family member whose sports career reached the world stage.

What Has Shohei Ohtani Said About His Mother?

One of Shohei’s best known comments about his mother came before he moved to Major League Baseball.

In a 2017 interview, he was asked which parent was the better athlete.

He chose his mother.

Shohei then joked that he still could not beat her in badminton.

The joke matched her real sports background. Kayoko Ohtani had spent years training and playing badminton at school and company level.

His bond with his parents was also clear when he entered Major League Baseball.

Kayoko and Toru Ohtani attended Shohei’s MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels on March 29, 2018, in Oakland.

Shohei got his first MLB hit in that game.

After the game, he said he planned to give the ball to his parents.

Shohei Ohtani’s Rise to Baseball Stardom

Shohei Ohtani was born on July 5, 1994, in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture.

He became both a pitcher and hitter. Very few players do both jobs at the top level.

He first became a star in Japan with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. He later moved to MLB and joined the Los Angeles Angels for the 2018 season.

His pitching and hitting made him one of the most watched players in baseball.

Shohei won major awards and broke records. His fame spread far beyond Japan and the United States.

He joined the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing his $700 million deal in December 2023.

His parents stayed much more private than their famous son.

Kayoko Ohtani’s Relationship With Her Children

The Ohtani children had room to follow different paths.

Ryuta Ohtani also shared the family’s interest in baseball and kept playing the sport.

Yuka Ohtani has stayed mostly out of public view.

Shohei became famous around the world, but his mother did not build her own public image around his career.

Most of her public comments have focused on family life, childhood memories, and sport.

She has kept a low profile.

That private style has remained part of the Ohtani family for years.

Facts About Kayoko Ohtani

• Born in 1963 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
• Played competitive badminton in high school.
• Attended Yokohama Tateno High School.
• Competed at Japan’s Inter High badminton event.
• Played badminton for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Yokohama.
• Married former company baseball player Toru Ohtani.
• Raised three children named Ryuta, Yuka, and Shohei.
• Took young Shohei with her to badminton practice.
• Started part time work when Shohei entered elementary school.
• Let her children make their own major choices.
• Kept working after Shohei became a rich baseball star.
• Attended Shohei’s MLB debut on March 29, 2018.
• Was called the better athlete by Shohei.

FAQs

Who is Kayoko Ohtani?

Kayoko Ohtani is the mother of baseball star Shohei Ohtani. She also played competitive badminton in Japan.

Was Shohei Ohtani’s mother a badminton player?

Yes. She played badminton in high school and reached Japan’s Inter High event. She later played for the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Yokohama company team.

Who is Kayoko Ohtani’s husband?

Her husband is Toru Ohtani, a former company baseball player. He later helped coach Shohei in youth baseball.

How many children do Kayoko and Toru Ohtani have?

They have three children: Ryuta Ohtani, Yuka Ohtani, and Shohei Ohtani. Shohei is the youngest.

Did Shohei Ohtani’s mother keep working after he became rich?

Yes. Reports in Japan said she kept her part time job after Shohei became a wealthy pro athlete. His parents also chose not to depend on his income.