# Arai (surname)

Arai (written: 新井 or 荒井) is a Japanese surname.
"新井" means "new well.” "荒井" means "well in the wilderness".
Notable people with the surname include:
* Akino Arai (新居 昭乃, born 1959), Japanese singer and lyricist
* Alberto Arai (1915–1955), Mexican architect and writer
* Atsushi Arai (荒井 陸, born 1994), Japanese water polo player
* Etsuji Arai (新井 悦二, born 1957), Japanese politician, younger brother of Iemitsu Arai
* Hakuseki Arai (新井 白石, 1657–1725), Japanese scholar and politician
* Haruhiko Arai (荒井 晴彦, born 1947), Japanese screenwriter
* Hideki Arai (新井 英樹, born 1963), Japanese manga artist
* Hirofumi Arai (新井 浩文, born 1979), Japanese actor
* Hiroyuki Arai (荒井 広幸, born 1958), Japanese politician
* Iemitsu Arai (新井 家光, born 1955), Japanese politician, older brother of Etsuji Arai
* Ikunosuke Arai (荒井 郁之助, 1836–1909), Japanese samurai
* Izumi Arai (新井 泉) (born 1964), birthname of Japanese singer and actress Minami Takayama (高山 みなみ)
* Kenichiro Arai (新井 健一郎, born 1972), Japanese male professional wrestler
* Kenji Arai (新井 健二, born 1978), Japanese football player
* Kikuo Arai (新井 規矩雄, born 1943), Japanese male golfer
* Kiyoko Arai (あらい きよこ), Japanese manga artist
* Kozo Arai (荒井 公三, born 1950), Japanese retired football player
* Maki Arai (新井 麻葵, born 1982), Japanese women's tennis player
* Mao Arai (新井 万央, born 2003), Japanese judoka
* Marie Arai (荒井 万里絵, born 1981), Japanese female pair skater
* Masao Arai (荒井 政雄, born 1949), Japanese male wrestler
* Masaru Arai (新井 優, born 1952), Japanese astronomer
* Matsuri Arai (荒井 祭里, born 2001), Japanese diver
* Motoko Arai (新井 素子, born 1960), Japanese science fiction writer
* Nanao Arai (荒井 菜々緒, born 1998), Japanese model and actress
* Naoto Arai (新井 直人, born 1996), Japanese footballer
* Nobuaki Arai (荒井 修光, born 1973), Japanese baseball player
* Nobuo Arai (新井 信男, 1909–1990), Japanese male freestyle swimmer
* Noriko Arai (荒井 のり子, born 1973), Japanese female wheelchair racer
* Noriko H. Arai (新井 紀子, born 1962), Japanese mathematical logician and artificial intelligence researcher
* Ryohei Arai (disambiguation), multiple people
* Arai Ryoichiro (新井 領一郎, 1855–1939), Japanese businessman
* Ryōji Arai (荒井 良二, born 1956), Japanese illustrator
* Ryota Arai (新井 良太, born 1983), Japanese baseball player
* Sasagu Arai (荒井 献, born 1930), Japanese Biblical scholar
* Satomi Arai (新井 里美, born 1980), Japanese voice actress
* Satoshi Arai (荒井 聰, born 1946), Japanese politician
* Shigeo Arai (新井 茂雄, 1916–1944), Japanese male freestyle swimmer
* Shōgo Arai (荒井 正吾, born 1945), Japanese politician
* Shota Arai (disambiguation), multiple people
* Shoichi Arai (荒井 昌一, 1965–2002), Japanese professional wrestler promoter
* Takahiro Arai (新井 貴浩, born 1977), Japanese baseball player
* Takako Arai (新井 貴子, born 1990), Japanese beauty pageant contestant
* Tatsunori Arai (新居 辰基, born 1983), Japanese football player
* Tatsuo Arai (長井 研究室), Japanese engineer
* Tatsuya Arai (新井 辰也, born 1988), Japanese football player
* Toshi Arai (新井 敏弘, born 1966), Japanese rally driver and team owner
* Yuko Arai (新井 祐子, born 1973), Japanese female fencer
* Yumi Arai (荒井 由実) (born 1954), birthname of Japanese musician Yumi Matsutoya (松任谷 由実)
* Zack Arai, Japanese adult video director