# Kobayashi

Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林, lit. 'small woods') is the 8th most common Japanese surname. A less common variant is 古林. Notable people with the surname include:

## Arts
### Film, television, theater and music

* Ai Kobayashi (小林 愛, born 1973), Japanese actress and voice actress
* Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二, 1930–1996), Japanese actor
* Akira Kobayashi (小林 旭, born 1938), Japanese actor
* Chiaki Kobayashi (小林 千晃, born 1994), Japanese voice actor
* Chikahiro Kobayashi (小林 親弘, born 1983), Japanese voice actor
* Haru Kobayashi (小林 ハル, 1900–2005), Japanese musician
* Katsuya Kobayashi (小林 且弥, born 1981), Japanese actor
* Kei Kobayashi (小林 希唯, born 1976), Japanese voice actress
* Keiju Kobayashi (小林 桂樹, 1923–2010), Japanese actor
* Kendo Kobayashi (ケンドーコバヤシ, born 1972), Japanese comedian and actor
* Kentarō Kobayashi (小林 賢太郎, born 1973), Japanese comedian, actor, dramaturge, theatre director and manga artist
* Kiyoshi Kobayashi (小林 清志, born 1933), Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator
* Masaki Kobayashi (小林 正樹, 1916–1996), Japanese film director
* Michitaka Kobayashi (小林 通孝, born 1955), Japanese voice actor
* Naoki Kobayashi (小林 直己, born 1984), Japanese dancer and actor
* Nenji Kobayashi (小林 稔侍, born 1941), Japanese actor
* Ryoko Kobayashi (小林 涼子, born 1989), Japanese actress
* Satomi Kobayashi (小林 聡美, born 1965), Japanese actress
* Sayaka Kobayashi (小林 さやか, born 1970), Japanese actress and voice actress
* Seidō Kobayashi (小林 正道, born 1944), Japanese musician
* Seiran Kobayashi (小林 星蘭, born 2004), Japanese actress
* Shigeo Kobayashi (小林 成男, born 1970), Japanese actor
* Yasuhiro Kobayashi (小林 靖宏, born 1959), Japanese musician
* Yui Kobayashi (小林 由依, born 1999), Japanese singer and model
* Yukiko Kobayashi (小林 夕岐子, born 1946), Japanese actress
* Yuko Kobayashi (小林 優子, born 1961), Japanese voice actress
* Yumiko Kobayashi (小林 由美子, born 1979), Japanese voice actress
* Yūsuke Kobayashi (小林 裕介, born 1985), Japanese voice actor

### Literature

* Audrey Kobayashi (born 1951), Canadian geographer and writer
* Hideo Kobayashi (小林 秀雄, 1902–1983), Japanese writer and literary critic
* Katsuyo Kobayashi (小林 カツ代, 1937–2014), Japanese chef and food writer
* Kobayashi Issa (小林 一茶, 1763–1828), Japanese poet
* Takiji Kobayashi (小林 多喜二, 1903–1933), Japanese writer and communist
* Tamai Kobayashi (born 1965), Canadian writer
* Yasuko Kobayashi (小林 靖子, born 1965), Japanese screenwriter
* Yasumi Kobayashi (小林 泰三, born 1962), Japanese writer

### Music

* Aika Kobayashi (小林 愛香, born 1993), Japanese singer and voice actress
* Aimi Kobayashi (小林 愛実, born 1995), Japanese classical pianist
* Chie Kobayashi (小林 千絵, born 1963), Japanese actress and singer
* Hana Kobayashi (born 1982), Venezuelan singer
* Kaori Kobayashi (小林 香織, born 1981), Japanese jazz saxophonist and flautist
* Key Kobayashi (小林 啓, Kobayashi Kei), Japanese music producer, better known as Kobametal
* Megumi Kobayashi (小林 恵, born 1977), Japanese model, actress and singer
* Ron Kobayashi, American jazz pianist
* Sachiko Kobayashi (小林 幸子, born 1953), Japanese enka singer and voice actress
* Sanae Kobayashi (小林 沙苗, born 1980), Japanese voice actress and singer
* Saori Kobayashi (小林 早織), Japanese video game composer and pianist
* Satoru Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
* Sumio Kobayashi (小林 純生, born 1982), Japanese classical composer
* Takeshi Kobayashi (小林 武史, born 1959), Japanese keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger and record producer
* Yo Kobayashi (小林 洋, born 1981), Japanese roboticist
* Yū Kobayashi (小林 ゆう, born 1982), Japanese voice actress and singer

### Other artists

* Kobayashi Eitaku (小林 永濯, 1843–1890), Japanese artist
* Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林 清親, 1847–1915), Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker
* Kokei Kobayashi (小林 古径, 1883–1957), Japanese painter
* Jin Kobayashi (小林 尽, born 1977), Japanese manga artist
* Kobayashi Keisei (小林 敬生, born 1944), Japanese artist
* Kunio Kobayashi (bonsai artist) (小林 國雄 born 1948), Japanese bonsai artist
* Meison Kobayashi (小林 鳴村, 1889–?), Japanese photographer
* Motofumi Kobayashi (小林 源文, born 1951), Japanese manga artist
* Naomi Kobayashi (小林 尚美, born 1945), Japanese artist
* Norio Kobayashi (小林 のりお, born 1952), Japanese photographer
* Shinichiro Kobayashi (小林 伸一郎), Japanese photographer
* Robert Kobayashi (1925–2015), American artist
* Tomoki Kobayashi (小林 智樹), Japanese anime director
* Toshihiko Kobayashi (小林 俊彦), Japanese manga artist
* Tsuneo Kobayashi (小林 常夫, born 1965), Japanese anime director
* Yoshinori Kobayashi (小林 善範, born 1953), Japanese manga artist
* Yūshi Kobayashi (小林 祐史, 1898–1988), Japanese photographer

## Military

* Kobayashi Torasaburō (小林 虎三郎, 1828–1877), Japanese samurai
* Masami Kobayashi (小林 仁, 1890–1977), Imperial Japanese Navy admiral
* Seizō Kobayashi (小林 躋造, 1877–1962), Imperial Japanese Navy admiral and Governor-General of Taiwan

## Politics and law

* Ann Kobayashi (born 1937), American politician and businesswoman
* Bert T. Kobayashi (1916–2005), Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii
* Bertrand Kobayashi (fl. 2010s), American politician
* Leslie E. Kobayashi (born 1957), American judge
* Kazumi Kobayashi (小林 一三, born 1936), Japanese politician, 6th Mayor of Niitsu, Niigata
* Masao Kobayashi (小林 正夫, born 1947), Japanese politician
* Mieko Kobayashi (小林 美恵子, born 1958), Japanese politician

## Scientists and engineers

* Hisashi Kobayashi (小林 久志, born 1938), Japanese electrical engineer and computer scientist
* Kevin Wesley Kobayashi, American engineer
* Kiyoshi Kobayashi (professor) (小林 潔司), Japanese academic
* Shoshichi Kobayashi (小林 昭七, 1932–2012), Japanese-American mathematician
* Riki Kobayashi (1924–2013), American chemical engineer
* Makoto Kobayashi (小林 誠 born 1944), Japanese physicist
* Takao Kobayashi (小林 隆男, born 1961), Japanese amateur astronomer
* Tatsuo Kobayashi (小林 龍生, born 1951), Japanese computer scientist
* Toru Kobayashi (小林 徹), Japanese astronomer
* Toshiyuki Kobayashi (小林 俊行, born 1962), Japanese mathematician

## Sports
### Baseball

* Masahide Kobayashi (小林 雅英, born 1974), Japanese baseball player
* Ryokan Kobayashi (小林 亮寛, born 1979), Japanese baseball player
* Seiji Kobayashi (小林 誠司, born 1989), Japanese baseball player
* Shigeru Kobayashi (小林 繁, 1952–2010), Japanese baseball player

### Football (soccer)

* Daigo Kobayashi (小林 大悟, born 1983), Japanese footballer
* Fumiya Kobayashi (小林 史八, born 1987), Japanese footballer
* George Kobayashi (小林 ジョージ, born 1947), Japanese footballer
* Hiroki Kobayashi (小林 弘記, born 1977), Japanese footballer
* Hiroki Kobayashi (footballer, born 1992), Japanese footballer
* Jun Kobayashi (小林 洵, born 1999), Japanese footballer
* Kan Kobayashi (小林 幹, born 1999), Japanese footballer
* Masamitsu Kobayashi (小林 成光, born 1978), Japanese footballer
* Minoru Kobayashi (小林 稔, born 1976), Japanese footballer
* Paulinho Kobayashi (born 1970), Brazilian footballer
* Rikako Kobayashi (小林 里歌子, born 1997), Japanese women's footballer
* Riku Kobayashi (小林 里駆, born 2001), Japanese footballer
* Ryo Kobayashi (小林 亮, born 1982), Japanese footballer
* Ryota Kobayashi (小林 亮太, born 1988), Japanese footballer
* Seigo Kobayashi (小林 成豪, born 1994), Japanese footballer
* Shinji Kobayashi (小林 伸二, born 1960), Japanese footballer and manager
* Shota Kobayashi (古林 将太, born 1991), Japanese footballer
* Tadao Kobayashi (小林 忠生, born 1930), Japanese footballer and manager
* Takamichi Kobayashi (小林 高道, born 1979), Japanese footballer
* Tatsuki Kobayashi (小林 竜樹, born 1985), Japanese footballer
* Teruaki Kobayashi (小林 久晃, born 1979), Japanese footballer
* Yasutaka Kobayashi (小林 康剛, born 1980), Japanese footballer
* Yayoi Kobayashi (小林 弥生, born 1981), Japanese women's footballer
* Yoshiyuki Kobayashi (小林 慶行, born 1978), Japanese footballer
* Yōsuke Kobayashi (小林 陽介, born 1983), Japanese footballer
* Yu Kobayashi (footballer) (小林 悠, born 1987), Japanese footballer
* Yugo Kobayashi (footballer) (born 1991), Japanese footballer
* Yuki Kobayashi (football, born 2000), Japanese footballer
* Yuzo Kobayashi (小林 祐三, born 1985), Japanese footballer
* Zach Kobayashi (born 1997), American soccer player

### Mind sports

* Izumi Kobayashi (小林 泉美, born 1977), Japanese Go player
* Kenji Kobayashi (小林 健二, born 1957), Japanese shogi player
* Koichi Kobayashi (小林 光一, born 1952), Japanese Go player
* Reiko Kobayashi (Go player) (小林 禮子, 1939–1996), Japanese Go player

### Winter sports

* Junshirō Kobayashi (小林 潤志郎, born 1991), Japanese ski jumper
* Miki Kobayashi (小林 美貴, born 1987), Japanese biathlete
* Norihito Kobayashi (小林 範仁, born 1982), Japanese Nordic combined skier
* Reiko Kobayashi (小林 れい子, born 1961), Japanese figure skater and coach
* Ryōyū Kobayashi (小林 陵侑, born 1996), Japanese ski jumper
* Ryuichi Kobayashi (小林 竜一, born 1976), Japanese bobsledder

### Wrestling

* Abdullah Kobayashi (アブドーラ小林, born 1976), or Yosuke Kobayashi, Japanese professional wrestler
* Eita Kobayashi (小林 瑛太, born 1991), Japanese professional wrestler
* Kaho Kobayashi (小林 香萌, born 1992), Japanese professional wrestler
* Kenta Kobayashi (小林 健太, born 1981), also known as Hideo Itami, Japanese professional wrestler
* Kuniaki Kobayashi (小林 邦昭, born 1956), Japanese professional wrestler
* Takeshi Kobayashi (wrestler) (小林 武, born 1948), Japanese sport wrestler

### Other athletes

* Chisa Kobayashi (小林 千紗, born 1987), Japanese synchronized swimmer
* Celes Kobayashi (born 1974), Japanese boxer
* Daisuke Kobayashi (小林 大祐, born 1987), Japanese basketball player
* Dawn Kobayashi (born 1971), Jamaican sport shooter
* Etsuko Kobayashi (born 1992), Japanese cricketer
* Fujio Kobayashi (小林 富士夫, born 1944), Japanese golfer
* Fumikazu Kobayashi (小林 史和, born 1978), Japanese middle-distance runner
* Hideo Kobayashi (canoeist) (小林 英男, born 1943), Japanese sprint canoeist
* Hiroko Kobayashi (小林 弘子, born 1970), Japanese slalom canoeist
* Kai Kobayashi (小林 快, born 1993), Japanese racewalker
* Kamui Kobayashi (小林 可夢偉, born 1986), racing driver
* Kazuo Kobayashi (小林 一男, 1908–?), Japanese diver
* Kenya Kobayashi (小林 研也, born 1983), Japanese gymnast
* Kunio Kobayashi (karateka) (小林 國雄 born 1967), Japanese karateka
* Maki Kobayashi (小林 眞樹, born 1965), Japanese rower
* Marino Kobayashi (小林 海, born 1994), Japanese cyclist
* Masanori Kobayashi (小林 正則, born 1976), Japanese golfer
* Misaki Kobayashi (小林 海咲, born 1990), Japanese squash player
* Miwako Kobayashi (小林 美和子, born 1952), Japanese swimmer
* Nobuaki Kobayashi (小林 伸明, 1942–2019), Japanese three-cushion billiards player
* Royal Kobayashi (born 1949), Japanese boxer
* Ryosei Kobayashi (born 1994), Japanese squash player
* Susumu Kobayashi (小林 晋, born 1973), Japanese sport shooter
* Takako Kobayashi (小林 貴子, born 1968), Japanese judoka
* Takeru Kobayashi (小林 尊, born 1978), Japanese competitive eater
* Yasuo Kobayashi (小林 保雄, born 1936), Japanese aikidoka
* Yoshimi Kobayashi (小林 良美, born 1968), Japanese softball player
* Yugo Kobayashi (小林 優吾, born 1995), Japanese badminton player
* Yuka Kobayashi (小林 優香, born 1994), Japanese cyclist
* Yuriko Kobayashi (小林 祐梨子, born 1988), Japanese middle- and long-distance runner
* Yuta Kobayashi (小林 祐太, born 1987), Japanese basketball player

## Others

* Emi Kobayashi (小林 恵美, born 1983), Japanese gravure idol
* Hannah Kobayashi (born 1994), American missing person
* Hitomi Kobayashi (小林 ひとみ, born 1965), Japanese AV idol
* Ichizō Kobayashi (小林 一三, 1873–1957), Japanese industrialist
* Kana Kobayashi (小林 香菜, born 1991), Japanese idol
* Keiichiro Kobayashi (小林 慶一郎, born 1966), Japanese economist
* Ken Kobayashi (小林 健, born 1949), Japanese businessman
* Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi (小林 研一郎, born 1940), Japanese conductor and composer
* Sanzaburo Kobayashi (小林 参三郎, 1863–1926), Japanese surgeon
* Maya Kobayashi (小林 麻耶, born 1979), Japanese journalist
* Yotaro Kobayashi (小林 陽太郎, 1933–2015), Japanese businessman
* Yumi Kobayashi (小林 優美, born 1988), Japanese fashion model

## Fictional characters

* Kobayashi (小林), a character in the manga series The Law of Ueki
* Kobayashi (小林), the protagonist in the manga series Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
* Kobayashi, a character in the film The Usual Suspects
* Akane Kobayashi (小林 あかね), a character in the manga series Doki Doki School Hours
* Amiko Kobayashi, a character in Marvel Comics
* Atari Kobayashi, a character in the film Isle of Dogs
* Daigo Kobayashi, a character in the film Departures
* Hayato Kobayashi (ハヤト・コバヤシ), a character in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam
* Hitomonji Kobayashi (小林 一文字), a character in the manga series Cheeky Angel
* Hatoko Kobayashi (小林 鳩子) and Kotaro Kobayashi (小林 虎太郎), characters in the manga series Angelic Layer
* Koji Kobayashi, a character in the film Godzilla Raids Again
* Masafumi Kobayashi, a character in the film Noroi: The Curse
* Matcha Kobayashi (小林 抹茶), a character in the media franchise Project 575
* Rin Kobayashi (小林 輪), a character in the manga series Please Save My Earth
* Sanpeita Kobayashi (小林 三平太), protagonist of the manga series Kemeko Deluxe!
* Sashi Kobayashi, a character in the Disney XD animated series Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero
* Sumiko Kobayashi (小林 澄子), a character in the manga series Case Closed
* Tamami Kobayashi (小林 玉美) a side character in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
* Washu Kobayashi (小林 鷲羽), also known as Washu Hakubi, a character in Tenchi Muyō! media