# Kawai (name)

Kawai (written 川井, 川合, 川相, 河井, 河合, 河相 or 可愛) is both a Japanese surname and feminine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:

## Surname

* Ami Kawai (河合 亞美, born 1967), Japanese television and theater actress
* Aya Kawai (河合 彩, born 1975), Japanese ice dancer
* Ayumu Kawai (川井 歩, born 1999), Japanese footballer
* Chiharu Kawai (川合 千春, born 1973), Japanese actress and voice actress
* Eri Kawai (河井 英里, 1965–2008), Japanese singer
* Hayao Kawai (河合 隼雄, 1928–2007), Japanese Jungian psychologist
* Hiroo Kawai (河井 博大, born 1971), Japanese professional golfer
* Ikuko Kawai (川井 郁子, born 1968), Japanese violinist and composer
* Junichi Kawai (河合 純一, born 1975), Japanese Paralympic swimmer
* Kawai Gyokudō (川合 玉堂) or Kawai Yoshisaburō (川合 芳三郎, 1873–1957), Japanese painter in the nihonga school, active from Meiji through Shōwa period Japan
* Kawai Kanjirō (川合 芳三郎, 1890–1966), Japanese potter
* Kawai Michi (河井 道, 1877–1953), Japanese educator, Christian activist, and proponent of Japanese-Western ties before, during, and after World War II
* Kazumi Kawai (可愛 かずみ, 1964–1997), Japanese actress
* Kazuo Kawai (川井 一男), Japanese table tennis player
* Kenji Kawai (川井 憲次, born 1957), Japanese music composer
* Kenta Kawai (川井 健太, born 1981), former Japanese football player
* Masahiro Kawai (川相 昌弘, born 1964), former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball infielder
* Masao Kawai (河合 雅雄, 1924–2021), Japanese primatologist
* Misaki Kawai (河井 美咲, born 1978), Japanese artist
* Reishin Kawai (1931–2010), 8th dan aikido practitioner and acupuncturist
* Risako Kawai (川井 梨紗子, born 1994), Japanese sport wrestler
* Ritsuko Kawai (河井 リツ子, born 1964), the creator of the anime television show Hamtaro
* Ryuji Kawai (河合 竜二, born 1978), Japanese football player
* Shunichi Kawai (川合 俊一, born 1963), Japanese volleyball player, announcer and television personality
* Sonoko Kawai (河合その子, born 1965), former Japanese singer
* Takashi Kawai (川井 貴志, born 1976), Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher
* Takanori Kawai (川合 孝典, born 1964), Japanese politician
* Tatsuo Kawai (河相 達夫, 1889–1965), Japanese diplomat and writer
* Tatsuo Kawai (wrestler) (川合 達夫, born 1973), Japanese sport wrestler
* Tetta Kawai (河井 哲太, born 2000), Japanese footballer
* Toru Kawai (河合 徹, died 1996), Japanese stunt man and actor
* Toshinobu Kawai (河合 季信, born 1967), Japanese short track speed skater
* Tsunenori Kawai (河合 常則, 1937–2017), Japanese politician
* Yoshio Kawai (河合 義雄, born 1954), Japanese voice actor
* Yosuke Kawai (河井 陽介, born 1989), Japanese football player
* Yudai Kawai (川井 雄太, born 1980), Japanese baseball player
* Yuki Kawai (河合 由貴, born 1990), Japanese volleyball player
* Yuumi Kawai (河合 優実, born 2000), Japanese actress
* Yumi Morio (森尾 由美) or Yumi Kawai (河合 由美, born 1966), Japanese voice actress

### Fictional characters

* Maria Kawai, a character in the manga series A Devil and Her Love Song
* Yumeko Kawai is a character from series Ninja Hattori
* Yukari Kawai is a teenage character of main character's older brother's friend from Obake no Q-taro
* Shizuka Kawai (Serenity Wheeler in English dub), a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh!
* Rika Kawai, a character in Wonder Egg Priority

## Given name

* Kawai Okada (born 1948), Japanese former actress and businesswoman