Hideki Irabu
Amagasaki is the hometown of comedy duo Downtown stars Masatoshi Hamada and Hitoshi Matsumoto. It is also the hometown of Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi, Chiyu, the bassist of SuG, author Koushun Takami and Heath, bassist of X Japan. Hideki Irabu, an ex-MLB pitcher and Toshiaki Nishioka, a former world champion boxer, is also from this area.