Yokohama Flügels
Tanaka was born in Matsumoto on 31 July 1982. He played for Yokohama Flügels youth team. However Flügels was merged with cross-town Yokohama Marinos (later "Yokohama F. Marinos") and Flügels was dissolved end of 1998 season. So, he moved to Yokohama F. Marinos youth team.