Satō


lead=yes is the most common Japanese surname with 2 million people having the surname, representing about 1.5% of Japan's population in March 2023. It is often romanized as Sato, Satou or Satoh.
A 2024 study by Hiroshi Yoshida at Tohoku University estimated that if a law requiring spouses to have the same surname is not repealed and the Japanese people do not go extinct due to population decline, then every person in Japan will have the surname Satō by — legalizing separate surnames for married couples would delay this to.

Origin

The origin of the name Satō dates back to Fujiwara clan. It is believed that the surname originated in Sano, Tochigi where Fujiwara no Hidesato, a military commander from the Heian period, and was the governor of Sano Province, whose descendants combined the kanji character for "Sa" from Sano and the "tō" from Fujiwara, which means "Fujiwara of Sano".

Satō Day

Satō Day is an annual event held in Sano, Tochigi, every March 10. Where the city offers discounts and calls itself the "Holy land of Satō". The city also created the Satō Association. And in 2025, in partnership with Kainan, Wakayama, the birthplace of the name Suzuki, a baseball match was held between people with the surname Suzuki and Satō in Ajec Sano Baseball Stadium.

Notable people

  • Ai Satō, Japanese actress and voice actress
  • Aiko Sato, Japanese actress
  • Aiko Sato, Japanese judoka
  • Aiko Satō, Japanese writer
  • Aimaro Satō, Japanese diplomat
  • Akemi Satō, Japanese singer
  • Akemi Satō, Japanese voice actress
  • Akihiro Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Akihiro Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Akihiro Sato, Brazilian model
  • Akiko Sato, Japanese sport shooter
  • Akio Sato, Japanese politician
  • Akio Sato, Japanese politician
  • Akio Sato, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Akira Satō, Japanese photographer
  • Akira Satō, Japanese ski jumper
  • Amahiko Satō, Japanese shogi player
  • Amina Sato, Japanese idol, singer, actress and voice actress
  • Arisa Satō, Japanese volleyball player
  • Arisa Sato, Japanese model and weathercaster
  • Ayano Sato, Japanese slalom canoeist
  • Ayano Sato, Japanese idol and singer
  • Ayano Sato, Japanese speed skater
  • Ayumi Sato, Japanese ice hockey player
  • Chiaki Satō, Japanese actress and musician
  • Chica Sato, Japanese musician
  • Chie Satō, Japanese voice actress
  • Chiyako Sato, Japanese singer
  • Choei Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Churyo Sato, Japanese sculptor
  • Dai Satō, Japanese screenwriter and musician
  • Dai Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Daihachiro Sato, Japanese mathematician
  • Daiki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Daisuke Satō, Japanese board game designer, novelist and manga writer
  • Daisuke Sato, Filipino footballer
  • Eiichi Sato, Japanese mayor
  • Eiji Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Eiken Sato, Japanese equestrian
  • Eisaku Satō, Japanese politician and Prime Minister of Japan
  • Eisaku Satō, Japanese politician
  • Eleanor Sato, American politician
  • Emiko Sato, Japanese cross-country skier
  • Eric Sato, American volleyball player
  • Eriko Sato, Japanese actress
  • Eriko Sato, Japanese women's footballer
  • Eunice Sato, American politician
  • Fumiya Satō, Japanese manga artist
  • Garret T. Sato, American actor
  • Gen Satō, Japanese voice actor
  • Ginpei Sato, Japanese voice actor
  • G. G. Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Gordon H. Sato, American cell biologist and environmentalist
  • Hachiro Sato, Japanese rower
  • Harue Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Haruhiko Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Haruo Satō, Japanese novelist
  • Haruo Satō, Japanese voice actor
  • Haruo Sato, Japanese water polo player
  • Hidetoshi Sato, Japanese luger
  • Hikaru Sato, Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
  • Hinata Satō, Japanese actress and voice actress
  • Hiroaki Sato, Japanese figure skater
  • Hiroaki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Hiroaki Sato, Japanese poet and translator
  • Hiroji Satoh, Japanese tennis player
  • Hiroki Sato, Japanese basketball player and executive
  • Hiroko Sato, Japanese actress, singer and gravure idol
  • Hiroko Sato, Japanese javelin thrower
  • Hiromi Satō, Japanese singer-songwriter
  • Hiroshi Sato, Japanese singer-songwriter
  • Hiroshi Sato, Japanese curler and curling coach
  • Hirotaka Sato, Japanese basketball player
  • Hiroya Sato, Japanese rower
  • Hisaharu Satoh, Japanese bowls player
  • Hisato Satō, Japanese footballer
  • Hisayasu Satō, Japanese film director
  • Hisayoshi Sato, Japanese swimmer
  • Hitomi Satō, Japanese actress
  • Hitomi Sato, Japanese table tennis player
  • Hitoshi Sato, Japanese cyclist
  • Ichiko Sato, Japanese volleyball player
  • Isao Sato, Japanese actor
  • Isao Satō, Japanese astronomer
  • Satō Issai, Japanese Confucianist
  • Itsuki Sato, Japanese racing driver
  • Jackie Sato, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Jin Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Jiro Sato, Japanese tennis player
  • Jiro Sato, Japanese actor, screenwriter and film director
  • Josephine Sato, Filipino politician
  • Junichi Sato, Japanese anime director
  • Junpei Satoh, Japanese painter
  • Junya Satō, Japanese film director
  • Kai Sato, American chief operating officer
  • Kanta Sato, Japanese actor
  • Katsuaki Satō, Japanese karateka
  • Katsuhiko Sato, Japanese cyclist
  • Katsumi Satō, Japanese activist, editor and critic
  • Katsura Sato, Japanese biathlete
  • Kayo Satoh, Japanese model and television personality
  • Kazuhiro Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kazuhiro Sato, Japanese speed skater
  • Kazuki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kazuki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kazuo Sato, Japanese cross-country skier
  • Kazuo Sato, Japanese weightlifter
  • Kazutoshi Satō, Japanese shogi player
  • Kei Satō, Japanese actor
  • Keiichi Sato, Japanese mecha and character designer
  • Keita Satoh, Japanese curler
  • Kenji Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Kenji Sato, Japanese basketball player and coach
  • Kenki Sato, Japanese equestrian
  • Kennosuke Sato, Japanese journalist
  • Kensuke Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kentaro Sato, Japanese composer and conductor
  • Kentaro Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kimi Sato, Japanese composer
  • Kimiko Sato, Japanese swimmer
  • Kimiya Sato, Japanese racing driver
  • Kiyomi Sato, Japanese basketball coach
  • Kodai Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kohei Sato, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Kōichi Satō, Japanese actor
  • Koichi Sato, Japanese biathlete
  • Koichi Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Koichi Sato, Japanese philatelist
  • Koichi Sato, Japanese ski jumper
  • Kōji Satō, Japanese photographer
  • Koji Sato, Japanese politician
  • Kosuke Sato, Japanese swimmer
  • Kōtoku Satō, Japanese general
  • Koyo Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Kōzō Satō, Imperial Japanese Navy admiral
  • Kumiko Sato, Japanese figure skater and coach
  • Kyoko Sato, Japanese Paralympic athlete
  • Liane Sato, American volleyball player
  • Mai Sato, Japanese UN Special Rapporteur and academic
  • Maiko Sato, Japanese sailor
  • Makoto Satō, Japanese actor
  • Makoto Satō, Japanese film director
  • Makoto Satō, Japanese theatre director
  • Mamoru Sato, American modernist sculptor
  • Marino Sato, Japanese racing driver
  • Masaharu Satō, Japanese voice actor and narrator
  • Masahiko Satoh, Japanese jazz pianist, composer and arranger
  • Masahiro Sato, Japanese ice hockey player
  • Masahisa Sato, Japanese politician
  • Masaki Sato, Japanese singer and former idol
  • Masako Sato, Japanese field hockey player
  • Masako Sato, Japanese ice hockey player
  • Masami Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Masaru Sato, Japanese film score composer
  • Masatake Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Masaya Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Megumi Sato, Japanese actress and television personality
  • Megumi Sato, Japanese high jumper
  • Michihiro Sato, Japanese shamisen player
  • Michihiro Sato, Japanese ice hockey player
  • Michiro Sato, Japanese composer, singer and musician
  • Michiru Satou, Japanese voice actor
  • Miho Sato, Japanese middle-distance runner
  • Miki Satō, Japanese actress
  • Miki Satō, Japanese musician
  • Miki Sato, Japanese television personality, actress and model
  • Mikio Sato, Japanese mathematician
  • Minako Sato, Japanese archer
  • Minori Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Mio Satō, Japanese volleyball player
  • Misty Sato, Professor of Education in New Zealand
  • Mitsuaki Sato, Japanese basketball player and women's basketball coach
  • Mitsuhiro Sato, Japanese sprinter
  • Mitsuru Sato, Japanese sport wrestler
  • Miu Sato, Japanese figure skater
  • Miya Sato, Japanese volleyball player
  • Miyuki Satoh, Japanese curler
  • Naoji Sato, Japanese rower
  • Naoki Satō, Japanese composer
  • Naoki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Naoko Sato, Japanese tennis player
  • Naotake Satō, Japanese diplomat and politician
  • Naoto Satō, Japanese astronomer
  • Natsuki Satō, Japanese idol, singer and actress
  • Nobuaki Sato, Japanese politician
  • Satō Nobuhiro, Japanese scientist
  • Nobuhito Sato, Japanese golfer
  • Nobunaga Sato, Japanese basketball coach
  • Nobuo Satō, Japanese figure skater and coach
  • Nobusuke Kishi, born Nobusuke Sato, former Prime Minister of Japan
  • Nobuyasu Satō, Japanese mayor
  • Nobuyuki Sato, Japanese marathon runner
  • Norie Sato, American artist
  • Noriko Sato, Japanese figure skater and coach
  • Noriyuki Sato, Japanese fencer
  • Nozomi Sato, Japanese fencer
  • O. K. Sato, American vaudeville performer
  • Omi Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Osamu Sato, Japanese artist, photographer and composer
  • Osamu Sato, Japanese boxer
  • Pater Sato, Japanese artist
  • Rei Sato, Japanese badminton player
  • Rei Sato, Japanese motorcycle racer
  • Reiji Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Reiko Sato, American dancer and actress
  • Reinaldo Sato, Brazilian baseball player
  • Ren Sato, Japanese politician
  • Ren Sato, Japanese racing driver
  • Rie Sato, Japanese ice hockey player
  • Rie Sato, Japanese softball player
  • Rie Sato, Japanese speed skater
  • Rika Sato, Japanese table tennis player
  • Rikichi Sato, better known as Dewaminato, Japanese sumo wrestler
  • Rikio Sato, Japanese bobsledder
  • Rina Satō, Japanese voice actress and singer
  • Risa Sato, Filipino-Japanese volleyball player
  • Rumina Sato, Japanese mixed martial artist
  • Ruth Sato, American dancer, gossip columnist, musician promoter and nightclub manager
  • Ryo Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Ryo Sato, Japanese high jumper
  • Ryuji Sato, Japanese football referee
  • Ryuta Sato, Japanese actor and entertainer
  • Ryuzo Sato, Japanese economist
  • Sabrina Sato, Brazilian model
  • Saburo Sato, Japanese sailor
  • Sakichi Sato, Japanese actor, film director and screenwriter
  • Satō Sankichi, Japanese surgeon
  • Satarō Satō, Japanese poet
  • Satomi Satō, Japanese voice actress and singer
  • Satoshi Sato, Japanese cross-country skier
  • Sayaka Sato, Japanese badminton player
  • Setsuji Satō, Japanese actor and voice actor
  • Shigeki Sato, Japanese politician
  • Shigeki Sato, better known as Dick Togo, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Shimako Satō, Japanese screenwriter and film director
  • Shinichi Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Shinichi Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Shin'ichi Satō, Japanese shogi player
  • Shinobu Sato, Japanese classical guitarist
  • Shinsuke Sato, Japanese film director, screenwriter and video game designer
  • Shintaro Sato, Japanese bobsledder
  • Shinya Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Shin'ya Satō, Japanese shogi player
  • Shio Satō, Japanese manga artist
  • Shiori Sato, Japanese model
  • Shiro Sato, Japanese cross-country skier
  • Shizuo Satō, Japanese politician
  • Sho Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Shogo Sato, Japanese writer
  • Shoichi Sato, Japanese golfer
  • Shōji Satō, Japanese badminton player
  • Shōji Satō, Japanese manga artist
  • Shokichi Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Shoma Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Shori Sato, Japanese idol, actor and singer
  • Shōzō Satō, Japanese playwright and theatre director
  • Shūhō Satō, Japanese manga artist
  • Shūji Satō, Japanese shogi player
  • Shun Sato, Japanese figure skater
  • Shun Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Sato Shunji, Japanese physician
  • Shunsuke Sato, Japanese classical violinist and violist
  • Somei Satoh, Japanese composer
  • Sota Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Sumire Satō, Japanese idol, singer and actress
  • Sunao Sato, Japanese Go player
  • Tadamasa Sato, Japanese sprint canoeist
  • Satō Tadanobu, Japanese samurai
  • Tadanobu Satō, better known as Tadanobu Asano, Japanese actor
  • Tadao Sato, Japanese film critic, theorist and historian
  • Tadashi Satō, Imperial Japanese Army officer and politician
  • Tadashi Sato, American artist
  • Taichi Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Taiki Sato, Japanese dancer and actor
  • Taisuke Sato, Japanese politician
  • Taiten Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Takahiro Satō, Japanese manga artist
  • Takanao Sato, Japanese water polo player
  • Takanobu Sato, better known as Takakeisho, Japanese sumo wrestler
  • Takayoshi Sato, Japanese video game character designer, writer and CGI director
  • Takenori Sato, Japanese mixed martial artist
  • Takeru Satoh, Japanese actor
  • Takeshi Sato, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Taku Satoh, Japanese graphic designer
  • Takuma Sato, Japanese racing driver
  • Takuma Sato, Japanese basketball player
  • Takuro Sato, Japanese engineer
  • Takuya Satō, Japanese anime screenwriter and director
  • Takuya Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Takuya Satō, Japanese voice actor
  • Tamao Satō, Japanese actress, voice actress, television personality and model
  • Tamiji Sato, Japanese sport wrestler
  • Tatsuo Sato, Japanese politician
  • Tatsuo Satō, Japanese anime director
  • Tatsuya Satoh, Japanese baseball player
  • Tatsya Satō, Japanese author
  • Tenpei Sato, Japanese video game composer and voice actor
  • Tetsuo Sato, Japanese rower
  • Tetsuo Satō, Japanese volleyball player
  • Satō Tetsutarō, Japanese admiral and military theorist
  • Thomas N. Sato, Japanese educator and biologist
  • Tokihiro Satō, Japanese photographer
  • Tokio Sato, Japanese cross-country skier
  • Tomiko Satō, common-law wife of the Chinese Communist scholar and poet Guo Moruo
  • Tomoaki Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Tomoaki Satoh, Japanese baseball player
  • Tomoyuki Sato, Japanese long-distance runner
  • Toshiharu Sato, Japanese gymnast
  • Toshiki Satō, Japanese film director and screenwriter
  • Toyohiko Satoh, Japanese lutenist and composer
  • Satō Tsugunobu, Japanese warrior
  • Tsuneo Sato, Japanese speed skater
  • Tsutomu Satō, Japanese light novelist
  • Tsutomu Sato, Japanese politician
  • Tsutomu Sato , Japanese ophthalmologist
  • Tsutomu Sato, Japanese windsurfer
  • Tsuyoshi Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Vicki Sato, American biotechnologist and academic
  • Yasue Sato, Japanese actress and model
  • Yasuhiro Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Yasumitsu Satō, Japanese shogi player
  • Yasutaka Sato, Japanese volleyball player
  • Yasuyuki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yohei Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yoji Sato, Japanese handball player
  • Yoshiaki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yoshihiro Sato, Japanese kickboxer
  • Yoshiko Sato, Japanese swimmer
  • Yoshinori Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Yoshinori Sato, Japanese baseball player and coach
  • Yoshiyuki Sato, Japanese ski mountaineer
  • Yota Sato, Japanese boxer
  • Yu Sato, Japanese baseball player
  • Yūhei Satō, Japanese politician
  • Yuhei Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yūichi Satō, Japanese film director
  • Yuka Sato, Japanese figure skater
  • Yuka Sato, Japanese javelin thrower
  • Yuka Sato, Japanese triathlete
  • Yukari Sato, Japanese economist and politician
  • Yuki Sato, Japanese long-distance runner
  • Yuki Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yuki Sato, Japanese softball player
  • Yuki Sato, Japanese voice actor
  • Yuki Sato, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Yukihiko Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yukiya Satō, Japanese ski jumper
  • Yuko Sato, Japanese racewalker
  • Yuko Sato, Japanese politician
  • Yūko Satō, Japanese voice actress
  • Yusuke Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yuta Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yūto Satō, Japanese footballer
  • Yuya Sato, Japanese footballer
  • Yuya Sato, Japanese writer
  • Yukiko Okada, born Kayo Sato, Japanese idol singer