Iwamatsu

Iwamatsu is a Japanese surname and, less commonly, a toponym. The name is written in kanji as 岩松. It is formed from two common elements: 岩 (iwa, rock) and 松 (matsu, pine), a combination that appears in many Japanese place names and family names.

As a surname, Iwamatsu is of Japanese origin and is most often found in Japan. Due to migration and diasporic communities, individuals with this surname can also be found in other countries, especially where Japanese communities have settled.

Notable people bearing the name include Mako Iwamatsu (1933–2006), a Japanese-American actor and voice actor who performed under the stage name Mako. He had a long career in film, television, and theater, and he provided the voice of Uncle Iroh in the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. His work is frequently cited as a prominent example of a Japanese-American performer achieving broad recognition in Hollywood and in international media.