Masaoka

Masaoka is a Japanese surname written with the kanji 正岡. The first character, 正, means "correct" or "righteous," and 岡 means "hill" or "knoll." The name is typically toponymic, originating from places in Japan named Masaoka and subsequently passed down as a family name.

In Japan, Masaoka is a recognized surname with historical presence across various regions. Like many Japanese surnames, its distribution reflects local place names rather than a single clan lineage. In modern times, individuals with the surname Masaoka may be found in diverse professions, including the arts, academia, and business. When written in kanji, the standard form is 正岡.

The most internationally known bearer of the name is Masaoka Shiki (正岡子規), a prominent Japanese poet of the Meiji era who helped shape modern haiku and tanka. Shiki’s work and literary reforms are widely cited as foundational to contemporary Japanese poetry, and his influence extends beyond his own era.

As a surname, Masaoka remains relatively uncommon outside of Japan, though it is well established within Japanese communities worldwide. The name’s recognition largely rests on its association with Shiki, who is frequently cited in discussions of Japanese literary history.