Sakurai

Sakurai is a Japanese surname and place name. The most common kanji for the surname is 桜井, read Sakurai, meaning roughly “cherry blossom well.” Other kanji combinations exist that yield different meanings. The name is widespread in Japan and among communities of Japanese descent abroad.

Notable individuals with the surname include Masahiro Sakurai (born 1970), a video game designer and director best known for creating the Super Smash Bros. series; he co-founded the developer Sora Ltd. Sho Sakurai (born 1982) is a singer, actor, and member of the pop group Arashi who has also worked as a television host and actor.

Sakurai City is a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan, named after the common surname. It is one of several geographic uses of the term in Japanese place names.

In popular culture, Sakurai is a commonly used surname for fictional characters in anime, manga, and other media. The name appears across various genres and formats, reflecting its status as a familiar element in Japanese naming.