Yanagisawa

Yanagisawa is a Japanese surname and toponym. It is written in kanji as 柳沢. The name combines yanagi, meaning willow, with sawa or zawa, meaning marsh or swamp, yielding an interpretation such as “willow marsh” or “willow grove by the marsh.” The toponymic origin reflects historical practice of naming families after the geographic features of their estates or villages.

The surname is found throughout Japan, with multiple family lines dating back to feudal and early-modern periods. Like other surnames derived from landscape features, Yanagisawa is associated with rural or semi-rural locales in origin, though bearers now live in urban and metropolitan areas as well.

In modern usage, individuals with the surname Yanagisawa have become notable in fields such as politics, academia, sports, and the arts. Because there are several people with this surname, articles about specific individuals usually require further identification, such as given name or occupation.

The name also appears in place names and geographic references, reflecting its toponymic roots.