Yamanaka is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:Akira Joe Yamanaka, singer for the Flower Travellin' Band Akiko Yamanaka, Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party Chihiro Yamanaka, Japanese jazz pianist and composer Daichi Yamanaka, Japanese speed-skater Hirofumi Yamanaka, professional Japanese baseball player Hiroko Yamanaka, retired Japanese female mixed martial arts fighter Kenichi Yamanaka, retired Japanese Yudoka Ryuya Yamanaka, Japanese boxer Lisa Yamanaka, Japanese Canadian actress and voice actress Lois-Ann Yamanaka, Japanese American poet and novelist from Hawaii Miki Yamanaka, Japanese jazz pianist working in New York City Miwako Yamanaka, retired Japanese long-distance runner Noriko Yamanaka , Japanese female table tennis player Rikiko Yamanaka , Japanese diver Ryosuke Yamanaka, Japanese football player Ryuya Yamanaka, Japanese female boxer Sadajirō Yamanaka (1866-1936), Japanese art dealer Sadao Yamanaka (1909–1938), Japanese film director and screenwriter Sawao Yamanaka, the frontman of the bands The Pillows Seiko Yamanaka, Japanese football player Shino Yamanaka, Japanese modern pentathlete Shinsuke Yamanaka, Japanese professional boxer Shinya Yamanaka, Japanese Nobel Prize-winning stem cell researcher Sumire Yamanaka, Japanese female boxer Takeshi Yamanaka , Japanese ice hockey player Tsuyoshi Yamanaka, Japanese olympic swimmer Yamanaka Yukimori (1545–1578), Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period Yôko Yamanaka, Japanese filmmaker