Shohei Ohtani, Mamiko Tanaka
2024 MLB World Tour Seoul Series
ZARA Bags in the $40 Range
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Shohei Ohtani, known as the “Trillion-won man,” has been the talk of the town since he visited Korea. Ohtani’s Korean fans have not spread their interest to his wife, Mamiko Tanaka.
On the 18th, it was reported that Mamiko Tanaka, wife of Shohei Ohtani, visited the Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome with Ohtani’s family to watch the game. It was revealed that the seats they purchased were regular seats instead of VIP seats, and their modest demeanor has added to Ohtani’s popularity.
On that day, Mamiko Tanaka watched a special game between the Korean baseball team and the LA Dodgers at the 2024 MLB Seoul Series held at Gocheok Sky Dome. Tanaka watched the game with Ohtani’s family, including his mother Kayoko, near the first base stand.
Every time Ohtani stepped up to bat, the camera was pointed at Tanaka and Ohtani’s family sitting in the regular seats, and many admired their modest life.
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Typically, when a baseball player’s family visits to watch a game, it’s customary for them to watch from a special suite. However, Ohtani and his family broke this stereotype.
This is not the first time Ohtani’s family’s modest behavior was noticed.
On the 16th, Ohtani and his wife Tanaka attended the Dodgers’s dinner party, which was revealed through the Instagram of John Suhu, the Dodgers cameraman. Tanaka wore a white knit top paired with black bottoms and carried a small shoulder bag.
Given that they had been the talk of the town for days, her outfit could not go unnoticed. Tanaka’s shoulder bag, in particular, became a hot topic among Japanese locals. The local Japanese broadcaster TBS Gogosma planned a special broadcast about Mamiko Tanaka, in which they revealed the price of the bag Tanaka was carrying.
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According to the broadcast, the bag Tanaka carried was a 5,000 yen (about $44.50) shoulder bag from the SPA brand, ZARA. The exact name of the bag is Minimal Flap Shoulder Bag, which is known to be sold for 49,900 Won in Korea. Despite being the wife of a man who earns millions of dollars, Tanaka has attracted attention with her frugal lifestyle.
Ohtani is known for his modest behavior, and his family also leads a modest lifestyle.
Ohtani is the first Asian to win the American Major League MVP twice and is known to have received over 900 billion won (about $760 million) for his transfer contract with LA Dodgers last year. When you add the advertising revenue and additional bonuses, his income exceeds one trillion won, giving him the nickname of “Trillion-won man.”
According to local Japanese media, Ohtani Shohei’s frugality can be traced back to his upbringing in a small rural village in Iwate Prefecture, in the north of Japan. Despite their son becoming a “Trillion-won man,” his parents still live in this small rural village.
It’s also shocking to hear that his parents are still working part-time jobs. They refused Ohtani’s help offer, saying they didn’t want to spend their son’s money. It’s only natural for people to desire more when they succeed and to want credit for the successes of those nearby.
Many celebrities often face this problem, but Ohtani’s family seems the opposite.
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Ohtani once suggested to his parents that they rebuild their home, but they refused, saying, “We’re still healthy, and the house is not old. That’s not where you should spend your money. Save it and donate it.” It’s clear from this brief conversation that they don’t expect to live luxuriously or receive help just because Ohtani has become a
“Trillion-won man.”
Last year, his parents did a major remodeling to their home, but it was revealed that not even 1% of the cost was covered by Ohtani. This led to the assessment that Ohtani’s frugality was inherited from his parents.
In the past, Ohtani revealed that he received a monthly allowance of 1 million won (about $850) from his parents. However, he hardly spent any of it and saved up to 22 million won (about $18,500). Ohtani’s mother works part-time, and his father continues to work, saying, “I can’t ask my son to feed me.”
His siblings, along with his parents, also demonstrate frugality. Ohtani’s older brother of seven years, Ryuta, who used to play amateur baseball and is now retired and coaching at Toyota’s corporate team, did not ask for Ohtani’s help when he took out a loan to buy an apartment when he got married.
His older sister also refused Ohtani’s offer to give her a wedding gift when she married a baseball club official she met through Ohtani.
Japanese local media have noted that Ohtani’s sports gears are all from New Balance, such as the shoes, and the few clothes he has are from Hugo Boss, his partnering brand. They evaluated that “Even if Ohtani’s salary increases, his economic mindset is likely to remain the same.”
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It was also revealed that Ohtani drives a Hyundai sedan, which the LA Angels provided.
A team official said, “The car was decided according to the player’s request, and Ohtani said a 2 million yen (about $17,000) Hyundai sedan is a good enough car.” When Ohtani didn’t have a license, his interpreter drove for him, but he insisted on sitting in the passenger seat because he thought sitting in the back seat was rude.
The reasons for Ohtani’s success lie not only in his excellent baseball skills but also in his life outside of baseball, which is clean and modest. As can be seen from the behavior and words of his family, Ohtani’s growth is expected to continue for a long time.
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