Kawai (written 川井, 川合, 川相, 河井, 河合, 河相 or 可愛) is both a Japanese surname and feminine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname
- Ami Kawai (河合 亞美, born 1967), Japanese television and theater actress
- Aya Kawai (河合 彩, born 1975), Japanese ice dancer
- Ayumu Kawai (川井 歩, born 1999), Japanese footballer
- Chiharu Kawai (川合 千春, born 1973), Japanese actress and voice actress
- Eri Kawai (河井 英里, 1965–2008), Japanese singer
- Hayao Kawai (河合 隼雄, 1928–2007), Japanese Jungian psychologist
- Hiroo Kawai (河井 博大, born 1971), Japanese professional golfer
- Ikuko Kawai (川井 郁子, born 1968), Japanese violinist and composer
- Junichi Kawai (河合 純一, born 1975), Japanese Paralympic swimmer
- Kawai Gyokudō (川合 玉堂) or Kawai Yoshisaburō (川合 芳三郎, 1873–1957), Japanese painter in the nihonga school, active from Meiji through Shōwa period Japan
- Kawai Kanjirō (川合 芳三郎, 1890–1966), Japanese potter
- Kawai Michi (河井 道, 1877–1953), Japanese educator, Christian activist, and proponent of Japanese-Western ties before, during, and after World War II
- Kazumi Kawai (可愛 かずみ, 1964–1997), Japanese actress
- Kazuo Kawai (川井 一男), Japanese table tennis player
- Kenji Kawai (川井 憲次, born 1957), Japanese music composer
- Kenta Kawai (川井 健太, born 1981), former Japanese football player
- Masahiro Kawai (川相 昌弘, born 1964), former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball infielder
- Masao Kawai (河合 雅雄, 1924–2021), Japanese primatologist
- Misaki Kawai (河井 美咲, born 1978), Japanese artist
- Reishin Kawai (1931–2010), 8th dan aikido practitioner and acupuncturist
- Risako Kawai (川井 梨紗子, born 1994), Japanese sport wrestler
- Ritsuko Kawai (河井 リツ子, born 1964), the creator of the anime television show Hamtaro
- Ryuji Kawai (河合 竜二, born 1978), Japanese football player
- Shunichi Kawai (川合 俊一, born 1963), Japanese volleyball player, announcer and television personality
- Sonoko Kawai (河合その子, born 1965), former Japanese singer
- Takashi Kawai (川井 貴志, born 1976), Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher
- Takanori Kawai (川合 孝典, born 1964), Japanese politician
- Tatsuo Kawai (河相 達夫, 1889–1965), Japanese diplomat and writer
- Tatsuo Kawai (wrestler) (川合 達夫, born 1973), Japanese sport wrestler
- Tetta Kawai (河井 哲太, born 2000), Japanese footballer
- Toru Kawai (河合 徹, died 1996), Japanese stunt man and actor
- Toshinobu Kawai (河合 季信, born 1967), Japanese short track speed skater
- Tsunenori Kawai (河合 常則, 1937–2017), Japanese politician
- Yoshio Kawai (河合 義雄, born 1954), Japanese voice actor
- Yosuke Kawai (河井 陽介, born 1989), Japanese football player
- Yudai Kawai (川井 雄太, born 1980), Japanese baseball player
- Yuki Kawai (河合 由貴, born 1990), Japanese volleyball player
- Yuumi Kawai (河合 優実, born 2000), Japanese actress
- Yumi Morio (森尾 由美) or Yumi Kawai (河合 由美, born 1966), Japanese voice actress
Fictional characters
- Maria Kawai, a character in the manga series A Devil and Her Love Song
- Yumeko Kawai is a character from series Ninja Hattori
- Yukari Kawai is a teenage character of main character's older brother's friend from Obake no Q-taro
- Shizuka Kawai (Serenity Wheeler in English dub), a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Rika Kawai, a character in Wonder Egg Priority
Given name
- Kawai Okada (born 1948), Japanese former actress and businesswoman
See also
Name listThis page or section lists people that share the same given name or the same family name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article. Categories: