Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki is a former Japanese baseball outfielder who played professionally for 28 seasons. He played his first nine years in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Orix BlueWave, the next twelve years with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees.

Ichiro is regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever and has won numerous awards throughout his MLB career, including 10 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves, and nine batting titles. He is also the first Japanese-born position player to be posted and signed by an MLB club. Ichiro is now a mentor for both the Major League and AAA divisions of the Seattle Mariners.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Personal Information

Ichiro Suzuki’s Early Life

Ichiro was born in Toyoyama, Japan, and grew up in a small town outside Nagoya. He began playing baseball at seven, and his father was his first coach. His father would train him for hours every day. At 12 years old, Ichiro decided to pursue a career in professional baseball.

Ichiro attended Aikodai Meiden High School, where he was allowed to play as a pitcher most of the time for having a strong arm. He also had a cumulative batting average of .505 in high school and hit 19 home runs. Despite his outstanding numbers, Ichiro was drafted in the fourth round of the NPB draft in 1991, which resulted in many teams getting discouraged by his small size.

Ichiro’s early life was characterized by immense hard work in the form of training, for which he had the word (集中, shūchū) “concentration” written on his glove. His father’s training sessions were challenging, but he was determined to get along, and his source of inspiration derived from a popular Japanese manga, “Star of the Giants,” which shared a lot of similarities with Suzuki's life.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Personal Life

Ichiro Suzuki is a private person and keeps his personal life, investment records, and cars owned out of the spotlight. However, a few details about him are available, such as his married life and philanthropic endeavors.

Ichiro is married to Yumiko Fukushima, a former TBS TV announcer. They have no children but do have two pets. The couple resided in Issaquah, Washington; Greenwich, Connecticut; and Miami Beach during Ichiro's MLB career.

Ichiro's father, Nobuyuki, handled his finances early in his career, but their relationship collapsed after Nobuyuki underreported Ichiro's income, which resulted in a significant tax bill. Subsequently, his wife, Yumiko, has looked after Ichiro's finances.

Ichiro is the honored chairman of the Ichiro Cup, a boys' league tournament held in Toyoyama and surrounding cities and towns since 1996. He is fluent in English and learned Spanish early in his MLB career.

Additionally, Ichiro donated ¥100 million ($1.25 million) to the Japanese Red Cross for earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in 2011.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Family Background

Ichiro Suzuki was born on October 22, 1973, in Toyoyama, Japan. He is the second son of Nobuyuki and Yoshie Suzuki. His father, Nobuyuki, was a former baseball player, mentoring him since childhood, and his mother, Yoshie, was a homemaker. Ichiro has an elder brother, Kazuyasu Suzuki.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Wife

Ichiro Suzuki's wife's name is Yumiko Fukushima, and she is a former TBS TV sports announcer who grew up in Matsue.

Ichiro and Yumiko Fukushima met through a baseball match in 1997 and started dating. They got engaged in 1998, but their relationship got complicated when it was revealed that Ichiro had an affair with another married woman. Ichiro was unaware that the woman was married, and he ended up paying her a colossal consolation amount and resolved the issue with Yumiko. The couple married on December 3, 1999, and held a press conference in Kobe, Japan, to inform their fans and the media of their marriage.

After the marriage, Yumiko gave up her reporting job to move to the United States with Ichiro after he signed a deal with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.

Yumiko is presently a confectionery writer who blogs about Japanese sweet dishes and encourages people to learn and taste the sweet delicacies of Japanese confectionery.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Social Media

Ichiro Suzuki is officially inactive on social media, but there are a lot of fan pages dedicated to his name.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Net Worth

As of 2023, Ichiro’s net worth is estimated at around $180 million, according to celebritynetworth.com.

Ichiro’s career earnings include his salary from his baseball career, as well as his endorsement deals.

Ichiro Suzuki as a Brand Ambassador

Although there is no exact information related to Ichiro being a brand ambassador, he has represented many Japanese brands, such as Kirin Beer, Mizuno, etc., as well as American brands, including Cutter & Buck, Upper Deck, and Majestic Athletic.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Career Stats

Ichiro Suzuki retired in 2019 and has a record for one of the highest career hits for Japanese players in both NPB and Major League Baseball. He finished his MLB career with 3,089 hits, 780 RBIs, 117 home runs, and 1,420 runs scored.

Here is a tabular representation of Ichiro Suzuki’s MLB career stats.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Achievements

Here is a tabular representation of Ichiro Suzuki’s Achievements so far.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Contract

Throughout Ichiro’s career, he signed remarkable contracts and had transitions between teams.

Ichiro retired from professional baseball in March 2019. Before his retirement, he signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in January 2019. In 2018, he had a 1-year, $750 thousand contract with Seattle.

He played for the Miami Marlins, signing a 1-year, $2 million contract in January 2015, followed by a 1-year, $2 million extension in October 2015. Ichiro also spent time with the New York Yankees, signing a 2-year, $13 million contract in December 2012 after being traded from Seattle in July 2012.

In 2007, Ichiro signed his highest contract ever with the Seattle Mariners, a deal of $90 million that spanned five years.

Ichiro Suzuki’s Diet

Ichiro’s diet during his time with the Seattle Mariners included a pre-game favorite called "Ichi-wings." These were chicken wings marinated in a blend of Mr. Yoshida's gourmet sauce, lime and orange juice, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, green onions, sesame seeds, and sambal or Chinese chili paste.

He also liked to eat the "Seager Sandwich," inspired by his teammate Kyle Seager. The dish featured grilled chicken breast marinated in soy sauce, lime, garlic, cilantro, green onions, olive oil, and sambal, served on a soft sub roll with bacon, cheese, avocado, and a flavorful chipotle sauce.

The dishes were handcrafted by Chef Jeremy Bryant for the Mariners, and Ichiro, along with his teammates, enjoyed them as part of their dietary routine.

Ichiro Suzuki’s House

Ichiro Suzuki resides in Issaquah, Washington, and his property is an 8,600 square foot, 4-bedroom, 6-bathroom home built in 2001. The property sits on a 1.04-acre lot and includes a private pool, fireplace, and a parking lot. as per urbanplatter.com.