Watanabe (渡辺 "cross border") is the fifth most common Japanese surname.
The first to be named Watanabe were kuge (court nobles), direct descendants of the Emperor Saga (786-842).
The most famous member of the family historically is the samurai Watanabe no Tsuna (953-1025), companion in arms of Minamoto no Yorimitsu (944-1021), and famous for his military exploits in a number of tales and legends.
The Watanabe of Hakata were daimyo of Hakata (province of Izumi) until the restoration of Meiji (1868).
The Watanabe of Ômura clan (province of Hizen) and the Watanabe of the Suwa clan (province of Shinano) were ranked among the Peers after 1868.
During the 16th century wars, the following samurai distinguished themselves:
Watanabe Hajime of the Môri clan at the battles of Gassan-Toda (1540), Miyajima (1555) and Moji (1561).
Watanabe Moritsuna (1542–1620) who joined Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1557, at the battles of Anegawa (1570), Mikatagahara (1573) and Nagashino (1575).
In the context of the Japanese economy, Mrs. Watanabe is generic, collective name for housewives who deal in foreign exchange.
Read more about Watanabe: People, Companies, Other Groups
Famous quotes containing the word watanabe:
“People with high ideals don’t necessarily make good politicians. If clean politics is so important, we should leave the job to scientists and the clergy.”
—Michio Watanabe (b. 1923)