Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese superstar certainly has the world in his hands. His fans number in millions and look at his every activity with baited breaths. However, the notoriously private star makes it challenging to know what’s going on in his life. While he has continuously made efforts to make his fans a part of his big moments, the baseball world remains hungry for more information. More specifically Shohei Ohtani’s dating life.

While Ohtani is now a married man, there was a time when he was linked with a few women. While most of them were just speculations, there were two that gained more traction than others. So it’s time to go down memory lane to see when the fans turned into detectives to find out who Ohtani was dating.

Shohei Ohtani and Maiko Kano

Maiko Kano was said to be dating the Japanese sensation after the two reportedly met in 2018. As the story goes, Kano was a big fan of Ohtani and asked his dietician Megumi Omai to introduce them. Though it was cleared by a few close connections that they were just friends and not lovers, fans kept seeing hints of their relationship.

But who is Maiko Kano? She is a former Japanese volleyball player who won an Olympic bronze with her team. Presently the 35-year-old does sports commentary. So what were the hints that people noticed that made them believe Ohtani and Kano were dating?

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Matching bracelets, Instagram, and a long-distance relationship

A few occurrences that seemed to be more than just coincidences convinced many of the romantic affair. One of the biggest was when Ohtani and Kano were spotted wearing matching Tiffany bracelets. Now it could’ve been just a coincidence or Kano just following a person she was a fan of, but owing to the rumors already in place, it added fuel to the fire.

Then there were a bunch of Instagram posts that hinted at the connection between the two. When Ohtani returned from an injury in 2018, Kano posted a picture of a ring with her birthstone in the constellation of crab. Crab is their star sign and the picture had a good health message. Again, fans were quick to point out the Shohei Ohtani link.

Then she posted on Instagram that in 2018 and 2019, she watched Ohtani play baseball on her birthday and then to top it all off, announced in 2021 that she was in a long-distance relationship. Fans wondered whether it was with the two-way slugger. But there was no way of confirming as Shotime never spoke a word during this entire chapter.

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Could it have been just a sportsperson supporting another she was a fan of or was it more than that? Although it is known that even if they were dating then, they aren’t right now, with Kano rumored to be someone else currently. This brings us to the second woman Ohtani’s name was linked to and coincidentally that rumor started in 2018 too.

Kamalani Dung and Shohei Ohtani set the internet ablaze

Xeana Kamalani Dung, a.k.a, Kama Dung is a Hawaiian softball player, the first softball pitcher from her country. She was heavily linked with Ohtani after she posted a picture of them together in 2018. Though Dung had posted two more pictures with other members of the Los Angeles Angels, fans were quick to highlight the one with Shotime.

Kama Dung and Ohtani never confirmed this news, they even actively declined it quite a few times. But in 2021 Dung tweeted out angrily to a news agency. Fans wondered if they actually dated or not. Currently, it is known that they are not together as Dung has a boyfriend.

It cannot be said with utmost surety that they were ever together, with the only possible evidence being her tweet. So as of yet, there is no clarity as to who Ohtani has dated but then there’s a huge clarity on what his plans are. After all, Shohei Ohtani has finally become a married man.

”So shocked my ears hurt”: Shohei Ohtani’s Marriage Announcement Creates Chaos Amongst MLB Fans

How Shohei Ohtani shocked the world  by announcing his marriage

It’s a well-known fact that the superstar tends to surprise his fans through his Instagram account. First, it was by the nonchalant announcement of his $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now by the simple announcement of his marriage.  On February 29, in a post that hit like a bombshell, Ohtani wrote, “Not only have I began a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have began a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married . I am excited for what is come and thank you for your support.”

 

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A post shared by Shohei Ohtani | 大谷翔平 (@shoheiohtani)

This sent the speculation train running. Suddenly fans were swirling around the internet trying to find a clue as to who this mystery lady was. But despite numerous rumors, the only thing that could be found was that the wife was an “ordinary Japanese person,” as insisted by Ohtani. The superstar did share some information about their history. ”

We first met about three or four years ago and we have fun together,” he shared that gradually he could imagine them “being together forever.” When asked why he chose this time to get married, Ohtani said, “I felt it was best to do it now and focus on baseball.” As of now, that’s the maximum information one has of his wife.

So after years of speculations and rumors, Ohtani has finally married. However, that doesn’t mean that the buzz died, the private ways of Ohtani ensure that fans will always find something to talk about. So with their detective hats on once again fans wish Ohtani – Congratulations!

Watch this Story – Young Shohei Ohtani’s Journey To Elite Hitting Proving His Little League Coach Wrong