Naotaka Yokokawa is a Japanese IFBB Pro in the 212 division. 🇯🇵 He won the Japan Pro on his professional debut in August 2026 and finished seventh at the Mr. Olympia less than eight weeks later, on his first appearance.
The rise took twelve years: a first physique contest in 2014, a national title in 2019, then two amateur wins in three weeks in November 2025 that earned him his pro card — and a pro debut win that put him straight on the Olympia stage.
He is known online as @YokokawaNaotaka. His name is also spelled “Yokogawa” — on his Generation Iron profile, on NamuWiki and on his own YouTube channel — and this biography uses the competition spelling, Yokokawa. What follows is his early life, his amateur career, and every professional contest he has entered.
Naotaka Yokokawa Quick Facts
| Full name | Naotaka Yokokawa (横川尚隆) |
| Born | 10 July 1994 |
| Birthplace | Ota Ward, Tokyo, Japan |
| Division | Men’s 212 Bodybuilding |
| Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) — as of 2020 |
| Coach | Hideyama Yamagishi (2026) |
| Professional debut | Japan Pro, Chiba, 2 August 2026 (1st) |
| Best Olympia finish | 7th, 212, 2026 Mr. Olympia |
| @YokokawaNaotaka |
Early Life and Background
Yokokawa was born on 10 July 1994 and, according to NamuWiki, born and raised in Ota Ward, Tokyo. He played softball in elementary school — his team won the Kanto Tournament and reached the National Best 8 — and he found the Baki manga, admiring Yujiro Hanma and wanting those muscles for himself.
He began competing in earnest at 19, and his first physique contest was Best Physique Japan in 2014, where he finished second in the Mr. Best Physique class. The manga hero stayed with him: a 2020 magazine profile says he wanted Yujiro Hanma’s body.
At 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) and 78 kg, with under 5% body fat as of that 2020 profile, he is a compact 212 pro. Those numbers are six years old, and no newer height or weight figures have been published anywhere we could read.
The Amateur Years: 2014–2019
After the Best Physique Japan second place in 2014, he took second in the under-172 cm class at the 2015 All Japan Men’s Physique Championships — and third overall. In 2016 he won the JBBF Japan Junior Bodybuilding Championship, then finished second at the IFBB World Junior Bodybuilding Championship.
In 2017 he won the JBBF Japan Class Bodybuilding Championships under 80 kg and the JBBF Tokyo Bodybuilding Championship, then placed sixth at the JBBF Japan Bodybuilding Championship. In 2018 he finished second at the Japan championship, losing to Masashi Suzuki.
In 2019 he won the JBBF Japan Bodybuilding Championship — the youngest winner at the time, according to Tarzan magazine. The win also brought him the first IFBB Elite Pro card ever issued to a Japanese bodybuilder, in Tarzan’s words.
That Elite Pro card came from the IFBB Elite Pro federation, a different body from the IFBB Pro League — and it is not the pro card that later took him to the Olympia. No contest is on record for him in 2020–2024, when he worked in media and as an influencer instead.
Turning Professional
Photo: NPC News Online
He returned to competition in November 2025. At the NPC Worldwide Japan Open on 1 November, he won the men’s bodybuilding open class in an eight-man field, ahead of Phong Nguyen and Hiroki Maehara.
Photo: NPC News Online / MK Bodybuilding
Three weeks later, at the NPC Worldwide Olympia Amateur Japan on 23 November, he won the light-heavyweight class in a 15-man field, ahead of Donguk Kim — and then the overall title. The overall win earned him his IFBB Pro League pro card.
Two wins in three weeks, and the second one changed his career. At 31, he was a professional at last — six years after the Elite Pro card, and eleven years after his first physique contest.
The Pro Debut Win: Japan Pro 2026
Photo: NPC News Online / MK Bodybuilding
His professional debut came at the Japan Pro in Chiba on 2 August 2026 — and he won it. He took the 212 title with a perfect score of 3, wearing tag 10, ahead of Geonwoo Kim and Shoichi Hirokawa in a ten-man field.
The win qualified him for the Mr. Olympia. Less than eight weeks later he was on the Olympia stage in Las Vegas, in his first season as a professional.
Seventh at the 2026 Olympia
Photo: NPC News Online / Jeff Binns
At the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, in the 212 finals on Friday 25 September 2026, he finished seventh with 35 points, wearing tag 20. Keone Pearson won his fourth straight title with a perfect score of 5, ahead of Lucas Garcia, Shaun Clarida, Vitor Porto, Nihat Kaya and Felipe Moraes.
Seventh earned no prize money — only the top five were paid. After the show, on his coach’s channel on 30 September 2026, he said: “Next year, I will absolutely get my revenge.”
Coaching, Diet and Training
His coach for the 2026 Olympia was Hideyama Yamagishi, a former 212 Olympian himself — the best Japanese 212 placing ever at third — and the 2023 Masters Olympia 212 winner.
Yamagishi had predicted a top-three finish for him the day before the Olympia. His sponsor is ALLOUT, the training-gear and apparel brand, which signed him as a premium partner from 1 October 2025.
No full day of eating from him in 2025 or 2026 has ever been published, and no training split or supplement list exists either.
The only menu he has given is from 2020 — eggs and rice for breakfast, beef and rice for lunch, chicken breast and rice for dinner, with protein and rice as snacks — plus his 2019 figures of 240 grams of protein a day.
His full diet and training are covered in our Naotaka Yokokawa Diet Plan and Workout Routine.
What Makes Him Stand Out
Two professional contests, two top-ten finishes — and a pro debut win by a perfect score. He reached the Olympia in his first season as a professional, less than eight weeks after his debut win.
The road there took twelve years: a first physique contest in 2014, a national title in 2019, then two wins in three weeks in November 2025 to earn the pro card at 31. Few Olympia debutants arrive with that long a build-up behind them.
Off stage, he is one of Japan’s best-known fitness faces: a YouTube channel with around 200,000 subscribers, television appearances, and a first pitch at 132 km/h — thrown in bodybuilding underwear for the Orix Buffaloes in September 2022.
Before the Olympia he posted on X: “My muscles alone will shake the world. I will carry everything and give everything. I will make this my Olympia.”
Naotaka Yokokawa Contest History
Across two professional contests, Yokokawa has one win, one top-three finish, one top-five finish and two top-ten finishes. His worst result is seventh, at the 2026 Mr. Olympia — his only Olympia appearance so far.
His amateur record adds eleven shows and six wins, from Best Physique Japan in 2014 to the Amateur Olympia Japan in 2025.
| Year | Contest | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Japan Pro, Chiba | 1st |
| 2026 | Mr. Olympia, Las Vegas | 7th |
| 2014 | Best Physique Japan — Mr. Best Physique (amateur) | 2nd |
| 2015 | All Japan Men’s Physique Championships — Under 172 cm (amateur) | 2nd; 3rd overall |
| 2016 | JBBF Japan Junior Bodybuilding Championship (amateur) | 1st |
| 2016 | IFBB World Junior Bodybuilding Championship (amateur) | 2nd |
| 2017 | JBBF Japan Class Bodybuilding Championships — Under 80 kg (amateur) | 1st |
| 2017 | JBBF Tokyo Bodybuilding Championship (amateur) | 1st |
| 2017 | JBBF Japan Bodybuilding Championship (amateur) | 6th |
| 2018 | JBBF Japan Bodybuilding Championship (amateur) | 2nd |
| 2019 | JBBF Japan Bodybuilding Championship (amateur) | 1st |
| 2025 | NPC Worldwide Japan Open — Men’s Bodybuilding, open (amateur) | 1st |
| 2025 | NPC Worldwide Olympia Amateur Japan — Men’s Bodybuilding, light-heavyweight + overall (amateur) | 1st + overall |
Note: every pro result above was verified against the official scorecards and independent show reports.
*The 2019 IFBB Elite Pro card was issued by the IFBB Elite Pro federation, a different body from the IFBB Pro League; his IFBB Pro League pro card came at the 2025 Amateur Olympia Japan. The 2015 All Japan row covers two placings at one show (Under 172 cm 2nd, overall 3rd).*
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Naotaka Yokokawa?
Naotaka Yokokawa is a Japanese IFBB Pro in the 212 division. He won the Japan Pro on his professional debut in 2026 and finished seventh at the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
Is it Yokokawa or Yokogawa?
Both spellings refer to the same man. Competition scorecards and the IFBB use “Yokokawa”, while his Generation Iron profile, NamuWiki and his own YouTube channel use “Yokogawa”. This biography uses the competition spelling.
When did Naotaka Yokokawa turn professional?
He earned his IFBB Pro League pro card by winning the 2025 NPC Worldwide Olympia Amateur Japan on 23 November 2025, three weeks after winning the Japan Open. His professional debut came at the Japan Pro on 2 August 2026, which he won.
How many professional shows has Naotaka Yokokawa won?
One of his two professional contests: the Japan Pro in 2026, by a perfect score of 3. His other pro contest is seventh at the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
What is Naotaka Yokokawa’s best Mr. Olympia finish?
Seventh in the 212 division at the 2026 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, with 35 points, on his first appearance. He did not compete at the 2025 Olympia.
What does Naotaka Yokokawa eat?
No full day of eating from him in 2025 or 2026 has been published, so there is no verified meal plan to share. Our separate article on his Diet Plan and Workout Routine sets out what is known about his diet and training — and what is still missing.
Bottom Line
A first physique contest in 2014, a national title in 2019, two wins in three weeks in November 2025 — and a pro debut win that carried him straight to seventh at the Olympia. Twelve years to the top ten.
One win from two pro shows, and a promise already made: “Next year, I will absolutely get my revenge.” The 2027 Olympia is where he can push higher. 🏆
Related: Naotaka Yokokawa Diet Plan and Workout Routine, 2026 Mr. Olympia Results and 2025 Mr. Olympia Results.
This article is based on published contest results, interviews and reporting. Stats and placings are stated as published at the time of writing; where sources conflicted, the official scorecards were followed.