Arai (surname)

Arai (written: 新井 or 荒井) is a Japanese surname.

"新井" means "new well.” "荒井" means "well in the wilderness".

Notable people with the surname include:

Akino Arai (新居昭乃; born 1959), Japanese singer and lyricist
Alberto Arai (1915–1955), Mexican architect and writer
Atsushi Arai (荒井陸; born 1994), Japanese water polo player
Etsuji Arai (新井悦二; born 1957), Japanese politician, younger brother of Iemitsu Arai
Hakuseki Arai (新井白石; 1657–1725), Japanese scholar and politician
Haruhiko Arai (荒井晴彦; born 1947), Japanese screenwriter
Hideki Arai (新井英樹; born 1963), Japanese manga artist
Hirofumi Arai (新井浩文; born 1979), Japanese actor
Hiroyuki Arai (荒井広幸; born 1958), Japanese politician
Iemitsu Arai (新井家光; born 1955), Japanese politician, older brother of Etsuji Arai
Ikunosuke Arai (荒井郁之助; 1836–1909), Japanese samurai
Izumi Arai (新井泉) (born 1964), birthname of Japanese singer and actress Minami Takayama (高山みなみ)
Kenichiro Arai (新井健一郎; born 1972), Japanese male professional wrestler
Kenji Arai (新井健二; born 1978), Japanese football player
Kikuo Arai (新井規矩雄; born 1943), Japanese male golfer
Kiyoko Arai (あらいきよこ), Japanese manga artist
Kozo Arai (荒井公三; born 1950), Japanese retired football player
Maki Arai (新井麻葵; born 1982), Japanese women's tennis player
Mao Arai (新井万央; born 2003), Japanese judoka
Marie Arai (荒井万里絵; born 1981), Japanese female pair skater
Masao Arai (荒井政雄; born 1949), Japanese male wrestler
Masaru Arai (新井優; born 1952), Japanese astronomer
Matsuri Arai (荒井祭里; born 2001), Japanese diver
Motoko Arai (新井素子; born 1960), Japanese science fiction writer
Nanao Arai (荒井菜々緒; born 1998), Japanese model and actress
Naoto Arai (新井直人; born 1996), Japanese footballer
Nobuaki Arai (荒井修光; born 1973), Japanese baseball player
Nobuo Arai (新井信男; 1909–1990), Japanese male freestyle swimmer
Noriko Arai (荒井のり子; born 1973), Japanese female wheelchair racer
Noriko H. Arai (新井紀子; born 1962), Japanese mathematical logician and artificial intelligence researcher
Ryohei Arai (disambiguation), multiple people
Arai Ryoichiro (新井領一郎; 1855–1939), Japanese businessman
Ryōji Arai (荒井良二; born 1956), Japanese illustrator
Ryota Arai (新井良太; born 1983), Japanese baseball player
Sasagu Arai (荒井献; born 1930), Japanese Biblical scholar
Satomi Arai (新井里美; born 1980), Japanese voice actress
Satoshi Arai (荒井聰; born 1946), Japanese politician
Shigeo Arai (新井茂雄; 1916–1944), Japanese male freestyle swimmer
Shōgo Arai (荒井正吾; born 1945), Japanese politician
Shota Arai (disambiguation), multiple people
Shoichi Arai (荒井昌一; 1965–2002), Japanese professional wrestler promoter
Takahiro Arai (新井貴浩; born 1977), Japanese baseball player
Takako Arai (新井貴子; born 1990), Japanese beauty pageant contestant
Tatsunori Arai (新居辰基; born 1983), Japanese football player
Tatsuo Arai (長井研究室), Japanese engineer
Tatsuya Arai (新井辰也; born 1988), Japanese football player
Toshi Arai (新井敏弘; born 1966), Japanese rally driver and team owner
Yuko Arai (新井祐子, born 1973), Japanese female fencer
Yumi Arai (荒井由実) (born 1954), birthname of Japanese musician Yumi Matsutoya (松任谷由実)
Zack Arai, Japanese adult video director