Takao Yoshida
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- October 26, 1973 (age 53)
- Birthplace
- Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Biography
Takao Yoshida, better known by his ring name TAKA Michinoku, is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer, former mixed martial artist, and the founder of Just Tap Out (JTO). Trained by The Great Sasuke, he debuted in 1992 and became one of the most influential junior heavyweights of his generation, finding international fame during his time in the WWF (now WWE), where he became the inaugural WWF Light Heavyweight Champion. He has also enjoyed championship success across Japan, Mexico, Europe, and North America, including lengthy reigns as the FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight Champion and WEW Six-Man Tag Team Champion, while simultaneously holding the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, Michinoku Pro Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship, and Kaientai Dojo Strongest-K Championship for nearly ten months. He founded Kaientai Dojo in 2002 before launching JTO in 2019, received the Tokyo Sports Technique Award in 2005, and was ranked No. 22 in the 1998 PWI 500. Since 2007, Michinoku has been a regular competitor for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship while also spending more than a decade as a member of Suzuki-gun before joining Just 5 Guys. Widely respected as both a wrestler and trainer, his influence extends far beyond his own accomplishments, helping shape generations of wrestlers through Kaientai Dojo and JTO while remaining an active competitor well into his 50s.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Mystery Wrestling #23
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Taichi School Pro Wrestling 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2025
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Blue Justice XV - Wrestling Life 40th Anniversary Yuji Nagata
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 53rd Anniversary Event
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 9 (Final)
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2025 - Night 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XVI
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Even More Ridiculous
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Road in Ishikari 2025
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Superhuman Taiji Ishimori Gets Ridiculous One More Time
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 5
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 8
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2024
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Night 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Night 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 5
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 6
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 8
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 9
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 10
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 11
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 12
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 13
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 5
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 6
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Soul 2024: Day 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2024 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 17
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 18
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Shingo Takagi's 20th Debut Anniversary Event
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 16
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 19 (Final)
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Destruction 2024: Day 5
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2024
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Royal Quest IV
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2024
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2023
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall 2023
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
All Together Again
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2023: Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2023: Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 18
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 19 (Final)
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2023
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction In Kobe 2023
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis 2023 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW & NOAH: Wrestle Kingdom 16 - Night 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16: Night 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 6
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 10
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 14
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 5
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2022
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
JTO 50th Anniversary for TAKATaichi Together ~ Last TAKATaichi
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
JTO TAKA Michinoku Debut 30th Anniversary: TAKATaichiDespeMania
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 6
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 8
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 9
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 10
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 11
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 13
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 14
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 15
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 16
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 17
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 9
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 6
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 15 (Final)
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 14
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 13
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 12
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 11
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 10
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 9
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2022 - Day 8
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
GCW Joey Janela's Spring Break 3: Part 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
ROH & NJPW: G1 Supercard
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 47th Anniversary Show
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 26 - Day 8
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2018
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2018
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 11
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 13
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 5
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 9
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 15
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2018
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Night 1
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 17
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2018
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Night 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 4
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2018 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 2
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW 45th Anniversary Show
Movie · as TAKA MichinokuMinoru Suzuki
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 18
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 19 (Final)
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestling Toyonokuni 2017
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
The Great Sasuke
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2015
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2014
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Road To Tokyo Dome - Day 6
Movie
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2014
Movie · as Takao Yoshida
NJPW World Tag League 2014 - Day 11
Movie · as Himself
NJPW G1 Climax 24: Day 12 (Final)
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE: Attitude Era: Vol. 2
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Invasion Attack 2014
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Destruction 2013
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2013
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Power Struggle 2013
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 7
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE: The Best Of In Your House
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 2
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW Dominion 6.16
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
NJPW 40th Anniversary Show
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 6
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW The New Beginning 2012
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW & AJPW 40th Anniversary: We Are Pro-Wrestling Love
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 1
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
AJPW Realize
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW New Japan Cup
TV · as TAKA Michinoku · 4 eps
HUSTLE-3
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
AJPW Road To Re-BirthxRe-Verse 2003 - Day 11: 31st Anniversary
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Royal Rumble 2001
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
WWE WrestleMania 2000
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
The Best of Eddy Guerrero
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
ECW International Invasion: The Best of Super Crazy, Tajiri, Taka & Tanaka
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Survivor Series 1999
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku (Appearance)
ECW CyberSlam 1999
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
ECW on TNN
TV · as Taka Michinoku · 59 eps
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
TV · as Taka Michinoku · 2 eps
WWE Metal
TV · as Taka Michinoku · 3 eps
WWE Judgment Day: In Your House
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE SummerSlam 1998
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
Battlarts Battle Fiction
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE WrestleMania XIV
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE King of the Ring 1998
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
WWE Heat
TV · as Taka Michinoku · 1 ep
ECW Barely Legal 1997
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
WWE D-Generation X: In Your House
Movie · as Taka Michinoku
ECW Fan Cam: February 14, 1997
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
Michinoku Pro 4th Anniversary
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Skydiving J
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
Michinoku Pro 3rd Anniversary: These Days
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
FMW 7th Anniversary Show
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
FMW Year End Spectacular '95 - Day 10
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
NJPW Super J-Cup 1994
Movie · as TAKA Michinoku
ECW Hardcore TV
TV · 364 eps
Raw
TV · as Taka Michinoku · 29 eps
New Japan Pro Wrestling
TV · as TAKA Michinoku, Taka Michinoku · 660 eps