Who Is Takeru Kobayashi? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Born on March 15, 1978, Takeru Kobayashi is 47 years old as of 2025. Hailing from Nagano, Japan, he first gained fame in the early 2000s when he revolutionized competitive eating with his unique techniques and speed. With a background in sculpture and an impressive physique for a competitive eater, Kobayashi quickly became a household name, winning numerous titles and setting world records, including his famous 2001 record of eating 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
| Occupation | Competitive Eater |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 15, 1978 |
| Age | 47 Years |
| Birth Place | Nagano, Japan |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | Japan |
Popularity
Takeru Kobayashi's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Takeru Kobayashi stands tall at 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) and has a weight that fluctuates around 130 pounds (59 kg), depending on his training and competition schedule. His body stats are remarkable, showcasing a lean yet muscular frame that is essential for his eating performances.
Kobayashi expands his stomach for a competition by eating larger and larger amounts of food, and then exercises to ensure that fat will not impede expansion of his stomach during a competition. His official web site gives his height as 173 cm and his weight as 58 kg. He has weighed as much as 87 kg according to a June 29, 2006 blog entry.
As of July 4, 2009, Kobayashi weighed in at 60 kg (132 lb) for the annual 4th of July hot dog eating competition on Coney Island. Kobayashi is also known for his trademark body wiggle, referred to by some as the "Kobayashi Shake", to force food down his esophagus and settle more compactly in his stomach.
He eats hot dogs by splitting the frankfurter in half, dipping the buns in water, and then stuffing both parts in his mouth. He calls this the Solomon Method.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, Takeru Kobayashi has remained relatively private about his personal life. While there have been rumors regarding his dating status, he has not publicly confirmed a boyfriend or girlfriend. Fans often speculate about his romantic interests, but Kobayashi has consistently chosen to keep his family and personal relationships out of the spotlight, focusing primarily on his competitive eating career.
Kobayashi's interpreter and publicist, Maggie James (later, his wife), said he had originally gone in hopes to cheer on his fellow competitive eaters, but after arriving at the venue only to hear support from the fans demanding that they "let him eat," he was swooped onto the stage due to the excitement.
She said "There's a contract dispute, they weren't giving him his freedom. It was unfair." Kobayashi told reporters he had a sandwich and a glass of milk while being held. "I am very hungry," he said. "I wish there were hot dogs in jail." On August 5, 2010, all charges against Kobayashi were dismissed by a judge in Brooklyn.
Despite his record six consecutive victories in their annual event, Nathan’s removed Kobayashi’s image from their "Wall of Fame" in 2011. After Kobayashi left Nathan's, the hot dog contest lost sponsorship from Old Navy, Heinz Tomato Ketchup, and Pepto-Bismol, and its year-to-year Nielsen ratings fell. With an average 0.7 HH U.S.
rating, it was off a tenth of a point from 2012, when it aired on ESPN. ESPN averaged 1.949 million viewers for 2011’s Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest but went down 41%, to 1.15 million viewers, in 2013.
Net Worth and Salary
Takeru Kobayashi's net worth is estimated to be around $3 million as of 2025. His earnings come from various sources, including competition prizes, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. Despite the nature of his career, Kobayashi has successfully leveraged his celebrity status, making him one of the highest-paid competitive eaters in the world.
Kobayashi went on to defeat Joey Chestnut, on May 31, 2009, in a Pizza Hut P'Zone competition at Sony Studios in Culver City, California. The competition aired on Spike TV on June 21. In July 2009, Kobayashi visited Puerto Rico in a special appearance for Taco Bell's Why Pay More Challenge, eating 64 tacos in 15 minutes for a local charity.
On July 4, 2009, he competed again in the Nathan's contest. He ate 64.5 hot dogs to Joey Chestnut's 68. On September 27, 2009, Kobayashi defeated Chestnut with a score of 93 (68 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers), earning the $20,000 top prize. Chestnut was second, with 81, and Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finished third, with 76.
Career, Business, and Investments
Kobayashi's career skyrocketed due to his innovative eating strategies and entertaining personality. He has competed worldwide, representing Japan in numerous eating contests and television appearances. Besides competitive eating, he has ventured into various business opportunities, including a line of merchandise and collaborations with food brands. Kobayashi has also invested in health and fitness ventures, aligning his brand with nutrition and wellness.
On June 28, 2010, Kobayashi announced he would not compete in the Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Competition, reportedly due to the company's insistence that Kobayashi sign an exclusive contract.
Social Network
Takeru Kobayashi is active on several social media platforms, where he shares updates about his competitions, personal insights, and eating challenges. His Instagram and Twitter accounts boast thousands of followers, providing fans with an inside look at his life and career.
- Instagram: @takerukobayashi
- Twitter: @takerukobayashi
Referenced in movie Step Brothers by Randy (Rob Riggle) after Derek (Adam Scott) threatens that Randy will, "...eat Brennan's (Will Ferrell's) dick", if Brennan botches the Catalina Wine Mixer, Randy adds, "Like Kobayashi!".
Kobayashi appears in the ending cinematic of level three, "Around the World in 80 Bites" in the 2007 video game, The Simpsons Game. In The Simpsons episode "Luca$" in the 25th season, the character Lucas Bortner wears a T-shirt with a photo of Kobayashi eating and refers to him in a dialogue.
The Family Guy episode "Killer Queen" features a parody of Kobayashi named Charles Yamamoto (voiced by Robert Wu), a hot dog-eating champion who is dethroned by Chris Griffin at a hot dog-eating contest, later making numerous attempts on Chris' life in revenge for defeating and dishonoring him at the competition.
In the 1000 Ways to Die skit "Vom-Ate-Dead", a professional eater modeled after Takeru Kobayashi is cornered by an emetophiliac woman who forces him to vomit on her, which causes her death when she chokes on an undigested piece of hot dog. Kobayashi appears as himself on a 2012 episode of Jake and Amir, a CollegeHumor web series.
He becomes aggressive when Jake tries to feed him hot dogs. Kobayashi appears as himself in the movie The Houses October Built 2. He is in the Brain Eating Contest during the Zombie Pub Crawl in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Education
Kobayashi attended the Nagoya University of Arts in Japan, where he studied sculpture. His artistic background has influenced his competitive eating style, as he often compares the craft of eating to an art form that requires skill, technique, and creativity. This unique perspective has helped him stand out in the competitive eating world.
