Yamanaka (written: 山中; lit: "middle of mountain") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Akira Joe Yamanaka, singer for the Flower Travellin' Band
• Akiko Yamanaka (born 1945), Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party
• Chihiro Yamanaka, Japanese jazz pianist and composer
• Daichi Yamanaka (born 1990), Japanese speed-skater
• Hirofumi Yamanaka (born 1985), professional Japanese baseball player
• Hiroko Yamanaka (born 1978), retired Japanese female mixed martial arts fighter
• Lisa Yamanaka, Japanese Canadian actress and voice actress
• Lois-Ann Yamanaka (born 1961), Japanese American poet and novelist from Hawaii
• Miki Yamanaka (born 1990), Japanese jazz pianist working in New York City
• Miwako Yamanaka (born 1978), retired Japanese long-distance runner
• Noriko Yamanaka (山中 教子), Japanese female table tennis player
• Rikiko Yamanaka (山中 理貴子, born 1955), Japanese diver
• Ryoji Yamanaka (born 1983), former Japanese football player
• Ryosuke Yamanaka (born 1993), Japanese football player
• Ryujiro Yamanaka (山中 隆二郎, born 1995), Japanese footballer
• Ryuya Yamanaka (born 1995), Japanese boxer
• Sadajirō Yamanaka (1866-1936), Japanese art dealer
• Sadao Yamanaka (1909–1938), Japanese film director and screenwriter
• Sawao Yamanaka (born 1968), the frontman of the bands The Pillows
• Seiko Yamanaka (born 1989), Japanese football player
• Shino Yamanaka (born 1990), Japanese modern pentathlete
• Shinsuke Yamanaka (born 1982), Japanese professional boxer
• Shinya Yamanaka (born 1962), Japanese Nobel Prize-winning stem cell researcher
• Takeshi Yamanaka (山中 武司, born 1971), Japanese ice hockey player
• Tsuyoshi Yamanaka (born 1939), Japanese olympic swimmer
• Yamanaka Yukimori (1545–1578), Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period