In 'The Wind Rises', what is the name of the protagonist's love interest?

In The Wind Rises, the protagonist’s love interest is Naoko Satomi. English-language sources also sometimes spell her name “Nahoko Satomi,” reflecting differences in romanization, but Naoko Satomi is an established English rendering and a fair answer.

Naoko is a painter whom Jiro Horikoshi first encounters during the chaos of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. They meet again years later at a mountain resort, where she is painting landscapes. Their relationship becomes the film’s emotional center as Jiro pursues his career designing aircraft for Mitsubishi.

The romance is fictionalized rather than a direct account of the real Jiro Horikoshi’s marriage. Miyazaki drew elements of Naoko’s story from Tatsuo Hori’s semi-autobiographical novel The Wind Has Risen, including the character’s illness and the tension between love, creativity, and limited time. Naoko’s artistic life also contrasts with Jiro’s engineering ambitions, helping the film connect painting, aviation, beauty, and destruction.