Maekawa (written: 前川) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
- Ayaka Maekawa (前川 綾香, born 1983), Japanese tennis player
- Daiya Maekawa (前川 黛也, born 1994), Japanese footballer
- Kazuya Maekawa (前川 和也, born 1968), Japanese footballer
- Kenkichi Maekawa (前川 健吉, born 1953), Japanese sport wrestler
- Kisaku Mayekawa (前川 喜作, 1893–1986), Japanese industrialist and philanthropist
- Kiyoshige Maekawa (前川 清成, born 1962), Japanese politician
- Kunio Maekawa (前川 國男, 1905–1986), Japanese architect
- Miyuki Maekawa (前川 みゆき, born 1956), Japanese fencer
- Senpan Maekawa (前川 千帆, 1888–1960), Japanese woodblock printer
- Shinpei Mykawa (前川 真平, 1874–1906), Japanese rice farmer and namesake of Mykawa, Texas
- Yasuo Maekawa (前川 康男, 1921–2003), Japanese writer
- Kazuhiko Maekawa (前川 和彦, born 1947), Japanese doctor, responsible for the care of two victims from the 1999 Tokaimura nuclear accident
Fictional characters
edit- Ai Maekawa (前川 藍), protagonist of the manga series Doubt!!
- Akio Maekawa (前川 彰男), a character in the visual novel Ayakashi
- Miku Maekawa (前川 みく), a character in the video game The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls
- Tamaki Maekawa (前川 たまき), a character in the manga series Ultimate Muscle