Kenichi Yamamoto (山本 健一, Yamamoto Ken'ichi, March 5, 1925 – February 4, 1982) was the founder of the Yamaken-gumi yakuza gang, who were based in Kobe, Japan.

His father was an engineer working for Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

In 1942, he graduated from Osaka Electric School,[citation needed] where he worked shortly in the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal before being drafted into the Japanese military Tottori Unit in January 1945.

Shortly after, he was involved with attacking the Tanizaki-gumi in September 1954, for which he was imprisoned for three years in Kakogawa prison.

Kenichi Yamamoto was considered a likely successor to the Yamaguchi-gumi's third godfather Kazuo Taoka, but he died of liver disease on February 4, 1982.