Nishi (written: 西 lit. "west") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Nishi Amane (西 周, 1829–1897), philosopherHaruhiko Nishi (1893–1986), Japanese diplomatKanako Nishi (西 加南子, born 1970), women's racing cyclistKatsuzō Nishi (西 勝造 1884–1959), technical engineer Japan's first subway project (the Tokyo subway) and Nishi Health System founderKazuhiko Nishi (西 和彦, born 1956), Microsoft executiveKenichi Nishi (born 1967), video game designerNorihiro Nishi (born 1980), football/soccer playerTakeichi Nishi (西 竹一, 1902–1945), Japanese army officer and Olympic gold medalist killed in the Battle of Iwo Jima, son of Nishi TokujirōNishi Tokujirō (西 徳次郎, 1847–1912), statesman and diplomat, negotiator in the Nishi-Rosen Agreement, father of Nishi Takeichi