Tanaka was born in Itabashi, Tokyo on July 15, 1987. When he played for Juntendo University, he joined J1 League club Kashiwa Reysol in 2009. However the club was relegated to J2 League end of the 2009 season. Kashiwa won the champions in 2010 and was returned to J1 in a year. In 2011, Kashiwa won the J1 League champions. Kashiwa also won the champions in the 2012 Emperor's Cup and 2013 J.League Cup. In June 2014, he moved to Portuguese Primeira Liga club Sporting. In February 2016, he returned to Kashiwa. In 2017, he moved to Vissel Kobe. In 2019, Kobe won the champions in the Emperor's Cup which is first major title in the club history.