Japan’s Top Race Queen Anyu Hirose Takes on First Solo Gravure Challenge
We interviewed "Japan Race Queen Award 2023" winner, Yanayu Hirose! We asked her about her thoughts on her first solo gravure and her passion for her beloved "Shimizu S-Pulse".
The “Japan Race Queen Awards” are held every January to determine the top race queens that grace the circuit. Anyu Hirose is the winner of both the “Japan Race Queen Award 2023” and the “Mediban Nepuri Award” at this annual event held in January.
The 25-year-old, who is also an ambassador for the public relations department of the J-League club team Shimizu S-Pulse and is widely supported by families, has also attracted attention this year when she was named a member of the “K-1 Girls 2024.
The cool beauty, who is riding high, took on the challenge of a solo photogravure for the first time in her life in the latest issue of “FRIDAY”. We interviewed Hirose after the shoot.
I love her favorite orange swimsuit.
I had a strong image in my mind that when it comes to gravure, FRIDAY is the place to go, so I was very happy when FRIDAY offered me the chance to do a photo shoot. My fellow race queen Nanako Aizawa and my senior Marie Fujii also appeared in the magazine. I took the time to look at the magazine and study it carefully. And personally, I like reading FRIDAY’s scoop articles, not to mention the gravure! ”
She made her debut in the entertainment world as a member of the idol group “Tokyo Performance Doll. She is a self-proclaimed “RQ who can sing and dance. After graduating from the group, she began her career as a race queen in 2009. Although Hirose should be used to being on the big stage, she was ” very nervous ” before her first solo photogravure shoot.
I ‘ m usually not the type to get nervous, but today I felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Before I arrived at the site, I watched a YouTube video of a celebrity that said, “I was closely involved in a gravure shoot for FRIDAY! on YouTube (laugh). But once the shooting started, the time passed so quickly that I didn’t have time to be nervous. The professional staff supported me so I was able to relax and enjoy the shoot.
My favorite outfit was the coordination of the swimsuit and jersey bottoms. I was told by the stylist that the swimsuit was a foreign item, and I was very excited because it had a sporty image that I love and the color orange, which I love, worked well.
A small child says, “An-yu-chan! (laugh).
It has been about six months since she won the aforementioned “Japan Race Queen Award 2023. Hirose’s fans showed overwhelming solidarity in this competition, where fan votes have a great impact on the rankings, and this led to her winning the award.
Hirose said, ” My confidence has grown, and I stand taller and taller on the race circuit since receiving the award. The biggest change is that I am now being introduced with the title of “Top Race Queen. I could not have won this award without the support of my fans, so it has given me an opportunity to feel grateful once again.
Another aspect of Hirose’s work is as an ambassador for the Shimizu S-Pulse Public Relations Department, which was mentioned earlier.
This season will be my fourth year in this position. I myself am from Shizuoka Prefecture, and I have been rooting for the Shimizu S-Pulse since I was a small child under the influence of my mother, so I used to go to the stadium as a supporter. I have also worked as a reporter for J-League TV programs introducing Shimizu S-Pulse. During home games, I also do live-streaming on the club’s official YouTube channel.
A peek at Hirose’s SNS reveals many photos of him wearing the S-Pulse color orange.
Many of them are family supporters, and thankfully, there are many families who support me as well. At the stadium, I hear little children calling out to me, “An-yu-chan! I am very grateful that there are many families who cheer me on as well. Once I hold their hands, they don’t let go (laugh).
We asked the 25-year-old, who is loved by men and women of all ages, about her dreams and goals for the rest of 2012.
She answered, ” First of all, I was very happy to be able to try my hand at solo gravure for the first time, so I would like to do my best to be asked to do gravure more and more! Another is that I love watching sports and have been involved in sports as a race queen and round girl, so I would like to contribute more to sports by working as a reporter and anchor for sports programs! My big goal is to contribute more to sports by working as a reporter or anchor for sports programs !
Hirose Anyu 25 years old T166 B83 W58 H85
Hirose Anyu was born in Shizuoka Prefecture on November 9, 1998. She debuted as a member of the idol group Tokyo Performance Doll. After graduation, she began working as a race queen in 2009. In the same year, she became an official ambassador for the public relations department of the J-League club team “Shimizu S-Pulse” and has been involved in PR activities for the team. For the latest information, please visit her official X (@loveanyu_twitt) and Instagram (@loveanyu_official).
Click here to see the latest gravure and 14-minute movie of Yanayu Hirose.
For more information about the latest photo book “Love Anyu” vol.1, please click here.
Click here to buy the vol.2 of Yuanyu Hirose Digital Photo Album “Love An Yoo”.
Click here to purchase Yasu Hirose Digital Photo Book “Love An Yoo” vol.3
Photography (2nd photo): Kimihiko Nitta