Dan Mitsu Enjoys Bathhouses as a Housewife, with a Hermit Crab in Her Nose

Occupation: Sexy older sister

In 2010, she made her gravure debut and quickly became a star with her bold nudity, as indicated by her catchphrase “Occupation: Sexy older sister.” In 2013, during a Yakult—DeNA game at Akita’s Komachi Stadium, she stunned the crowd by stripping off her Yakult uniform and changing into a blue swimsuit! Her “swimwear first pitch” became a legend.

“I never imagined it would cause such a stir, and I didn’t plan it at all. Actually, just before the first pitch, I had been doing a gravure shoot for a boys’ magazine, and I was given the swimsuit I wore for the shoot as a gift. The navy blue color matched Yakult’s team colors, so I discussed it with my manager and decided to go with it.

At that time, society wasn’t as tense, and there were no costume checks. When I threw the first pitch in the swimwear, there was a murmur from both the stands and the players’ seats, and I was shocked. Even now, the photo from that day is still used on my Wikipedia page.”

“It’s been five years since I was on the cover of FRIDAY, but this time, we’re publishing additional cuts from my photo books ‘Monalisa—Shizuku—’ and ‘Monalisa—Kesshou—’ which were both released in 2019. The themes of the two books are summer and winter, respectively. Could you share any behind-the-scenes stories from the shoots?”

“‘Shizuku’ was shot in the middle of summer, and we also went to Kuroshima Island by boat from Ishigaki Island. The photographer, Yukiki Nishida, tried to see if a hermit crab would crawl into his nostrils, so I tried it as well, and we ended up with a photo of hermit crabs snugly fitting into both of my nostrils. Also, while we were shooting at the location, I tripped and fell, but miraculously, I wasn’t injured. However, the next day, one of the staff members filming a video tripped in the same spot and broke their bone. Even so, they managed to shoot while their leg was immobilized, and I was so grateful for their dedication.

‘Kesshou’ was shot in the Ura-Bandai area of Fukushima Prefecture, with beautiful scenery everywhere. I made it a point to blend in with nature. During the shoot by the frozen Lake Hibara, there were people fishing for smelt nearby, and after we finished shooting, I got to eat some tempura made from the smelt. On the snow-covered mountains in Ura-Bandai, the driver of the location bus pulled me on a sled, but he went too fast and I ended up hitting my head on the snow. I tumbled backward a few times, and for a moment, I thought they might leave me behind! (laughs) But he rushed back and picked me up, and even carried me on his back.”

“It seems like you get along well with the driver.”

“I try to always show gratitude to those around me. When I was just starting out, I was talking to the bus driver during a break, and he told me he was a fan of mine. So, after the shoot, I gave him an unused pair of my underwear with my name and signature on it. He was really happy about it.”

A kinkajou and a 1-meter-long rat snake

“A kinkajou and a 1-meter-long rat snake”

Last year, you faced a lot of challenges, both mentally and physically, and had to be hospitalized twice. Many fans must have been worried during your long period of rest.

“It was a year that felt like a summary of all my misfortunes. My agency went bankrupt, I contracted COVID-19, and even developed pneumonia. I also broke a rib when I slipped off a stepladder while cleaning the kinkajou’s cage (a raccoon-like, omnivorous animal).

I spent most of the year resting, but living surrounded by pets naturally helped me heal. Having pets means I can’t act recklessly; I have responsibilities. By taking care of them, I was able to gradually find peace and a calm state of mind.”

“You live surrounded by many pets, don’t you?”

“Yes, besides the kinkajou, I have a rat snake that’s a little over a meter long. In birdcages, I have an owl parakeet and budgies. In a fish tank, I have catfish, lungfish, and goldfish swimming. The kinkajou eats bananas, apples, and such, while the snake eats frozen mice. It takes at least an hour in the morning to clean and feed them. I repeat the same in the evening. The little birds sing, and the kinkajou comes over to be affectionate, which brings me little joys, and just being around them makes me feel peaceful. They’re irreplaceable.”

“I’ve heard you enjoy saunas. Do you have a regular spot you go to?”

“I usually go to a bathhouse near my home. One time, an elderly person in their 80s gave me some ‘karinto’ (fried sweet snacks). While I was thinking about how to repay them, they said, ‘A young woman like you just needs to say thank you. Don’t worry about giving something back.’ The kindness of everyone there is heartwarming. I’m treated not as a celebrity, but as just a regular housewife who loves the local bathhouse in Setagaya, and I’m really comfortable with that.”

“Your calendar was released in October, marking the first in three years. Can we expect a full recovery?”

“I have no intention of giving up the occupation, sexy older sister label, but as I’ve grown older, started my family, and, admittedly, experienced illness, I want to take on work where I can use my past experiences, but in a more balanced way. I plan to continue working with the help of my staff, in a way that doesn’t push myself too hard.”

My best Relaxation item recently.

Incense.

I burn incense at home. I used to like scents like sandalwood and hinoki, but recently I’ve been using osmanthus and jasmine. A rare one I enjoy is the scent of apple. Even with small things, when I find something I like, it makes me feel grateful to be alive. I clean the room where the incense is burning, and I discard things I no longer need. As I get older, I’ve become more aware of the cleansing effect of cleaning.

From the November 22/29, 2024 issue of FRIDAY