Nene Shida: I Ate Ramen Five Times a Week! [Cover Girl]

“I’m proud to say that it turned out really well!”

――Gravure star, “Nenemaru” or Shida Nene (26), who is taking the gravure world by storm. It seems that two photo books, one from FRIDAY and one from Weekly Gendai, will be released simultaneously in February next year. How was the photoshoot?

“I will be releasing my photo books on Valentine’s Day, February 14th next year. For the FRIDAY shoot, I went to Taiwan, and for the Weekly Gendai shoot, I went to Nagasaki and the Gotō Islands. I believe the result turned out really great! Typically, gravure shoots involve traveling from a hotel or location to nearby areas, but in Taiwan, we moved around using high-speed trains and local lines from the moment we arrived at the airport. We traveled from Taipei to Tainan, which felt like a mini-tour around Taiwan (laughs). But we got to experience the night markets, surrounded by lanterns, and relax in nature. I was able to enjoy the different atmosphere from Japan while still focusing on work, which was refreshing!”

――It seems you had a very busy schedule in Taiwan with almost no breaks.

“The schedule was so tight that there was not even a second to tour (laughs). During short breaks, I enjoyed a bit of the local flavors like tapioca and mango shaved ice with the makeup artist. One of the most memorable moments was the shoot at the night market. The lively atmosphere and the Taiwan-like scenery made it exciting. I really wanted to try lantern flying at the night market, but unfortunately, there was no time in the schedule, so I’ll have to try it next time!”

――It was also your first time shooting in Nagasaki, right?

“Nagasaki had a lot of nature, like the sea and rivers, and many places with the charm of old Japan. The atmosphere at the guesthouse and the old houses where we shot was wonderful. Personally, I really like the photos taken on a mountain called ‘Onidake’ with a great view. I hope everyone enjoys the natural and relaxed ‘Shida Nene’ blending into the unique scenery of the Gotō Islands.”

――I heard you found a new favorite food in Nagasaki.

“I was shocked by the Nagasaki-exclusive ‘Onisaba Sushi’ that a staff member introduced me to! Regular saba sushi usually lasts a few days, but this one only lasts one day. It’s fresh saba sushi, and I brought some as a souvenir for my grandmother, who loves saba sushi. After returning to Tokyo, I went straight to my grandmother’s house, and we ate it together. It was so delicious that I thought, ‘This is beyond regular saba sushi!’ My grandmother also said, ‘It’s delicious,’ and was happy. Since I live with my family, I bought some for them too, but it was so delicious that I ended up eating it all there and came back empty-handed (laughs).”

――It seems like your family is very close, buying souvenirs for your grandmother and family.

“My family is so close that everyone is a family fan. Whenever something exciting happens in my work, I want to talk about it immediately, and once I get home, the conversation doesn’t stop. My family comes to events, stage shows, and live radio broadcasts I appear in, but they dislike being treated specially. They make sure to buy their own tickets and come to support me, saying, ‘Buying the tickets is proof of being a fan!’ (laughs). Having my family as my biggest supporters is really reassuring.”