Popular gravure idol Yoshino Chitose reveals a secret incident: “I once had my parents called by the school.

Why she stepped out of the world of gravure and took on the challenge of becoming an idol

Yoshino Chitose made her gravure debut in 2017 while working at a local ironworks, and has become a popular gravure model with over 1.4 million followers on SNS. We asked her about her thoughts on the FRIDAY shoot and her thoughts on her idol career.

—What did you think of the shoot?

I think we were able to create a good work that conveys the cheerful and fun atmosphere of the shoot through the photos. The outfits that were prepared for us were all ones that allowed us to enjoy the shape of the bust, and I think that gravure lovers will definitely be pleased. My favorite outfit is the one with the knit that is cut in half above the bust and the green and purple lingerie. I liked the color scheme of the lingerie because it looked like a combination of different colors. The short length of the knitwear is also something I would never normally wear, and I think it is unique to gravure, so I hope people will take a look at it.

—What do you pay attention to during photo shoots?

I used to go kickboxing before the shoot, but now I do it in parallel with my photogravure. But now I am also active as an idol in parallel with my gravure work, so that helps me keep in shape. I practice with the whole group once a week and do dance routines on my own at home every day. Our music has a lot of intense choreography, such as twisting at the waist like in Billy’s Boot Camp, so before I knew it, I had toned up and developed a narrower figure.

—You have appeared as a glutton in variety shows such as “Dekasobi Hunter” and “Ningen Observation Variety Monitoring” while continuing to work as a gravure artist. How long have you been a glutton?

I have always been a glutton since I was little. When I was in nursery school, I had to bring my own lunch, but I had a lunch box the same size as my father’s made for me and I ate it every day. When I was in elementary school, my mother suddenly received a phone call from the school during lunch time, and I wondered what was going on. The teacher was worried that she was overeating.

(Laughs.) —This is truly a saga of gluttony. In addition to gravure, you are also active as “Amaimono Tsumewase,” but what did you think when you heard that you were going to be an idol?

When I was in 5th grade, I really wanted to be an idol, so much so that I wanted to be in “AKB48,” but I was really bad at dancing, and the agency had suggested it several times, but I had always turned them down. But I thought that if I wanted to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming an idol, it would be the last challenge for me, given my age, so I decided to join ‘Amaimono Tsumewase,’ which is where I am currently performing.

I became a fan when I saw him in his cool suit.”

—How do you feel about being an idol?

It’s fun to be a part of a group and I feel a sense of accomplishment. I can see the audience quite well from the stage, so it makes me very happy when fans wave colored penlights of their favorites and look happy when our eyes meet. We were able to participate in TIF for the first time this year, and since it is an event where idol lovers gather, even fans of other groups who don’t know us do kecha (a kind of wotagei in which they stretch their hands and penlights toward the idols as if in prayer) when the chorus of a song starts. This scene made me feel too good even when I was singing. It was a great feeling to see that, and I was moved by the fact that we were delivering something that moved the audience.

—I think you have been active as an idol and have many fans.

Do you have any idol fans? “My idol is musician and actor Koji Kikkawa. I am also a member of his fan club. I became a fan after watching the drama “Shitamachi Rocket” when I was a student. I really liked his cool suit and masculine appearance, which gave him a good-looking guy look. From there, I started listening to his old songs and fell in love with him as a singer.

—What do you do to refresh yourself?

I once stayed in a karaoke box for about five hours and sang 95 songs. I sing all kinds of songs, including ani-songs, J-pop, Vocaloid songs, and Showa songs. My favorite song is “Machibuse” by Yumi. The other thing I do is shop online. I buy a lot of cosplay costumes for my hobby. I would like to do a cosplay project someday for my gravure work.

—Finally, do you have a message for the readers of FRIDAY?

I think I have created a wonderful work of art for the FRIDAY photo shoot that I hope you will all agree with. Also, it has been six years since my gravure debut, and I would like to continue to do my best in gravure, so I hope I can continue to deliver the best work to everyone who loves gravure.

■Profile
Born in Saga Prefecture. She made her gravure debut while working at a local ironworks. She is a member of the idol group “Amaimono Tsumewase. She is good at eating. Her official YouTube channel “Yoshinon Channel” has 310,000 subscribers, and she has over 1.4 million followers on SNS. For the latest information, check her X and Instagram (both @chitose_yoshino)!

Click here for the making-of movie of Chitose Yoshino.

Digital Photo Book

Click here to buy Yoshino Chitose’s Always, Right Beside You vol.1 FRIDAY Digital Photo Album

Click here to buy Yoshino Chitose’s Always, Right Beside You vol.2 FRIDAY Digital Photo Album

Yoshino Chitose’s Always, Right Beside You vol.3 Luxury Special Edition FRIDAY Digital Photo Album, Click here to see.