Sumire Yokono: “I eat rice every day to keep my bust size down.

I feel like I’ve come pretty close to being a little devil (laughs).

–Ms. Yokono has a long career in gravure, but this was her first time to be photographed for this magazine. How was the shoot?

I have been aiming to be on the cover of “FRIDAY” for a long time, so I was happy to be asked to be on the cover! The primary-colored swimsuits were cute and lifted my spirits, as they were inspired by the theme of the shoot, “Ko-Devil. I especially like the red tube-top bikini and white T-shirt (see photo below). The photographer gave me detailed instructions on posing, so I feel like I came pretty close to being a little devil (laughs).
We shot the photo shoot at a house studio, and I wished I could live in such a beautiful house. They also prepared a tremendous amount of catering for us, and we had a great time.

–You have been active in gravure since you were 18 years old.

I have been doing gravure since I was 18 years old. Even so, I didn’t have a chance to wear a bathing suit until I was 18, but apparently there was a rumor going around among fans that ‘Sumire Yokono is said to have a good style’ (laughs), so fans wrote my name on a questionnaire in a magazine and sent it to me…. (Laughs) Fans sent in magazine questionnaires with my name on them, and that’s how I got my gravure debut.

–So the fans’ voices reached you. Do you have any memories from that time?

I was nervous and embarrassed when I made my first gravure debut, but my seniors advised me to have confidence in myself and said, “I have a good style! I’m going to show them! I remember thinking, “I have a great style! I was surprised to see my SNS followers increase by 20,000 in three days after appearing in Gravure. I think that helped me to be chosen for the handshake event and for the selection team.

–You are now 24 years old. What has changed in the five and a half years since you made your gravure debut?

I used to be very shy and unable to show myself, but now I feel like I have more time to talk to the staff. For example, when we were shooting a scene to give the impression of a girlfriend, I could suggest that we shoot the scene not from the front, but from the back, as if we were hugging. I am now able to make such suggestions.

–What do you get praised for on set?

I think it’s the “neckline. I often get compliments on my body line from my waist to my hips.

–What is the secret of your body make-up?

I go to Pilates two to three times a week. I have always had a complex about my large buttocks, but when I did Pilates training to keep them from sagging, they lifted dramatically. I get more compliments on my hips, and my complex has become a charm point! I also pay attention to what I eat. I have always liked cooking, so I cook for myself almost every day. I like Japanese food, and my specialty is dashimaki tamago (rolled egg) (laughs). I love to eat, so I don’t restrict carbohydrates at all. I eat a good amount of rice every day to improve my brain function and to keep my bust size in check.

My dream is to one day star in a leading role!”

–In addition to your gravure activities, last year was also a year of great success for you as an actress.

I had my first regular roles in “Batsukoi” (BS TV Tokyo) and the short drama “Seisai no Scenario” (BUMP), and I played a “bad girl” in both. When I read the original story, I was annoyed by my role (laugh), but I was able to get into the role surprisingly easily, probably because I have the sense of humor that I have developed as an idol. There is a scene in “Seisai’s Scenario” in which she goes berserk with her emotions, and I received many compliments on the scene for my performance, and I also received a lot of feedback from the viewers. I hope to master the “bad girl” role.

–How did you prepare for the role?

I study acting in workshops and watch other actresses’ performances. When I was given the role of a hostess, I studied “Dear Sister” (Fuji TV) in which Satomi Ishihara (38) played a cabaret girl. I felt that it was similar to the feeling I get when I get close to fans at handshake events, so I think my experience as an idol may have been put to good use as well.

–What do you want to challenge this year and what are your plans for the future?

I would like to open a YouTube channel, which has been a longtime goal of mine. Thankfully, I was busy with acting last year, so I hope to make it happen this year. In my main job as a gravure photographer, I would like to continue to be on the cover of the magazine. I would also like to work hard as an actress!　Right now, I think that many of my fans from my idol days and people who know me from my gravure pictures are interested in me, but I would be happy if more people become interested in “Sumire Yokono,” the actress, after seeing my video and stage appearances. My dream is to one day star in a leading role!

Sumire YOKONO, age 24
Born in Osaka in 2000. She joined “NMB48” in 2006 as a 6th term student and graduated from the group in 2009. In ’19, she made her solo gravure debut in “ENTAME” and attracted a great deal of attention. Her photo books “Your Side” and “No One” are now on sale.

My best recent work “Training
Walking in the morning.

I go out for a walk as soon as I wake up. I drink a cup of black coffee, put on a down jacket over my pajamas, and head out immediately! I spend 30 minutes walking my usual route around the neighborhood at a brisk pace. This helps to remove the swelling from my face and suppresses my appetite, so I don’t eat as much. It is also effective the day after eating sweets, which I refrain from. I would recommend it to anyone who is dieting!

From the February 21-28, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY