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.