This Week’s Cover Girl Yuzuha Hongo, “Lately, I’ve Been Able to Show a More Mature Side of Myself”

“People say I haven’t really changed (laughs).”

— This year marks your 10th anniversary since debut. Congratulations!

“Thank you so much! Honestly, I’m surprised at how quickly time has flown by. When I was 12, I thought, ‘Once I’m over 20, I’ll probably be all calm and a real adult.’ But now that I’m 22, I’ve realized personality doesn’t change that easily (laughs). Even when I meet up with former NMB48 members, they tell me, ‘You really haven’t changed at all’ (laughs).”

— It’s been about four years since you started doing gravure work in earnest. Has your mindset changed at all?

“I remember being super stiff during my first shoot—I was really awkward with the posing (laughs). Compared to that, I feel like I can now really enjoy being in front of the camera. I’ve become more relaxed, and I think I can now show a more mature expression while keeping a soft, gentle vibe.”

— This time the shoot took place in Hayama, Kanagawa. How did it feel to be on the cover of FRIDAY again after a while?

“I got to work with a photographer who has been shooting me since I had almost no gravure experience, so I was able to relax and just be myself. The concept was ‘Lovely & Mature,’ and I especially liked the cut where I had my hair in a bun and wore a black swimsuit. The heart-shaped swimsuit was also super cute and gave off a really lovely feel!”

— Recently, you’ve also taken on acting roles. In April, you appeared in the stage play Understudy, right?

“That was my first stage play of the year, and honestly, it was really tough. I played the role of a gravure idol, but the character didn’t originally exist in the script. After seeing my audition, the director decided to create the role from scratch, thinking it would suit me better.

Since I do gravure work regularly, I thought it would be easy to play—but the character’s personality was completely opposite from mine. She was super rude and rebellious (laughs). I had to show a side of myself I’d never revealed before, and I really struggled with that.

I’m the type who can’t show when I’m upset, even if something really bothers me. But the director gave me very detailed direction, like, ‘Let’s add a tongue click here,’ and thanks to that guidance, I managed to pull it off.”

— Has acting helped you in your gravure work as well?

“Definitely. I use expressions I’ve learned during shoots in my acting, and sometimes when I see other actors’ expressions during a performance, I think, ‘I could try that in a photoshoot too.’ In that sense, I feel like both gravure and acting really complement each other.”

Dad’s “devilish temptation”

— You recently went to Okinawa. It seems like not just work, but your personal life is also quite fulfilling.

“My friend who I went with has a driver’s license, so we thoroughly researched the route together beforehand. Actually, this was my first time ever traveling with a friend! It was so much fun that we’re already talking about going to Hokkaido next. I’ve traveled to a lot of places for photo shoots, but there are still so many places I haven’t been to privately.”

— Is there anything else you’ve been into lately?

“I’ve started working hard at strength training at the gym. I tell my trainer which areas I want to tone and which parts I want to keep as they are, and they create a custom workout for me. I definitely want to keep my bust and hips, but I want to tighten my arms, waist, and back. I love eating, so after working out I really want to eat a lot—but I do my best to hold back within reason.”

— What’s your favorite food?

“Meat, for sure. People always say, ‘Eat until you’re 80% full,’ right? But when I’m eating meat, I just can’t stop (laughs). My family knows I’m a meat lover, so whenever I go back home, they always take me to a yakiniku place. And my dad will be like, ‘Huh? You’re already full? If you can still eat, let’s order more’—he’s totally the devil on my shoulder (laughs).”

— What do you usually do on your days off?

“I’m mostly a homebody, but lately I’ve been going out more on my own to shop for clothes and shoes. Since summer is coming up, I’ve been checking out summer outfits more often. I also love hunting for heat-beating items like portable fans and neck coolers. I want to collect them all before it gets really hot.”

— Lastly, do you have a message for your fans?

“Thank you so much to everyone who always supports me! Recently, I’ve been challenging myself with not just cute looks but more mature styles, too. I’d love to hear what you think about them! I’ll keep working hard so I can land another cover, so please keep cheering me on!”

Yuzuha Hongo, 22
A talent from Osaka Prefecture. She joined NMB48 in 2015 and graduated in June 2023. Since then, she has focused primarily on gravure work while also expanding her activities—such as appearing on programs like Keirin LIVE! Chariloto Yoshimoto (BS Yoshimoto).

My Best Recent “Exercise”
“Chest workouts”

I’m the type of person who can’t keep going on my own, so I have a female personal trainer who helps me build a menu for my workouts. My favorite is training my pectoral muscles. I lie on a bench and hold a weight of about 8 kg in each hand while spreading and closing my arms. It feels really good. It’s a very important part of my training to prevent my breasts from sagging!

From the June 20, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”