“I Actually Haven’t Measured My Weight for a Decade!” — Sayaka Isoyama Opens Up

“Photographing in a place I love was amazing!”

――How was the photoshoot in Cairns, Australia?

“I’ve visited this place many times since my gravure debut, but I hadn’t been able to go since the COVID-19 pandemic, so it felt very nostalgic. The airport had changed, of course, but the town still wasn’t too urban, the sea was beautiful, and the greenery and relaxed atmosphere remained the same. Shooting in such a beloved location was fantastic!”

――What left the strongest impression during the location shoot?

“On the first day, we walked around Cairns’s city while shooting. The market we visited for the first time was particularly memorable. Colorful stalls with a variety of vegetables and fruits energized me just by looking at them. The shoot aimed to give the feeling of being at the market together, so I ate some of the fruits we bought while taking photos. Later, we moved to another town and went into a diner spontaneously for lunch, taking several shots there as well. I really like the photo of me biting into a burger; it feels natural and is one of my favorite shots.”

――Even for a veteran like you, were you nervous?

“There’s always a kind of excitement or tension, I think. This time, it was my first swimsuit gravure shoot with a photographer I’ve worked with for fashion magazines, so the feeling was even stronger. Shooting in this road movie style helped naturally close the distance between us and created a good synergy. I’m really grateful to the staff who made such adjustments. The schedule was tough, with rain at times, but it was fun (laughs).”

――You hold a Level 3 World Heritage certification. Did you get to see the Great Barrier Reef?

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit it this time. But I could spot the area from the plane! Instead, I fully enjoyed the food. We had classic Australian meat dishes, fish and chips, Vietnamese and Indonesian cuisine—worldwide variety (laughs). I love eating, so evenings spent sharing drinks and laughter around the table were pure bliss.”

Your body belongs only to you

――You’ve said you love eating, but in the past, including on variety show projects, you practiced extreme dieting.

“When I debuted, I was constantly told, ‘You must lose weight.’ At that time, the gravure world favored models who were slim but busty, so someone like me, who was curvier overall, didn’t really exist. I thought, ‘If I don’t lose weight, I can’t do gravure,’ and went through harsh dietary restrictions. I wanted to be thin but couldn’t, which created an endless loop that really drained me mentally.

However, when I entered my twenties, a photographer told me, ‘Your body belongs only to you, so have confidence.’ That boosted my self-esteem and made me focus on being natural. From there, the catchy phrase ‘Marshmallow Body’ was coined for me, and it became my trademark. Of course, this was also thanks to my agency and the golden age of gravure, but it was a moment that made me feel all the struggles were worth it.”

――What kind of body care or maintenance do you do now?

“I don’t do serious training at the gym. I just pay attention to what I put into my body. Depending on how I feel, I take water-soluble fiber or vitamin supplements. I’ve experienced fans being disappointed when I lost too much weight, so I make sure not to get too thin or too heavy.”

――Has your weight changed much since your debut?

“Actually, I don’t really weigh myself. Probably not for over ten years. I judge everything by appearance. So sometimes it works out, sometimes not (laughs).”

――That’s surprising! Do you even have a scale at home?

“Nope (laughs). I check in the mirror or have my body line assessed at the salon. In gravure, a toned body looks best, so I never skip stretching at home.”

――Besides your own health, you’ve been studying nutrition for your dog, right?

“Yes! I earned a Junior Vegetable Sommelier qualification in the past, but recently I’ve been studying nutrition mainly for my 11-year-old dog, Lily. I make her meals by hand, changing the type of meat according to the season or her condition, and I also give her special drinks like amazake and goat milk to support her gut health. She probably gets more nutrition than I do, and her grooming costs are about twice what I pay for my own salon (laughs). Lily is both my companion and family, so we encourage each other: ‘Let’s stay happy together!’”

――Walking side by side with your dog is wonderful. Do you have any future goals?

“Our goal, Lily and I, is simple ‘Stay healthy!’ Posing can get harder as I get sore more easily (laughs). If I continue gravure, maintaining a supple, healthy body is essential. I hope to deepen my knowledge of nutrition and training methods and share a lot of that information with everyone!”

Sayaka Isoyama, 41
From Ibaraki Prefecture. She received the Legend Award at the “Grademy Awards,” held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of FRIDAY. This year marks her 25th year in show business, and she will release her latest photo book this fall.

My recent personal favorite in “HEALTH” – Traditional Oriental Medicine

I love reading books about Chinese herbal medicine, acupressure points, and blood circulation. One practice I especially recommend is eating seasonal ingredients. At the supermarket, the most visible and cheapest items are usually in season. During hot seasons like now, eating corn, tomatoes, and eggplants helps release heat from the body! Also, rotating your shoulder blades to improve blood flow makes you able to enjoy your meals even more (laughs).

From the September 5, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”