Mio Imada Appears With Shoulder-Length Hair at Year-End Jumbo Event

“It was a year I raced through.”

On November 21, the first day of sales for the Year-End Jumbo Lottery, an opening event was held at the Nishiginza Chance Center in Tokyo’s Chūō Ward, where the familiar “Jumbo Siblings” from the commercial made an appearance.

As with the Summer Jumbo event, this twice-a-year tradition drew many members of the press and spectators, but the person who received the loudest cheers was Mio Imada (28), who plays the second daughter, Mio.

“Imada starred as the heroine Nobu Asada in the NHK morning drama Anpan, served as an ambassador and broadcast host for the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships that opened on September 13, and has also been chosen as a host for the New Year’s Eve Kōhaku Uta Gassen. It has truly been a year of major accomplishments for her,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

Stepping off the location bus, Imada appeared in a khaki coat and black boots, wearing her shoulder-length hair down—a rare look for her. When she noticed the fans who had been waiting, she immediately beamed with a full smile.

When the host asked, “What is your kanji of the year?”, Imada revealed the character 走 (“run”). When Riho Yoshioka (32), who plays the eldest daughter, responded, “Yeah, that makes sense—great job,” Satoshi Tsumabuki (44), who plays the eldest son, and Ryō Narita (32), who plays the second son, also praised her with comments like “Well done” and “We’re proud of you.” Imada replied:

“I’m so happy. Thank you so much! I worked hard. I also got energy from watching your works and news.”

The siblings exchanged words of admiration for each other. Imada, who was also selected as the “2025 Best of Jumbo Siblings,” said:

“It really was a year I raced through, so knowing that everyone was watching me means more than anything.”

Even as she left the venue after the event, Imada kept smiling. With this momentum, she is sure to continue thriving next year as well.