Why Kaede Aono Has Never Watched Her Own Anshin Festival Commercial
“Anshin Saiten” CM Beauty Kaede Aono Also Holds a Black Belt in KarateRight now, there’s a CM that’s so catchy it sticks in your head and won’t let go.
It’s a CM for the funeral brand “Anshin Saiten” (Gojoil Co., Ltd.), where a beautiful woman places both hands on her chest in time with the waltz rhythm of “♪Moshimo no toki wa~ Anshin Saiten♪.” When the CM began airing this May, it ranked first among women aged 60 and over in the “August ’25 CM Favorability Survey” conducted by the CM General Research Institute. Remarkably, this was the first time a wedding and funeral CM had achieved such a ranking.
So who is this “CM beauty” who instantly became a topic of conversation?
For a while, the melody wouldn’t leave my head
She is Kaede Aono (33), active as both a model and an actress. After graduating high school, she moved from Hyogo Prefecture to Tokyo to pursue modeling. While affiliated with a talent agency, she was chosen in 2012 as an “Imadoki Girl” for the “Imadoki” segment of “Mezamashi TV” (Fuji TV), introducing trendy things and topics. This January, she also appeared in the drama “Private Banker” (TV Asahi), starring Toshio Karasawa (62).
“Actually, my house doesn’t have a TV, so I’ve never seen my own CM on air. I did check it when it was finished, but that was it. So I didn’t really feel it was real
But during the shoot, I sang that song over and over, so for a while afterward, the melody kept playing in my head and I couldn’t get it out (laughs). I was honestly happy to get so many messages from friends saying, ‘I saw it!’”
When asked if the CM has made her more recognizable, she shook her head slightly.
“I don’t get approached on the street not at all (laughs). The CM me has a bright vibe in time with the melody, but normally I’m a bit more reserved, almost the opposite, so I think people just don’t recognize me.”
Just as she smiles gently in the CM, her clear white skin and jet-black hair leave a strong impression, giving off an almost classic Japanese beauty aura.
However, the real Kaede Aono also has an unexpected side: she is a black belt in full-contact karate. Full-contact karate, literally a direct strike style, doesn’t exactly scream reassuring.
“When I was in first grade, I told my father, who was a karate instructor, that I wanted to visit a karate dojo so I could win a fight with a boy my age. My father immediately prepared a gi as if he had been waiting for this (laughs), and I joined the dojo where he was the master. For the promotion exam, I completed the ten-person kumite, sparring ten people in a row while getting a nosebleed. I earned my black belt in sixth grade. But during middle school, I got really into softball and drifted away from karate for those three years.”
Contrary to her refreshing smile, Kaede Aono spoke passionately about karate. When I said I’d like to see the skills of a black belt firsthand, she readily agreed with a cheerful “With pleasure!” She returned to the waiting room, changed from casual clothes into her gi, and then, as if accustomed to it, demonstrated her specialty, the “jodan mawashi-geri” (high roundhouse kick).
The kick, delivered from her 171 cm tall frame, was precise and artistic with no wasted motion. It showcased her flexibility and core strength. Additionally, the way she folded her raised leg back at the knee resembled a samurai quietly sheathing a drawn sword, a scene of silent beauty.
Kaede Aono’s jodan mawashi-geri possesses not only practical effectiveness in combat but also an element of performative beauty. When she was cast in the 2014 film High Kick Angels, she honed this skill through a full year of training.
She demonstrated a brilliant jodan mawashi-geri against a fellow black belt in karate.Before she knew it, she had moved out of the infield
Recently, she has become obsessed with baseball in her private life. For the past two years, alongside her work, she has been going to batting centers and looking for a team where she could play in actual games. She eventually found out that a grass-roots baseball team founded by an acquaintance was recruiting members, so she joined.
Even more surprisingly, she attended the same elementary school as professional Yomiuri Giants players Masahiro Tanaka (37) and Hayato Sakamoto (37). A few years ago during the offseason, she even played grass-roots baseball with Tanaka. Having been exposed to baseball from a young age, in a not too close but not too far way, she now feels that passion anew.
“Since the team was newly founded, I was able to play as a regular at first. But gradually, higher-level players joined, and before I knew it, my position moved from the infield to the outfield. These days, I spend more time warming the bench (laughs). I want to win the games, so it can’t be helped, but it’s a little frustrating.”
Her dream is to serve as the starting pitcher for the ceremonial first pitch at a major baseball stadium. Last June, she appeared as the catcher for the special first pitch performed by pin comedian Kouta Okada (35). At that time, just like with this year’s CM, the internet and social media buzzed with “Who is this beautiful woman!?”
“Only professional players get to play at the big stadiums. For non-players to step on the mound, the ceremonial first pitch is the only chance. Next time, I want to stand there not as a catcher but as a pitcher. I don’t care about throwing 100 km/h or anything like that. I just want to throw a strike right down the middle properly!”
Moreover, her talents are not limited to karate or baseball.
“I’m really good at tasting nori (seaweed)! (laughs) Since I was little, I’ve loved nori especially flavored nori. When I started working part-time in high school, I spent my earnings comparing different brands—‘This nori tastes better,’ ‘That nori is cheaper,’ and so on! Even now, gifts from family and friends often include nori (laughs). Because of that, I can identify where a particular flavored nori comes from just by tasting it. When I go to sushi restaurants, I even order nori rolls without any filling just to enjoy the nori. Recently, with the talks of nori shortage, I can’t buy as much as before, which is disappointing.”
Finally, when asked about her future aspirations, she thought for a moment before responding:
“My official title is still model. There are models in my agency who have children. There should be various ways and forms of modeling for different age groups. From now on, I want to find work that suits me and continue doing it for a long time!”
According to her manager, “There are many offers for models with acting experience, so work requests for Kaede Aono never stop.”
It seems that, just like her CM, Aono’s future also looks reassuring.
Photo： Takehiko Kohiyama