Secret story about a photo shoot in a love hotel district: “Embarrassment and a little emo…” Kisumi Amou [Cover Girl of the Week]!

Idol Graduation

–This is your first appearance on the cover!　First of all, what are your impressions?

First of all, how do you feel? My younger brother lives in Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture), and when I appear on the cover of a magazine, he calls me and says, “I saw Kijun-chan at a convenience store! He calls me and tells me that he sees me on the cover of a magazine. When I hear that, I feel that I have reached all over the country. My goal is to become a woman who is often seen at convenience stores, so I am very happy to hear that!

–How was it shooting in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, as well as at a hotel and a love hotel in Shibuya, Tokyo?

How was it? “It was quite embarrassing shooting in the love hotel district. I wondered how people on the street would look at me (laughs). (Laughs.) It just so happened to be near a live music club I used to frequent when I was an idol. It was a strange feeling for me to be doing a photogravure shoot in a place where I used to walk around at a brisk pace. It was a nighttime shoot, so there were passersby, men and women (couples). In between shoots, I would look at the passersby and wonder, “What kind of relationship do those two have? What kind of relationship do they have? It was fun, embarrassing, and a little emo. There was a mixture of emotions, so I want people to pay attention to the expressions on their faces.

–What was your favorite part of the shoot?

The shot in the bath, which was taken in a studio in Hayama. I think it is a sexy photo in a beige bathing suit that looks like it could be transparent, but it’s not. I just graduated from the idol unit “#2i2 (Nini)” at the end of last year. I would like to explore more mature expressions in the future, so I like the beige swimsuit cut.

–How do you feel now that you have graduated from Idol?

I have always been a member of an idol unit since my debut in ’13. After graduating, I became a solo talent, so I was honestly anxious. However, I have been surprisingly busy with this gravure shoot and sales at pachinko parlors. Since I no longer perform live, I have less contact with my fans, but some of them still come to the pachinko parlor. It feels like pachinko parlors are the venue for my live performances now.

–Has pachinko been a hobby of yours for a long time?

It has been for three years.” I sang a tie-in song for the pachinko machine “P Shin Hokuto Musou Chapter 4,” which was introduced in 2011, in “#2i2. I had no experience with pachinko before that, but I went to play it privately to experience the actual machine since it was a great opportunity for me. I started spinning for 2,000 yen and suddenly got 10,000 shots (equivalent to about 40,000 yen). I thought, “This is a dream come true. I thought it was a dream come true!　sound, the stimulating light, and the realistic feeling of gripping the handle that vibrates when it hits. The adrenaline rush was so pleasant that I’ve been immersed in the charms of pachinko ever since.

Weed Spirit!

–Pachinko is tied to your work, but what was the event that triggered it?

In a YouTube variety show I appeared on in ’24, I performed a pachinko joke: “Tsk, an even number? I did a pachinko joke on a YouTube variety show in 2012. This got a lot of attention. Until then, I had been told by my office not to publicly disclose that I played pachinko. But only a pachinko player could come up with this story. I couldn’t hide it any longer, and the fact that it had become a buzz word meant that I was allowed to talk about pachinko (laughs). (Laughs.) From then on, my pachinko-related work increased.

-With her pachinko stories from her idol days and her bold gravure, one gets the sense that Ms. Amou has an “aggressive” attitude.

I wasn’t in a big idol group, so in order to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry, I had to make my presence known. I have always been conscious of leaving some kind of mark. I have been an idol since I was a child, and I auditioned for Nogizaka46 when I was in high school. I made it to the final round, but was not selected. It was because of my frustration at that time that I have been able to work hard as an idol for so many years, and I believe that I am who I am today. When I was an idol, I would put the letters N (for Nogizaka), Z (for Nogizaka), and M (for Nogizaka) in my IDs, so I had a clear sense of rivalry. Now I look at it with a calmer feeling. For example, Hinako Kitano, a former Nogizaka member, has been a friend of mine since we auditioned together. She graduated from Nogizaka, got married, and is working hard on her solo activities. Seeing her like that encourages me.

–Is there anything you would like to challenge in the future?

I would like to challenge myself in various things. I have always been a “shady character,” and I can’t say anything interesting. I thought I wasn’t suited for variety. But it was a variety show that actually got me buzz. You never know what is right for you, and you never know what is expected of you. That is why I want to try various things without being picky. I am from Edogawa Ward, so I am confident in my downtown guts, or weedy spirit. I would be happy if you could give me a boost with your support!”

Kisumi Amau
Amau made her debut in the entertainment industry in 2001 and joined “#2i2” in 2008.
After the breakup of the group in 2013, she has been active in gravure and variety shows.

My Best Recent “HAND HABIT
Squeeze

I like things that feel good to the touch. I learned about squeezers from a TikTok live performance I saw in April. There are a lot of variations of textures such as sticky, soft, and sludgy. They also look cute, such as animals and sweets, and I have already bought more than 30 of them. Rubbing them calms and soothes my mind. I am so addicted to it that whenever I have free time on my hands, I am always nipping at the squeezers!

From the May 29, 2026 issue of FRIDAY