“Do You Like It Firm? Or Soft?” Breakup Rumors Swirl Around Kyoko Koizumi—Our Magazine Witnessed Her Serious Romance with Kosuke Toyohara

“Since I turned 50, I haven’t been going out for drinks anymore. Is this really okay? I’m worried I might end up dying alone.”

Last year, Kyoko Koizumi (60) gave a surprising answer in a pre-show questionnaire for a variety program. She went on to reveal the following as well.

“Since I’ve lived in the glamorous world of show business for so long, people tend to think my daily life is glamorous too, but outside of work, I’m always holed up at home. I eat out maybe three times a year. I don’t go on trips either.”

A year has passed since then. Koizumi, who completed her 60th-birthday tour this past May, announced that she would be “taking a break sometime in 2026.”

“At the time, Kyokyon’s revelation about her unexpected private life caused quite a stir. Then, on May 9 of this year—the day before the final show of her nationwide tour ‘KK60 ~Koizumi Memorial Hall~ KYOKO KOIZUMI TOUR 2026’—she announced she would be taking a break for the remainder of the year.A few days later, weekly magazines reported her breakup with actor Kosuke Toyohara (60), sparking widespread discussion.“Perhaps both her hiatus and the breakup signify the start of a new chapter in Ms. Koizumi’s life. Given her current situation, the casual anecdotes about her personal life she shared back then now feel like ‘foreshadowing’ that hinted at the changes to come in her life,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

A Look Back at the Full Story of the “Affair That Stole a Partner”

In February 2018, when Koizumi announced her departure from her agency, she revealed her relationship with Toyohara on her official website. It was this magazine that first reported on the couple’s relationship. This was three years before the public announcement; following Koizumi, Toyohara also held a press conference and admitted that they had been in a romantic relationship since around 2015.Since Toyohara had a wife and children at the time, their relationship attracted public attention as an “affair involving a married man.”

Let’s look back on those days—

One night in late February 2015. After finishing a stage performance at a theater in Shibuya, Tokyo, Koizumi headed to a bar near her home. Waiting for her at a counter seat inside the bar was Toyohara. The two quietly exchanged words over drinks.Rather than appearing like passionate lovers, they exuded a calm atmosphere more akin to a long-married couple, suggesting they were already bound by deep trust. About two hours later, Koizumi left the bar first. Toyohara followed shortly after and headed straight for her apartment nearby.

A few days later, our magazine spotted the two of them again. The location was an eel restaurant near Koizumi’s home. Sitting side by side at the counter, they were drinking beer and hot sake while talking about work. Toyohara remarked,

“People say I look like a middle schooler, but that guy looks younger than an elementary schooler,”

Koizumi, munching on shiitake mushrooms, neither rebuked him nor agreed with him, but simply nodded along as he listened. The conversation then turned to health topics.

“They say drinking yogurt at night is good for you. I definitely feel more refreshed when I wake up~”

In response to Koizumi’s personal theory, Toyohara dismissed it with, “I don’t feel like drinking it, though.” Even so, Koizumi just laughed it off. Toward the end of the date, with the power dynamics subtly evident, the two ordered a bowl of white rice and eel. They seemed to be sharing the rice amicably, but perhaps the portion was small, because this exchange could be heard:

“I guess I’ll have to cook rice at home.”

When Koizumi said that, Toyohara replied, “Of course.”

“Do you like it firm, or soft?”

Her cute smile as she asked this, tilting her head, left a lasting impression. My interview notes from that time describe Koizumi standing close to Toyohara while giving him the upper hand. After paying the bill, the two left the restaurant at different times and headed straight to her apartment.

A Symbol of the “Outspoken Idol”

After that, Koizumi became a key supporter of Toyohara’s activities. In 2018, she announced a hiatus from her acting career to focus on stage production and management. The following year, she served as a producer for the play *The Widow An and Her Sister*, which Toyohara conceived, wrote, directed, and starred in.

Entertainment critic Takeshi Misugi had this to say about their relationship:

“Ms. Koizumi is known for her deep sense of loyalty and compassion, and for being a big sister figure who looks out for others. In matters of the heart, she’s likely the type to devote herself completely to the person she’s in love with. Regarding her relationship with Mr. Toyohara, I suspect she was captivated not only by his charm as a man but also by his talent as an actor and creator, and felt a strong desire to ‘support his career’ and ‘pursue their dreams together.’My impression is that they were ‘comrades’ both professionally and personally. In fact, on the set of plays produced by Mr. Toyohara, she would greet media representatives who came to cover the event and even sit in on interviews—staying strictly behind the scenes while providing full support to ensure the production’s success.”

Meanwhile, Koizumi has frequently drawn attention in recent years for speaking out on social issues. At her concert at the Nippon Budokan this past May, the production—which included a recitation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and anti-war messages—became a hot topic, sparking mixed reactions on social media. The influence she has cultivated since her idol days remains as strong as ever, even now that she has turned 60.

Mr. Misugi offers the following analysis of Koizumi’s unwavering stance:

“When it comes to Ms. Koizumi, although she started her career with the ‘Seiko-chan cut’—which was popular at the time—she captivated many fans by breaking the mold of the traditional female idol image through her exceptional self-production skills, such as cutting her hair short without telling her manager or staff and selecting her own costumes.Even from a young age, she asserted herself firmly—even if it meant causing a stir among those around her—and her strength in sticking to her convictions is one of her charms.

Her so-called ‘adultery declaration’ and candid remarks on recent political and social issues have sparked controversy in some quarters, but regardless of the specific content of those individual statements, her unwavering stance is very much in character, and I suspect there are many of her peers who admire Ms. Koizumi’s way of life.”

And now, the reports of their breakup—the relationship between the two, which continued despite public criticism, may have been something that cannot be fully captured by the mere term “affair.”

Now that her relationship with Toyohara—which lasted approximately 11 years—is said to have come to a close, Koizumi is facing a major turning point in both her career and personal life. Having turned 60, Koizumi has announced that she will take a break through the end of the year and become a “traveler.”

“I debuted at age 16 and have remained active on the front lines of the entertainment industry for many years. Even in recent years, I’ve continued my energetic activities—appearing in the popular drama *The Second-to-Last Love: Part 2* (Fuji TV), the films *The Silence of the Sea*, *Go-ban-giri*, *i ai*, and *Toritsukushima*,*Shinji Muroi: The One Who Lives On*, and have continued to be very active with new song releases and live performances. From now on, I imagine she’ll take on new challenges at her own pace, even more so than before,” (ibid.)

Now that she has drawn a line under her relationship with Toyohara, what new horizons will this “outspoken idol”—who has consistently been at the forefront of her era—set out to explore?