Nozomi Sasaki Keeps Smiling Through the Heat as Her Husband Faces Trouble

Wiping her neck with a towel on a sweltering 37°C day

In mid-July, under intense morning sunshine, a drama was being filmed from early morning at a park in Tokyo’s Koto Ward.

A large number of staff members had gathered in one spot, with several black umbrellas opened to provide shade. Beneath them, several actors were rehearsing. Among them, the one who looked remarkably cool and composed was Nozomi Sasaki (38).

“They were filming the currently airing drama “Kokuhaku: The Secret of 25 Years” (Nippon TV). The series is a romantic suspense story depicting the space between pure love and madness. Hokuto Matsumura (31) of SixTONES plays the protagonist, Sota Yukimura, a man who has spent 25 years pursuing a woman he has loved unrequitedly. The heroine, Mariko Nose, is played by Sae Okazaki (30), while Sasaki plays Izumi Takeda, Nose’s secretary and a single mother raising a seven-year-old daughter.” (Television magazine writer)

Sasaki described her character, Izumi, as follows:

“At first glance, she seems straightforward and realistic, but I feel she is actually a deeply caring woman who pays close attention to people. Because she is always by Mariko’s side at work, she is someone who can notice changes in her very quickly.” (From Oricon News, published July 8)

On set, Sasaki likewise gave off an effortlessly easygoing, no-nonsense vibe, much like her character. A child actor playing Izumi’s daughter and other cast members were also present that day, and during breaks in filming, Sasaki chatted casually with them and the staff, always maintaining a cool, relaxed expression. In her private life, Sasaki is also a mother of two, with a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. She seemed completely at ease when it came to creating a comfortable atmosphere on set with child actors.

In late July, filming also took place at Joyful Minowa Shopping Street in Arakawa Ward, known as a popular location for drama shoots. Sasaki, wearing black-rimmed glasses, was surrounded by a large number of staff members. With the day’s high temperature reaching a scorching 37°C, Sasaki placed a towel around her neck and appeared slightly tired. Even so, during breaks in filming, she smiled at staff members and was seen showing consideration toward them.

Incidentally, around this same time, Sasaki’s husband, Ken Watabe (53) of the comedy duo “Unjash,” was caught up in a controversy involving Ryō-chan (40) of the comedy duo “Onigoe Tomahawk” and Watabe’s solo talk show. Watabe himself was not at fault, and the matter was ultimately resolved after Ryō-chan personally apologized to him. Even so, Sasaki once again seemed to be getting caught up in her husband’s troubles. Despite this, she made no mention of the controversy on her social media, which she continued updating during the period, instead posting about eating somen with her family and making cookies. There is little doubt that Watabe was once again supported by Sasaki’s strong, easygoing nature.

Even in her natural self, Sasaki has a straightforward personality and a warm heart. Her performances in the future will certainly be worth watching.

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