“We Were So Embarrassed!” Best Friends Mariya Nagao & Yume Hayashi Get Close for This Week’s Cover

The comfort of being like family

— You two are close friends even in private. How was the collaborative photo shoot?

Hayashi: “I’ve known ‘Mariyagi’ (Nagao) for about eight years, but this was our first time doing a gravure shoot together. It felt really fresh. The scenes where our bodies touched were a little embarrassing, though (laughs).”

Nagao: “We’re affectionate with each other even in private, so I wasn’t that embarrassed (laughs). Unfortunately, we had to shoot in the rain, but I think it gave the photos a beautifully subdued and mature atmosphere!”

— How was it different from shooting solo?

Hayashi: “When I’m shooting alone, I focus on interacting one-on-one with the photographer. But this time, I was conscious of what poses would make both of us look beautiful.”

Nagao: “There are lots of photos I want people to see, including shots where we’re looking directly into each other’s eyes from very close range. We’re so close that we even went to the sauna together the day before this shoot. I hope that sense of closeness comes through. Yume Hayashi and I have completely different types of faces, but for some reason, we have a lot of fans in common. We’ve also received lots of comments saying, ‘I wanted to see a gravure shoot with this duo!’”

Hayashi: “I’ve also had fans tell me when I met them, ‘I’ve been going to Nagao-san’s events for a long time too.’ I think this gravure feature must have been something really exciting for those fans.”

— How did the two of you become friends?

Hayashi: “We were introduced through a mutual friend. Mariyagi had absolutely no barriers from the beginning, so we hit it off right away. We both love drinking and neither of us tends to sweat the small stuff. I think we got along so well because we have so much in common.”

Nagao: “From the first time we met, I felt that Yume and I had very similar values. Actually, we also live very close to each other. If I pass by her place and see the lights on, I’ll think, ‘Oh, she’s home!’ and sometimes go over to see her.”

Hayashi: “We even took a trip to Fukuoka with three other close female friends, so there were five of us altogether.”

Nagao: “We drank at an Italian restaurant by the river until late at night (laughs). The next day, we had ramen in Hakata, too. It was such a fun girls’ trip.”

— Your appearance together on the dating reality show “Love Power Kingdom 2,” which began streaming on ABEMA in February, also became a topic of conversation.

Nagao: “When I was confirmed to appear, I had absolutely no idea that Yume would be on the show too. I was nervous about the moment I would first meet the other female contestants, so I was incredibly happy when I spotted Yume. It gave me the sense of comfort of having a relative or family member there.”

Hayashi: “I was also genuinely shocked when I found out Mariyagi was there, and I instinctively hugged her. When the cameras weren’t rolling, we even talked about the results of the popularity votes from the male contestants, didn’t we?”

Nagao: “There were times when I was worried about whether I would survive on the show, and we even slept together in the same bed. Having Yume there was such a source of strength for me.”

Posing and style

— A question for both of you: What is the one thing you refuse to lose to anyone else at as a gravure idol?

Nagao: “Posing. There are plenty of other girls with great figures, so I want to compete through my ability to express myself. Rather than simply moving according to the photographer’s instructions, I try to come up with poses myself that suit the theme of the shoot.”

Hayashi: “If I had to pick one thing, I’d say my physique. I’ve been going to a personal gym and training for about nine years now. I make a point of exercising regularly so that I’m always ready whenever a gravure job comes along.”

— If you had to describe your relationship in one word?

Nagao: “That’s difficult, but maybe we’re like a couple. I’m the older girlfriend, and Yume is the younger boyfriend. Yume actually has a surprisingly masculine side, and I lean on her because of that.”

Hayashi: “Whenever we’re together, she immediately comes over and clings to me (laughs). Normally, she’s calm and very considerate, but once she’s had some alcohol, she gets affectionate. That contrast is also part of Mariyagi’s charm.”

— And from Nagao’s perspective, what is Hayashi’s greatest charm?

Nagao: “Her figure. Even during this shoot, I was thinking, ‘She’s almost 170 centimeters tall and has such a great figure.’ Also, her face is just too cute. When someone is that beautiful, I think people can sometimes feel intimidated about approaching them, but Yume doesn’t put up any barriers and treats everyone equally. That’s why she always has people around her.”

— Finally, please give a message to the readers who have been looking forward to this gravure feature!

Hayashi: “Our individual charms came together to create something really great! For everyone who has been eagerly waiting for this collaboration, I hope you enjoy it to the fullest!”

Nagao: “Thanks to Yume, I think I was able to show a side of myself that would have been different from a solo shoot. I’d be happy to hear all kinds of reactions from everyone who sees it. I hope that someday, Yume and I can do another pair gravure shoot together!”

Mariya Nagao, 32
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. She graduated from AKB48 in 2016 and is now active as an actress and model.

Yume Hayashi, 30
Born in Hokkaido. Since 2019, she has been nominated for “The 100 Most Beautiful Faces in the World” for three consecutive years.

My Recent Favorite Buy & Healing Spots: Cameras and Golf Courses

Hayashi: “Influenced by a friend, I recently bought a camera! Since I went to the trouble of buying one, I want to photograph all kinds of things. Maybe I’ll try taking some cute pictures of Mariyagi.”

Nagao: “I’ve been really into golf for a long time. Being able to fully enjoy nature makes it a great way to refresh myself. Maybe I actually like golf courses more than golf itself.”

From the August 7 & 14, 2026, combined issue of “FRIDAY”