5. Atsuko Maeda (前田 敦子)
Birthday: July 10, 1991
Formerly the most prominent member of J-Pop idol group AKB48, Maeda has shifted to acting and a solo music career. Her most recent films are Kabukicho Love Hotel (2014) and Initiation Love (2015), but she is also acting in a television drama called Kageri Yuku Natsu (2015). Her sophisticated style and soft demeanor have provided a long run of popularity among male and female fans. Acting ability is not her most attractive feature, but she emanates cute with a nice hint of sexuality.
4. Yu Aoi (蒼井 優)
Birthday: August 17, 1985
Aoi is one of the rare celebrities that does not use pop music as a platform for her career. Primarily an actress, but modeling has been a big part her ascent into Japanese pop culture too. Recognized as a good actress and not just a pretty face, she earned awards for her supporting role in Hula Girls (2007). Over the last five years Yu Aoi has been a fixture in Japanese advertising, appearing in commercials, billboards, and magazine covers. Innocent beauty is her calling card. She is not a celebrity you will find posing in skimpy bikinis like some of her peers, as she seems to use a more conservative image to identify her brand.
3. Maki Horikita (堀北 真希)
Birthday: October 6, 1988
Maki Horikita’s beauty is widely popular right now in Japan. It’s almost impossible not to see a picture of her during your day, as she permeates TV and print. In fact, she is the face of an ad campaign for Tokyo Metro. She is all over the Tokyo subways and there are worser fates than staring at her while enduring Tokyo’s morning commute. A fantastic smile and spellbinding eyes make up for her terrible acting.
2. Aya Ueto (上戸 彩)
Birthday: September 14, 1985
Aya Ueto is extremely popular right now. Her exotic beauty is refreshingly different from her fellow actresses and her relationship to Exile heartthrob Hiro had Japanese tabloids buzzing. A perfect example of Japan’s tarento (タレント) section of the entertainment industry, which is a word coming from “talent” and it essentially describes celebrities that perform in all media; music, film, TV, commercials, and being a general celebrity personality. Her talent is considerable and broadly accepted. Hard work has propelled her to the top of Japanese pop culture and made her a sex symbol, but her personality combined with beauty is what makes Ueto stand out.
1. Haruka Ayase (綾瀬 はるか)
Birthday: March 24, 1985
Haruka Ayase is gorgeous. She can’t act or sing, but she can definitely captivate by being extremely pretty. She works in film, television, and maintains something resembling a singing career, while also dominating commercials and other advertising. Haruka Ayase in a bikini is a sight to behold. She has an amazing body, but never presents herself as a sex symbol in her roles or TV appearances. Always coming across as a shy and smart woman with a subdued beauty, it is very surprising when you actually see how sexy she can be. Breathtaking.
Top Japanese Female Celebrities
Ryan’s Rant: My 2 Yen
The top Japanese female celebrities tend to be the ones who come across as cute and passive. I guess that is what sexy is in Japan. It’s almost like Japanese men want a girl and not a woman, because most of the celebrities act so overly cutesy it’s ridiculous. Why can’t a woman be womanly? Even their body type seems strange to me. None of them have butts, just little dainty back ends. Don’t get me wrong, not all celebrities partake in this “cute” culture. Actually, once the famous women hit their late 30’s in Japan I have noticed they finally act like real women and not baby-talking immature pop tarts. The above list leaves out the sexiest woman in Japanese pop culture. Number 1 should be Michiko Kichise. She is an actress with talent, that has a distinct sexuality. Not an overt sex appeal like many Western celebs, but a confident and slow burning one. She has tons of class too. Honorable mentions are Ryoko Shinohara, Ryoko Yonekura, and half-Japanese model Jun Hasegawa. All of them destroy those mentioned above.
– Ryan
Add featuring the lovely Michiko Kichise:
Tags: Japanese Celebrities, Japanese idol
Categorised in: J-Pop, Kawaii, Pop Culture
This post was written by Mathew Ryan
5. Atsuko Maeda (前田 敦子)
Birthday: July 10, 1991
Formerly the most prominent member of J-Pop idol group AKB48, Maeda has shifted to acting and a solo music career. Her most recent films are Kabukicho Love Hotel (2014) and Initiation Love (2015), but she is also acting in a television drama called Kageri Yuku Natsu (2015). Her sophisticated style and soft demeanor have provided a long run of popularity among male and female fans. Acting ability is not her most attractive feature, but she emanates cute with a nice hint of sexuality.
4. Yu Aoi (蒼井 優)
Birthday: August 17, 1985
Aoi is one of the rare celebrities that does not use pop music as a platform for her career. Primarily an actress, but modeling has been a big part her ascent into Japanese pop culture too. Recognized as a good actress and not just a pretty face, she earned awards for her supporting role in Hula Girls (2007). Over the last five years Yu Aoi has been a fixture in Japanese advertising, appearing in commercials, billboards, and magazine covers. Innocent beauty is her calling card. She is not a celebrity you will find posing in skimpy bikinis like some of her peers, as she seems to use a more conservative image to identify her brand.
3. Maki Horikita (堀北 真希)
Birthday: October 6, 1988
Maki Horikita’s beauty is widely popular right now in Japan. It’s almost impossible not to see a picture of her during your day, as she permeates TV and print. In fact, she is the face of an ad campaign for Tokyo Metro. She is all over the Tokyo subways and there are worser fates than staring at her while enduring Tokyo’s morning commute. A fantastic smile and spellbinding eyes make up for her terrible acting.
2. Aya Ueto (上戸 彩)
Birthday: September 14, 1985
Aya Ueto is extremely popular right now. Her exotic beauty is refreshingly different from her fellow actresses and her relationship to Exile heartthrob Hiro had Japanese tabloids buzzing. A perfect example of Japan’s tarento (タレント) section of the entertainment industry, which is a word coming from “talent” and it essentially describes celebrities that perform in all media; music, film, TV, commercials, and being a general celebrity personality. Her talent is considerable and broadly accepted. Hard work has propelled her to the top of Japanese pop culture and made her a sex symbol, but her personality combined with beauty is what makes Ueto stand out.
1. Haruka Ayase (綾瀬 はるか)
Birthday: March 24, 1985
Haruka Ayase is gorgeous. She can’t act or sing, but she can definitely captivate by being extremely pretty. She works in film, television, and maintains something resembling a singing career, while also dominating commercials and other advertising. Haruka Ayase in a bikini is a sight to behold. She has an amazing body, but never presents herself as a sex symbol in her roles or TV appearances. Always coming across as a shy and smart woman with a subdued beauty, it is very surprising when you actually see how sexy she can be. Breathtaking.
Top Japanese Female Celebrities
Ryan’s Rant: My 2 Yen
The top Japanese female celebrities tend to be the ones who come across as cute and passive. I guess that is what sexy is in Japan. It’s almost like Japanese men want a girl and not a woman, because most of the celebrities act so overly cutesy it’s ridiculous. Why can’t a woman be womanly? Even their body type seems strange to me. None of them have butts, just little dainty back ends. Don’t get me wrong, not all celebrities partake in this “cute” culture. Actually, once the famous women hit their late 30’s in Japan I have noticed they finally act like real women and not baby-talking immature pop tarts. The above list leaves out the sexiest woman in Japanese pop culture. Number 1 should be Michiko Kichise. She is an actress with talent, that has a distinct sexuality. Not an overt sex appeal like many Western celebs, but a confident and slow burning one. She has tons of class too. Honorable mentions are Ryoko Shinohara, Ryoko Yonekura, and half-Japanese model Jun Hasegawa. All of them destroy those mentioned above.
– Ryan
Add featuring the lovely Michiko Kichise:
Tags: Japanese Celebrities, Japanese idol
Categorised in: J-Pop, Kawaii, Pop Culture
This post was written by Mathew Ryan