午夜剧场

My life changed completely on September 6, 2015. While crossing a crosswalk on a green light, I saw a car in my left field of vision. In the moment I thought "Oh!", I was slammed onto the ground with my left toes pinned under a tire. I can still never forget the sensation of my leg bending in a strange direction.

Until then, I had appeared in fashion shows and advertisements as a model, but the industry is not so naive that a person who is difficult to work with because they cannot wear high heels can survive. I had overcome various obstacles before, such as colorectal cancer, but this time, there was nothing I could do.

While visiting hot springs for recuperation after colorectal cancer surgery and for leg rehabilitation, some aftereffects remained in my leg, but the surgical scar from the colorectal cancer became almost clean. I knew that hot springs could be expected to support the recovery period after an illness, but seeing it firsthand was a huge shock.

I also have atopic dermatitis, but my skin condition stabilized to the point where it was unnoticeable to others. I began to think that if I combined the knowledge of beauty and health I gained during my modeling days with the benefits of hot springs, I could make both the body and mind healthier. Soaking in a hot spring relaxes the mind, making it easy to chat casually even with people I meet for the first time just by sharing the water. Also, just going to the extraordinary setting of a hot spring resort refreshes the spirit.

Two years prior, prompted by my friend, actress and singer Yuka Onishi, who knew well my love for hot springs, I had obtained a Hot Spring Sommelier certification and started writing a hot spring column for a Mainichi Shimbun-affiliated web medium. However, I then decided to pursue hot spring work in earnest.

We often hear the term "Bihada-no-yu" (hot spring for beautiful skin), but it is hardly known what kind of skin-beautifying effects can actually be expected. In fact, they are completely different depending on the spring quality—some remove excess sebum and dead skin cells, while others have moisturizing properties. My current job is to convey these facts clearly through the media. I am also working on regional revitalization centered on hot springs, such as supervising tourism PR for local governments and being involved in the "Hot Spring General Election," a hot spring area revitalization project supported by five ministries and agencies.

In many Western countries, research on hot springs has advanced, their medical effects have been proven, and hot spring therapy is recognized as a medical act. Japan has programs like the People's Health Resort Hot Spring Resort plan and medical expense deductions, but it is still lagging behind. I want to bring Japan to the same level as the West as soon as possible. I also want to focus on supporting young people.