TOKYO (TR) – Approaching her 17th year in the Japan’s adult video (AV) industry, popular actress Sayaka Tomoda has lifted the veil on her closely guarded private life, revealing that she once offered to sever ties with her family over her controversial career choice.
The 37-year-old actress, who debuted in 2009, recently opened up in an interview with Spa! (Apr. 29) about her journey in the adult entertainment world, a career she initially pursued as an alternative route into acting.
“Changed my approach”
Having had no prior theatrical training, an 18-year-old Tomoda felt it was too late to break into mainstream entertainment from scratch. “I changed my approach,” she said, noting that her agency supported her by providing acting lessons alongside her adult film work.
Despite the stigma surrounding the industry, Tomoda kept her career a secret from her family for her first two years. When the time finally came to confess to her mother and two younger brothers, she braced for the worst.
“I told them, ‘You can cut ties with me. I know it’s unthinkable,'” Tomoda revealed.
However, her family’s reaction defied her expectations. Her mother, while likely shocked, simply told her: “I had a feeling it was something like that. Do it until you are completely satisfied.”
“If the roles were reversed, I honestly don’t think I could have handled it,” Tomoda admitted. “I can never repay them for accepting me. I’ve made up my mind to take care of my mother until the very end, and I will do whatever it takes to help my brothers if they are ever in trouble.”
A simple life
While fans might imagine the veteran actress living a life of luxury, Tomoda claims her off-screen reality is entirely lacking glamor. She admits to being a terrible cook who relies heavily on food delivery apps and treats herself by piling toppings onto Coco Ichibanya curry.
“Directors have told me they picture me eating at high-end restaurants and driving luxury cars,” she laughed. “But in reality, I go to conveyor-belt [kaiten] sushi places with my friends wearing no makeup. The real me isn’t glamorous at all.”
Her private life also includes a quirky, hidden obsession: collecting animal dolls. What started as a nostalgic look at toys she rarely received as a child has spiraled into a massive collection, with Tomoda currently hoarding over 100 baby animal figures in her home. “If a maintenance worker came over, they’d be shocked by the sheer volume on my shelves,” she joked.
“Meet as many fans as I can”
As for the future, Tomoda has no immediate plans to step away from the camera. She praised the AV industry for its flexibility and kind treatment of women, stating she has never considered quitting.
While she hopes to marry someday, she admits she has largely given up on having children due to her age and current career timeline. Instead, she is waiting for a “revelation” to tell her when it is time to finally retire.
“When I ask former actresses who were close to me, they all say that one day they just suddenly decided to quit—like something just hit them,” Tomoda said. “So I’m waiting for that revelation to come. Until then, I want to keep working hard and meet as many fans as I can.”
