TOKYO (TR) – Gravure idol Yamada, marketed as the “Reiwa Supernova” for her ample I-cup bust, opened up to weekly tabloid Friday (Nov. 6) about her unconventional past, revealing she survived on the streets for roughly a year after dropping out of high school before breaking into the entertainment industry.
In an interview published by weekly tabloid Friday, where she made her seventh appearance and first cover feature, Yamada recounted walking out of her family home as a teenager.
During her year of homelessness, she slept outdoors, foraged for sustenance in the sea, and relied on the goodwill of strangers she met along the way to stay fed.
“Never strayed from being a decent person”
Despite the rough lifestyle, Yamada maintained that she never engaged in illicit behavior to survive.
“I never did anything against the law or anything dangerous, and I never strayed from being a decent person,” Yamada said. “I was just doing everything I could, working hard and seriously just to survive.”
Yamada credited her independent streak to her mother, an immigrant from the Philippines. “I watched my mother work desperately hard to make a life in a foreign country,” she explained. “Because of that, I always had the desire to stand on my own two feet.”
Now two years into her entertainment career, Yamada has amassed approximately 400,000 followers on Instagram and launched an official fan club on August 3.
“Fuels people’s fantasies”
While she has adopted a more professional routine for early morning photo shoots, she admitted she still has a wild side, particularly when alcohol is involved.
“I love to drink, so sometimes I take things too far,” she said with a laugh. “There are a lot of things I need to be careful about, just like with my street-living days… Right now, I’m currently undergoing rehabilitation!”
Yamada indicated she is looking to expand her career beyond pinup modeling into acting, YouTube, and variety television.
“I want to deliver gravure that fuels people’s fantasies,” she said. “I’d be happy if people see me not just as sexy, but also see my endearing and sharp sides.”
