TOKYO (TR) – Former NHK weather forecaster Akiko Yoshii has made history by becoming the oldest woman to grace the cover of Weekly Playboy (Nov. 23), appearing on the cover and inside a sealed pictorial of the men’s magazine released on Monday.
The 46-year-old television personality’s appearance in issue No. 47 follows the viral success of her gravure debut in June, cementing an unexpected late-career surge in pin-up modeling.
Shot over three days and two nights in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, the pictorial showcases what Yoshii describes as a raw and uninhibited side of herself. The shoot was an emotional experience for the broadcaster, who admitted to weeping on set during the final day.
“It was like the feeling you get when your time with someone you love comes to an end,” Yoshii explained in an accompanying interview. “I hated the thought of the journey ending, and the tears just came out naturally. I’m not usually someone who cries easily unless my emotions run very high. It was honestly the happiest time I’ve had all year.”
“Sky was smiling down on me”
During the production, Yoshii also witnessed saiun — rare iridescent “rainbow clouds” considered an omen of good fortune. “It felt like an accident, but also as if I was being guided,” she said. “It felt like the sky was smiling down on me.”
Yoshii is the oldest woman to ever be featured on the cover of Weekly Playboy. When asked about the sealed fukurotoji section — a format traditionally reserved for more explicit or revealing imagery — she admitted she was initially nervous about the prospect.
“To be honest, I thought, ‘Has the day really come where I end up inside a sealed section?'” Yoshii said. “They used the word ‘nudity’ in the text, but when I considered what that meant, I felt the concept wasn’t just about exposing skin, but revealing my heart, expressions, and inner self. I accepted because I wanted to show a side of myself that had remained covered until now.”
“Times are changing”
Reflecting on her milestone as the magazine’s oldest cover star, Yoshii said she hopes to challenge societal age limits.
“I felt times are changing, and society is beginning to accept the charm and depth that comes from life experience,” she said. “I hope this reaches other mature adults who might think they are ‘too old’ to take on new challenges.”
