TOKYO (TR) – Busty gravure idol Ina Ehara has graced her ninth magazine cover for weekly tabloid Friday, a record for the publication.
The Kansai native recently expanded her repertoire with a Netflix acting debut. Appearing on the cover of the September 4 issue, she assures that this latest shoot captures the “maximum sex appeal” of a woman in her late twenties — one who has officially graduated from the pastel bikinis of her early career.
“This shoot is the pinnacle of the ‘mature Ehara’ series,” Ehara says of the recent session. Although shot in a Tokyo studio, Ehara says the intense sunlight and white walls channeled the vibe of Santorini, Greece. Her favorite cut features a revealing one-piece swimsuit paired with denim.
Karaoke
Beyond her curves, Ehara, 28, has cultivated a dedicated fanbase through her unapologetic humor and candid social media presence. Embracing her Kansai roots—where being called “funny” is the ultimate compliment—she regularly posts videos of herself gorging on ramen and yakiniku, or drunkenly belting out karaoke tracks.
Her inebriated singing videos have become a massive hit online, earning her the nickname “Yoihara” (Drunk Ehara).
“I sometimes upload videos on the spur of the moment while drunk, with completely fuzzy memories. I just pray no accidents happen,” she confesses. A self-proclaimed karaoke fanatic, Ehara claims her first time on the mic was at age three, singing enka on the counter of her grandmother’s snack bar.
In June, the gravure queen stepped out of her comfort zone, making her acting debut in the live-action Netflix drama Kenka Dokugaku (Viral Hit). Cast as a classmate who bullies the protagonist, Ehara admitted she was completely overwhelmed by the production.
“I was the only complete amateur. I thought, ‘I don’t belong here’ over and over,” she recalls. Ehara struggled heavily with standard Japanese intonation and even begged the production team to rewrite her character as a Kansai transfer student. The request was swiftly denied.
Music industry
Despite the grueling shoot, the ambitious idol is already eyeing her next move: the music industry.
Drawing on her lifelong love of karaoke, Ehara hopes to debut as a singer and is currently practicing on DJ equipment. According to a fortune-teller friend, global success is just around the corner.
“I was told that by 2028, I’ll be traveling overseas constantly, making double my current salary, and living in a luxury apartment,” Ehara says. “In two years, I might just be a successful singer or DJ touring the world.”
