Ayaka Miyoshi interview: on a rare heavy snow day in Tokyo, the model and actor shed the soft, traditionally feminine image and photographed with a cool, aloof presence at a Shibuya gallery.
Z= ZTYLEZ M=Miyoshi Ayaka
M: Debuting 20 years ago, you have worked as a model and an actor. Which parts of that career give you the most satisfaction?
Z: How have you changed since your debut?
M: Those 20 years have passed without me noticing. Whether I am working as a model or an actor, each project that reaches an audience and every chance to meet people in person gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Z: In your new film, Boxing Girl, your character Ranmaru Tachibana sets out to find her missing sister, and her search leads her into conflict with a mysterious crime group. What was difficult about preparing to play a female boxer?
M: Preparation began six months before filming. I had to take part in a series of intense fitness and boxing sessions. Even though I have worked on action projects before, the physical training and demands this time were unlike anything I had done. At the same time, strengthening both body and mind has been very rewarding.
M: Also, I have almost nothing in common with the character Ranmaru. Before filming, I did many interviews and consultations and discussed the role extensively with the director. That work helped me fully grasp the character and how she moves and thinks.
Z: In 2021 you tried directing and released a short film, Inside You. What prompted you to try directing?
M: It came through a project called MIRRORLIAR FILMS, which invited actors, directors, and writers to create short films based on a theme. At the time I was working on another movie where I was also involved in production. I told the creative team I wanted to direct and they introduced me to the MIRRORLIAR FILMS project. That led to my first time directing.
Z: What did you find most challenging about directing?
M: The short is only 13 minutes, but directing was very hard. As an actor you mostly discuss your part with the director and think about your character. A director must worry about the whole work: how to communicate key points to actors, how to help actors perform at their best, how to arrange a room so every shot works. I felt I had to work twice as hard as everyone else.
Z: Inside You follows a woman who loses her way and finds renewal through a meeting with a ballerina. When you hit a wall in life or work, how do you move past it?
M: I feel life is full of difficult parts. What is small for one person can be huge for another. As I get older I want more goals and the walls get higher. Even so, when I face a high wall I try to find strengths within the hardship. I would not say I enjoy struggle, but compared with days of no challenge, I prefer a life that is tempered by problems.
Z: What is your impression of Hong Kong cinema?
M: When I think of Hong Kong cinema, the first director that comes to mind is Wong Kar Wai. I regret I have only seen his films on streaming platforms and have not had the chance to watch them in a theater. His use of color and his treatment of streets and urban life are distinctive and made me fall in love with Hong Kong movies.
Z: What do you think is most beautiful about Hong Kong?
M: On my first trip to Hong Kong last year I was drawn to the food first. Beyond that, the city is energetic day and night.
Z: You cut your long hair on your 20th birthday to mark a new phase. Is there a reason you have kept short hair since then?
M: There was no special reason to always keep my hair short. If I had to give one, I suppose it is because I dislike trouble. Occasionally I think about growing my hair out, but I do not have the energy to maintain it.
Z: How did you come to love fashion?
M: As a magazine exclusive model I had many chances to try different styles. I found cute, girly clothes did not match my personality. Cold, sculptural designs and menswear elements such as oversized coats or strong silhouettes became my style. Even now the first thing I do each morning is decide what to wear. Clothing and accessories set a mood for the day, and fashion is very important to me.
Z: What kinds of art do you enjoy?
M: This shoot let me interact with art more closely. I am very fond of ceramics and often visit exhibitions and pottery shops. Ceramics can be both a vessel and an object of decoration. That ambiguous quality is fascinating.
Z: How do you want to present yourself when you turn 30?
M: In two or three years I will reach a new stage. I hope to pass that time in good health. In my early twenties I worked hard to become the person I wanted to be, often pushing without enough rest. Over time I found my ability to recover, physically and mentally, declined and I needed more sleep. I must admit, if I want to create better work and treat my body as an investment, I have to take health seriously.
Z: What would you like to try next in film and performance?
M: I want to keep pushing myself in action films and continue to realize my ideal of a cool, capable woman on screen.
Ayaka Miyoshis profile
Born in 1996, Ayaka Miyoshi debuted as a child actor and later became an exclusive model for Seventeen magazine. From 2012 she expanded into acting with credits that include Confessions, BG Personal Bodyguard, and the Netflix series Alice in Borderland. After appearing as the female lead in Jay Chous music video Wont Cry, she gained visibility across greater China.
Executive producer: Angus Mok
Photographer: Jimmy Ming Shum
Art direction: Mimi Kong and Jimmy Ming Shum
Styling: Yoshi Miyamasu assisted by Maiko Karima
Video and video edit: Kason Tam
Makeup and hair: Yudai Makino
Interview: Ms. A
Jewelry: Tiffany & Co.
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Wardrobe: Burberry, Issey Miyake, Valentino, Tom Ford, Rick Owens, Sacai
Special thanks to JPS Gallery Tokyo for the location
This Ayaka Miyoshi interview was conducted during a Tokyo gallery shoot and covers her work, training for Boxing Girl, her directing debut with Inside You, and her approach to fashion and health.
