Hiroshi Abe’s Beauty & Wellness Routine | Workouts, Diet, Sauna & Life

Standing 189 cm tall, with a deep, composed voice and an unmistakable screen presence, Hiroshi Abe is one of Japan's most celebrated actors. After beginning his career as a popular fashion model, he went on to establish himself in comedy, serious drama, historical films, and action-packed productions.

In TRICK, he played an eccentric university professor. In The Man Who Can't Get Married (Kekkon Dekinai Otoko), he portrayed an awkward architect devoted to his independent lifestyle. In Dragon Zakura, he became a determined lawyer who helps students discover their potential. His performance as an ancient Roman bathhouse architect in Thermae Romae earned him the Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Other notable productions include Shinzanmono, Shitamachi Rocket, VIVANT, and Caster.

Born on June 22, 1964, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Abe turned 62 in 2026. Away from the cameras, he announced his marriage to a woman outside the entertainment industry in 2007 and is the father of two daughters.

Looking through Abe's own interviews reveals a remarkably varied approach to beauty and wellness: nearly 40 years of visiting the gym, weight changes of approximately 11 kg and 15 kg for different film roles, a subsequent gain of around 5 kg for another character, a home mist sauna, and an interest in meat and protein as part of his everyday diet.

Yet there is much more to him than demanding physical preparation. He enjoys roasted sweet potatoes and Japanese sweets, delights in watching his pet medaka fish grow, and took on the challenge of learning the drums for the first time in his late fifties. Now in his sixties, he has even spoken about his dream of experiencing life abroad.

In this comprehensive feature, we explore Hiroshi Abe's workouts, body transformations, eating habits, hydration, sauna routine, sleep, grooming, marriage, family, hobbies, and philosophy toward work and aging. Along the way, we will look at his early career struggles and the profound influence of his father, who lived to the age of 98.

1. Hiroshi Abe's Early Life and Career: From Fashion Model to Acclaimed Actor

Hiroshi Abe's first steps into the entertainment industry came while he was still a university student.

He studied electrical engineering at Chuo University's Faculty of Science and Engineering. In 1985, he won the Non-no Boyfriend Grand Prix, attracting the attention of the fashion industry. When the men's fashion magazine MEN'S NON-NO launched in 1986, Abe became one of its defining faces, appearing on the cover for three years and six months from its launch.

He made his acting debut in the 1987 film Haikara-san ga Tooru. Although his modeling career had brought him considerable popularity, building a lasting career as an actor would prove to be a different challenge.

In later interviews, Abe reflected on a period when acting opportunities declined and he struggled to find his place in the industry. His strong image as a fashion model made it difficult to move beyond certain types of roles, even though he wanted to explore a much broader range of characters.

Learning to embrace his 189 cm height

Today, Abe's exceptional height is one of his most recognizable features. Early in his acting career, however, he sometimes wondered whether being so tall actually made casting more difficult.

He became conscious of the height difference between himself and his fellow actors and considered how his physical presence appeared on screen.

His thinking began to change in his thirties. Instead of trying to minimize his height in every situation, he learned to use it differently depending on the character. Sometimes a role benefited from his imposing stature; at other times, subtle gestures and expressions mattered far more.

In TRICK, his confident appearance contrasted brilliantly with the eccentric humor of Professor Jiro Ueda. In The Man Who Can't Get Married, he played an architect who appeared self-assured yet found ordinary social relationships surprisingly difficult. His commanding physique became part of the comedy rather than a limitation.

Meanwhile, Shinzanmono allowed him to portray an observant detective sensitive to other people's emotions, while Shitamachi Rocket presented him as a passionate business leader confronting formidable challenges.

Abe also explored the complexities of family relationships in Hirokazu Kore-eda's films Still Walking and After the Storm. These performances revealed a quieter, more vulnerable side of an actor often associated with powerful characters.

In the 2025 film Showtime 7, he took on the role of a television news anchor. To make the character convincing, he studied real broadcasting environments and paid attention to small details such as handling scripts, directing his gaze toward cameras, and moving his hands naturally.

That combination of physical presence and careful observation has become central to his acting. He can make an impression through his stature, yet he also knows how much a subtle movement can reveal about a character.

Through career setbacks, uncertainty about his appearance, and the gradual discovery of his strengths, Abe developed an acting style that made his distinctive physique an asset.

His lifelong awareness of how the body looks and moves on screen would eventually become an important part of his approach to physical preparation for film roles.

2. Hiroshi Abe's Workout Routine: Nearly 40 Years of Gym Training

One of the longest-running elements of Hiroshi Abe's wellness routine is his relationship with the gym.

In an official interview published in May 2026, Abe explained that he had been visiting gyms for almost 40 years. He developed an interest in physical activity as a young man and continued finding ways to exercise throughout his modeling and acting careers.

What makes his story particularly interesting is that his motivation goes beyond building muscle. He has repeatedly spoken about enjoying the atmosphere of the gym itself.

The gym as a place for positive energy and motivation

In a 2022 interview with OurAge, Abe explained that he likes being surrounded by people who have come to exercise with a positive attitude.

Everyone is working toward a personal goal, whether that means improving their fitness or simply enjoying some physical activity. Being in that environment gives Abe motivation and helps him feel refreshed.

At the time of the interview, he would visit the gym when he had a day away from filming. His sessions varied according to his mood and schedule. Sometimes he spent only 30 minutes there; on other occasions, he stayed for two or three hours.

The interviewer also noted that Abe had expressed a similar affection for the gym around 20 years earlier. His appreciation for the environment had remained remarkably consistent even as his career and lifestyle evolved.

In his 2026 interview, Abe identified pull-ups and exercises for his legs and lower body as activities he regularly performed. Although he did not specify exact repetitions or training loads, his comments show an interest in training different parts of the body.

For roles requiring physical action or a particular physique, he sometimes works with a trainer who prepares a program suited to the character.

This creates a distinction between exercise as part of everyday life and more intensive training undertaken for a specific production.

How his workout frequency has changed with age

The frequency of Abe's gym visits has varied depending on his filming commitments and the period in which he was interviewed.

In a 2018 interview, he described visiting around once every two weeks. In 2025, he spoke about aiming for approximately one session a week, while another interview from that period described visiting roughly once or twice a month.

Such variation reflects the unpredictable schedules of film and television production. Abe has adapted his exercise habits to the demands of his work rather than maintaining one rigid routine throughout his life.

After so many years of training, his relationship with exercise appears to be shaped by experience, enjoyment, and an awareness of his current circumstances.

His physique has also attracted attention in Japan's surveys of men's ideal body types. Yet when Abe himself discusses what he likes about exercising, he often returns to the people around him and the positive atmosphere they create.

Nearly four decades of gym visits have given him more than a connection to physical training. They have also provided a familiar place where he can find inspiration and enjoy moving his body.

3. Hiroshi Abe's Body Transformations: Weight Loss, Weight Gain and Film Preparation

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Hiroshi Abe's physical preparation is the way his body has changed for different acting roles.

From the muscular appearance of an ancient Roman to the lean physique of a troubled husband, and from a thoughtful detective to a samurai, Abe has approached each character with a different understanding of how the body can communicate a story.

Building a stronger physique for Thermae Romae

In the 2012 film Thermae Romae, Abe played Lucius, a bathhouse architect from ancient Rome.

To create a convincing physical presence, he trained intensively for approximately two months, paying particular attention to the appearance of his chest and upper body. He later repeated a period of focused preparation for the sequel.

Director Hideki Takeuchi has recalled Abe exercising between takes, including doing squats while holding a fire extinguisher.

There is also a fascinating story about the film's costume and appearance tests. At first, the production experimented with a blond wig and blue contact lenses to make Abe look more conventionally Roman.

As discussions with the director continued, those additions were gradually discarded, allowing Abe's natural facial features to become part of the character's distinctive appearance.

For an actor who had once worried about how his looks and height might limit his career, playing an ancient Roman through the strength of his own appearance became an especially memorable achievement.

Losing 11 kg for A Night in Nude: Salvation

Abe took a very different approach for the film Tsuyano Yoru, released in 2013 and also known as A Night in Nude: Salvation.

He played Matsuo, a man overwhelmed by his feelings toward his wife. Abe wanted the character's emotional turmoil and desperation to be visible in his physical appearance.

In a discussion with director Isao Yukisada, Abe revealed that he had aimed to lose 11 kg for the role.

The interview also included an extraordinary behind-the-scenes story. Near the end of filming, the director asked how his weight-loss target was progressing. Abe realized that he had lost 10 kg rather than the planned 11 kg.

He went running that night and managed to lose the final kilogram before filming finished. The director later recalled Abe's determination with a mixture of surprise and humor.

Their conversation also touched on the weight-related preparation Abe had undertaken for the 2011 film Cheers from Heaven (Tengoku kara no Yell). Abe joked that he had happened to receive several roles calling for this kind of transformation.

These were exceptional preparations for particular characters, undertaken in the context of demanding film productions.

Losing approximately 15 kg for The Crimes That Bind

For the 2018 film The Crimes That Bind (Inori no Maku ga Oriru Toki), Abe again undertook substantial weight loss.

He wanted to return to the appearance of detective Kyoichiro Kaga, a character he had portrayed in the Shinzanmono series for many years.

According to his interview, he lost approximately 15 kg over about six months. During this period, he adjusted his eating habits, including avoiding meals after 9 p.m.

The change turned out to be greater than he had expected, and he later regained some weight.

His preparation extended beyond physical appearance. Abe revisited earlier installments of Shinzanmono to study how he had previously portrayed Kaga.

He considered the detective's expressions, movements, and ways of thinking, approaching a familiar character with fresh attention.

For someone who had played the same role over several years, preparing for this film meant looking closely at both the character's history and his own earlier performance.

Gaining approximately 5 kg for Flea-Picking Samurai

His next major physical challenge took him in the opposite direction.

For Flea-Picking Samurai (Nomi Tori Zamurai), released in 2018, Abe needed a fuller physique that would suit his role as an Edo-period samurai.

Having become lean for The Crimes That Bind, he began eating more while filming in Kyoto.

In an interview, Abe described visiting a yakitori restaurant for seven consecutive days, ordering numerous items from the menu and sometimes finishing with four rice balls.

He recalled the restaurant owner's surprise with obvious amusement. Through this period of role preparation, he gained approximately 5 kg.

In the 2022 television drama DCU, Abe also found motivation in his co-stars Ryusei Yokohama and Mitsuomi Takahashi, both of whom were enthusiastically preparing their bodies for the production.

Inspired by their dedication, he undertook focused physical training for his role as the leader of an underwater investigation unit.

This role-specific preparation was separate from his ordinary visits to the gym. Underwater scenes also presented a different set of physical challenges from those of his previous productions.

An 11 kg reduction, a later loss of around 15 kg, an increase of approximately 5 kg, and specialized training for underwater action: each experience belonged to a different film or television role.

Together, these stories show Abe's commitment to using physical appearance and movement as tools of character expression. They describe exceptional professional circumstances rather than a weight-management routine intended for everyday life.

4. Hiroshi Abe's Diet and Hydration: Meat, Chinese Food, Sweet Potatoes and Barley Tea

Hiroshi Abe's eating habits reveal two sides of his lifestyle: periods of careful adjustment for film roles and the simple pleasure of enjoying favorite foods.

In a 2019 interview, he explained that he often ate meat and paid attention to protein in his diet. Filming also meant eating prepared meals or boxed lunches on set, so he sometimes adjusted the amount he ate according to his circumstances.

In 2020, he spoke about a growing preference for Chinese cuisine, although he had previously tended to choose Japanese food more often.

He also explained that he tried to avoid eating after 9 p.m., but admitted with a laugh that there were occasions when he ended up eating late anyway.

It is a refreshingly human detail. The actor who had undertaken demanding body transformations for his films also enjoyed his favorite meals and acknowledged that daily habits could be flexible.

A fondness for roasted sweet potatoes and Japanese sweets

One of Abe's unexpectedly charming food preferences is roasted sweet potato.

In a 2022 OurAge interview, he said he had always liked roasted sweet potatoes and often felt tempted to buy them whenever he saw them for sale.

Reading about their nutritional qualities had also sparked further interest in the food. His comments reflect a personal preference and the enjoyment he gets from a familiar snack.

Abe also enjoys traditional Japanese sweets, known as wagashi.

While working on the Shinzanmono series, he developed a close connection to the Nihonbashi and Ningyocho neighborhoods of Tokyo, where the story is set.

He would sometimes visit local confectionery shops, and the area gradually came to feel like a second hometown through his many filming experiences.

For Abe, a place associated with an important acting role also became a place filled with familiar flavors and personal memories.

Drinking water and barley tea during sauna sessions

Among the beverages Abe has discussed personally, barley tea stands out.

In a 2024 interview connected with a barley tea advertising campaign, he explained that he drinks water or barley tea when using his mist sauna at home.

He pays attention to drinking fluids during these sessions and appreciates barley tea because it contains no caffeine.

The image of Abe relaxing in his home sauna after a day of filming, with water or barley tea nearby, offers a glimpse of his quieter daily routine.

His personal comments about these drinks are more informative than any assumption based solely on the products he has advertised.

At an event for the 2021 film In the Wake (Morare Nakatta Monotachi e), Abe also recalled buying takeaway yakitori while filming in Sendai.

He mentioned being concerned about what his co-star Takeru Satoh had been eating during the production. Satoh also reflected on the difficulties of arranging meals while working on location.

Such stories illustrate how eating on a film set can become part of the shared experience of a production. They also reveal Abe's attentiveness toward people working alongside him.

5. Hiroshi Abe's Sauna, Bathing and Sleep Habits

It seems especially fitting that the star of Thermae Romae, a film centered on Roman bathing culture, is also a longtime sauna enthusiast in real life.

In a 2022 interview with OurAge, Abe revealed that he had a mist sauna in his shower room at home and enjoyed using it after work.

At the time, he was using it on more than half the days of the month. He described the experience as an opportunity to pay attention to how his body was feeling.

For an actor whose work can involve long hours and considerable changes in physical activity, having time to unwind at home was a meaningful part of his routine.

Sleep during demanding filming schedules

At a promotional event for In the Wake in 2021, Abe discussed how demanding filming schedules can make regular mealtimes and sleeping hours difficult to maintain.

He recalled occasions when he arrived home after work but did not fall asleep immediately. By the time he had finished doing other things, it could already be around 3 a.m.

In a later interview, he also remembered the intense schedule during the early years of TRICK, when there were filming periods in which he managed only about two hours of sleep a day.

These comments describe particular periods of his career, rather than a fixed sleeping pattern today.

At the same 2021 event, Abe said that meeting his fellow actors on set was itself something he looked forward to.

Working closely with colleagues, concentrating on a role, exercising, and spending time unwinding at home have all formed different parts of his life as an actor.

Filming in Mongolia and Malaysia

The 2023 television drama VIVANT took Abe to Mongolia for an ambitious overseas production.

He recalled severe snowstorms early in filming, followed by intense desert heat later in the schedule. Traveling across difficult terrain also involved long vehicle journeys.

The natural environment was very different from a typical Japanese studio, creating new challenges for actors and crew members alike.

Abe has also worked with international teams in Malaysia, including on the film The Garden of Evening Mists.

In an interview in his late fifties, Abe was also asked about changes in physical condition that can occur with age. He said that he had not personally noticed any particular changes troubling him at that time.

He also described disliking the sensation of becoming physically inactive and spoke about his continuing interest in movement.

Across his experiences at the gym, his home sauna, and film sets around the world, Abe has developed a longstanding awareness of his body and the different demands placed upon it.

6. Hiroshi Abe's Beauty and Grooming: Aging Naturally with Confidence

Having started his career as a fashion model, Hiroshi Abe has spent decades thinking about how appearance and physical presence contribute to his work.

His earlier concerns about being unusually tall gradually gave way to a deeper understanding of how his features could serve different characters.

When considering Abe's approach to beauty and grooming, his posture, expressions, physical movements, voice, and changing appearance over the years are just as interesting as the more conventional aspects of personal care.

Accepting the changes that come with age

Now in his sixties, Abe has spoken about embracing the changes that come with age while remaining curious about new roles and experiences.

For an actor, preserving exactly the same appearance as in one's twenties is not the only goal. Experience, facial expressions, and the character that develops with age can all contribute to a more convincing performance.

In a 2025 appearance on the Japanese talk show Tetsuko's Room, Abe also discussed roles that had required extensive makeup or repeated running scenes, demonstrating his continued willingness to express characters through physical performance.

Preparing an appearance for a role involves much more than gaining or losing muscle. The way an actor moves, looks at others, and handles small gestures can be equally significant.

Abe's attention to those details has helped him create convincing characters across very different stages of his life.

His everyday grooming interests also include something rather unexpected.

In an official company interview in May 2026, Abe revealed that he enjoys clipping his nails.

He likes nail clippers as tools and finds satisfaction in keeping his nails neatly trimmed. It is a remarkably ordinary and relatable detail from the daily life of a major film star.

Alongside his demanding acting career, he finds pleasure in such small personal routines.

His long history of training, careful preparation for individual roles, interest in everyday grooming, and easygoing sense of humor all contribute to the appeal of Hiroshi Abe.

Rather than being defined by one particular beauty ritual, his public image reflects decades of experience, changing roles, and the confidence of an actor who has learned to work with his own characteristics.

7. Hiroshi Abe's Wife, Children and Family: Lessons from His Father

On November 20, 2007, Hiroshi Abe announced his marriage to a woman outside the entertainment industry.

Abe was 43 at the time, and his future wife was 15 years younger. The announcement attracted particular attention because he had recently played a committed bachelor in the hit television drama The Man Who Can't Get Married.

In his marriage announcement, Abe described his partner as someone who understood his work and supported him quietly behind the scenes.

He expressed how naturally they had come to want to spend their lives together and shared his hopes of building a warm family.

They formally registered their marriage in 2008. Their first daughter was born in 2011, followed by a second daughter in 2012.

Abe personally announced the birth of his second daughter at a promotional event for the film Karasu no Oyayubi (Crow's Thumb). Alongside his professional achievements, he has also built a life as the father of two daughters.

His father was an engineer who built enormous dump trucks

One of the most moving influences on Abe's outlook on life is his father.

During an appearance on Tetsuko's Room in September 2025, Abe spoke in detail about his father's work and the memories they shared.

His father had worked as an engineer involved in manufacturing some of the world's largest dump trucks. These giant vehicles were used in places such as quarries and could have tires more than three meters in diameter.

As a child, Abe felt proud that his father helped build such extraordinary machines.

His father was a quiet man who rarely spoke at length about his work. Nevertheless, Abe admired his technical expertise and dedication to engineering.

His father's influence also played an important part in Abe's decision to pursue acting.

When Abe was considering an opportunity in entertainment, he sought his father's advice. Rather than discouraging him from entering an uncertain profession, his father suggested that, among three children, it would be perfectly reasonable for one to try a different path.

If it did not work out, there would be other possibilities. That open-minded attitude gave Abe the confidence to explore a career far removed from his engineering studies.

It is a remarkable contrast: a father devoted to highly specialized engineering encouraging his son to enter the unpredictable world of show business.

Abe has spoken with gratitude about the freedom and encouragement his father gave him at this important moment in his life.

Walking together and saying goodbye at 98

In later life, Abe's father experienced a serious injury and began walking regularly as part of his rehabilitation.

Abe occasionally accompanied him on these walks and later recalled their time together with affection.

His father passed away in July 2025 at the age of 98.

During Tetsuko's Room, Abe described how family members gathered at the hospital and talked about everyday matters and old memories as his father's life peacefully came to an end.

He remembered his father with deep admiration and respect.

In another interview, Abe explained that his father, once rather reserved, had become more sociable in his seventies and had started building new friendships.

Watching a hardworking engineer discover new ways to enjoy life in his later years left a lasting impression on Abe.

His father's example offered a powerful reminder that the later decades of life can still bring new relationships, experiences, and interests.

Abe has also shared glimpses of the quieter pleasures of his home life.

In an official interview in 2026, he spoke about keeping medaka, small Japanese rice fish, at home.

He was delighted when the fish laid eggs and the young hatched for the first time. Watching these tiny creatures develop had become one of his everyday pleasures.

His marriage, his life as a father, his memories of his own father, and his affection for small pets all reveal a gentle and personal side of an actor famous for his imposing on-screen presence.

8. Hiroshi Abe in His Sixties: Learning Drums, Working Abroad and Embracing New Dreams

Even after decades of memorable performances, Hiroshi Abe remains interested in learning skills and exploring experiences that are entirely new to him.

One of the best examples is his preparation for the 2022 film Offbeat Cops (Ido Jirei wa Ongakutai!).

Learning to play the drums for the first time

In the film, Abe played Tsukasa Naruse, a detective who had devoted his life to police work before being unexpectedly transferred to a police music band.

His character needed to play the drums, but Abe himself had very little experience with the instrument.

Because the production wanted the actors to perform their own musical parts, Abe began practicing approximately three months before filming.

On some days, he trained for three to five hours.

At first, simply coordinating his hands and feet was difficult. He used a rubber practice pad to rehearse at home and repeated basic movements while trying to develop a sense of rhythm.

For a while, progress seemed frustratingly slow.

A turning point came when he played a real drum kit and experienced the sound and vibration of the instrument. The physical sensation of performing helped him begin to appreciate the enjoyment of drumming.

He then rehearsed with co-stars including Nana Seino and Mahiro Takasugi. When the group finally succeeded in performing an entire piece together, it was an exciting moment for everyone involved.

An actor with decades of experience had once again become a beginner, learning a new skill through persistence, practice, and collaboration.

International films and a new dream of living overseas

Abe has also broadened his experience through international film productions.

He appeared in the Malaysian film The Garden of Evening Mists and took part in Legend of the Demon Cat, a Chinese-Japanese co-production.

Working with actors and crew members who speak different languages and come from different cultural backgrounds has offered him new creative experiences.

In 2022, he received the Star Asia Award at the New York Asian Film Festival, further reflecting the international recognition of his work.

In an official interview published in May 2026, Abe spoke about his hopes of participating in more overseas productions.

He also expressed an interest in actually living abroad and experiencing a different culture from within. He mentioned the possibility of spending around a year overseas or taking part in a shorter period of study.

After establishing such an extensive career in Japan, Abe is still curious about unfamiliar places, languages, and lifestyles.

In a 2025 interview, he also reflected on the appeal of acting as a profession that can communicate ideas and give audiences new perspectives through stories.

Knowing that productions such as Dragon Zakura and The Man Who Can't Get Married continue to be appreciated by viewers has become a meaningful part of his professional satisfaction.

In his twenties, he struggled to move beyond his image as a fashion model. In his thirties, he learned to make his distinctive appearance work for a broader range of characters. In his late fifties, he tackled a musical instrument he had never played before. Now in his sixties, he is thinking about new experiences abroad.

His life demonstrates how established habits and a willingness to explore something unfamiliar can exist side by side.

Conclusion: Hiroshi Abe's Approach to Beauty, Wellness and Growing Older

Looking at Hiroshi Abe's beauty and wellness habits through his own interviews reveals a life shaped by longstanding routines, demanding professional experiences, and an enduring curiosity about the world.

Nearly 40 years of visiting the gym have given him a place to enjoy exercise and feel inspired by other people's positive attitudes. His acting career has also involved significant physical changes to portray different characters convincingly.

His eating habits include an interest in meat and protein, alongside an enjoyment of Chinese cuisine, roasted sweet potatoes, and Japanese sweets. At home, he has spoken about unwinding in his mist sauna and drinking water or barley tea.

Family has played an equally important role in shaping his outlook. His father, an engineer who helped build enormous dump trucks, encouraged him to pursue acting and lived to the age of 98. Their shared memories have remained deeply meaningful to Abe.

Learning to play the drums in his late fifties and expressing dreams of living abroad in his sixties show that he continues to welcome new experiences.

Enjoying movement, appreciating favorite foods, valuing family and the small pleasures of everyday life, and remaining open to new possibilities: Hiroshi Abe's story offers a compelling portrait of what it can mean to grow older while staying true to oneself.