Kasumi Ishikawa Beauty & Wellness: Hair Care, Sleep, Diet & Fitness

Kasumi Ishikawa is one of Japan's most celebrated former table tennis players, having won medals at three consecutive Olympic Games. During her competitive career, she captivated audiences with her intense concentration, determination and relentless playing style. Since retiring in 2023, she has expanded her activities into sports broadcasting, public events and other projects, drawing attention to her warm smile and refreshingly natural approach to life.

Born on February 23, 1993, in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Ishikawa began playing table tennis at the age of seven and quickly distinguished herself in junior competitions. She won a women's team silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and another silver at the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021. She also won mixed doubles gold alongside Maharu Yoshimura at the 2017 World Table Tennis Championships and claimed five women's singles titles at Japan's All-Japan Table Tennis Championships.

After spending so many years competing at the highest international level, Ishikawa has developed a thoughtful approach to beauty and wellness. Her everyday habits reveal the importance she places on sleep, balanced meals, enjoyable exercise and making time to feel comfortable in her own life.

Following retirement, she experimented with staying up late and rediscovered how much she appreciated a regular sleeping schedule. She has also spoken about scalp massage and the soothing scent of lavender, while her love of rice was so strong that she used to take a rice cooker on overseas tours.

Running, once simply part of her training as an elite athlete, has become something she enjoys with friends. In 2026, she even completed her first half marathon.

Drawing on Ishikawa's interviews and publicly available information, this article explores her beauty routine, skincare-related lifestyle habits, hair and scalp care, sleep, diet, favourite drinks, running, Pilates and mental wellness. We also look at her childhood in a table tennis family, her relationship with her parents and younger sister, her views on marriage, her hobbies and the new experiences shaping her life after retirement.

1. Kasumi Ishikawa's Beauty Routine: Skin Wellness and Scalp Care

How Sleep and Eating Habits Shaped Her Approach to Beauty

One particularly revealing insight into Kasumi Ishikawa's approach to beauty comes from her personal reflections published in the Japanese magazine Bungeishunju in December 2023.

Throughout her competitive career, she followed a remarkably structured daily routine built around table tennis. She trained during the day, paid attention to regular mealtimes and generally went to bed before midnight.

After retiring, she finally had the freedom to experiment with a lifestyle that had rarely been possible during her years as an athlete, including staying up late.

However, she soon noticed changes in how her skin and mood felt. She experienced skin irritation when her sleeping pattern changed and found herself feeling less positive than usual. After approximately one week, she returned to a schedule closer to the one she had followed during her playing career.

The experience helped her appreciate the familiar routines she had maintained for years and how closely they were connected to her personal sense of comfort.

Rather than focusing only on beauty products, Ishikawa pays attention to how she feels each day and chooses habits that suit her. The careful self-awareness developed during her years as a professional athlete is also reflected in her approach to beauty.

Her 3-in-1 Scalp Care Product and Love of Lavender

Hair care and scalp massage provide another interesting glimpse into Ishikawa's beauty interests.

In January 2024, she was appointed an Asia key opinion leader, or KOL, for SUBLIMIC, a professional hair and scalp care brand from Shiseido Professional.

On March 22 of that year, she shared an Instagram post introducing a 3-in-1 scalp care product designed to combine scalp cleansing, massage and treatment.

She explained that she enjoyed massaging her scalp with the product and mentioned both its refreshing feel and its lavender fragrance.

Her comments suggest that she appreciated the pleasant sensory experience of caring for her scalp while enjoying a fragrance she liked.

Having spent many years training and competing around the world, Ishikawa was familiar with demanding daily schedules and intense physical activity. Her decision to share a personal beauty-product experience after retirement offered fans another perspective on her interests beyond sport.

These comments describe the product experience she shared in 2024 rather than establishing an ongoing routine or any particular health outcome.

Since leaving competitive table tennis, Ishikawa has also appeared in fashion magazine shoots and at events wearing elegant formal outfits. Whether dressed in sportswear for a high-pressure match or in sophisticated clothing for a new professional engagement, she retains the composed, confident presence that has long been part of her appeal.

2. Sleep and Nighttime Habits: Nine Hours of Rest, Bedding and Stretching

The Sleep Schedule She Valued During Her Competitive Career

Sleep has been one of the most important parts of Ishikawa's daily routine for many years.

In an interview published by the Japanese bedding company LOFTY in 2024, she described a typical training-day schedule from her years as a professional athlete.

She generally woke at around 8 a.m., trained from approximately 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., took a lunch break, and then resumed practice from around 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. She usually went to bed at approximately 11:30 p.m.

That meant spending around five and a half hours practising table tennis on a typical training day, while still maintaining regular sleeping and waking times.

During her competitive career, she usually slept for around seven to eight hours. In her 2024 interview, she said that after retirement she was sleeping for approximately nine hours.

With more freedom to organise her own time, she could enjoy a slower pace and allow herself additional rest.

Her interest in sleep also extends to noticing how she feels the following morning. Ishikawa has said that she sometimes reflects on the previous night's sleep by paying attention to how light or comfortable her body feels after waking.

She has also noticed that eating too much shortly before bedtime can make it harder for her to fall asleep. These observations are part of her personal approach to understanding her body and everyday routine.

Comfortable Pyjamas, Soft Mattresses and Gentle Stretching

Ishikawa has particular preferences when it comes to her sleeping environment.

She likes comfortable pyjamas and pays attention to the texture of bedding that comes into direct contact with her skin.

She generally prefers a relatively soft mattress and considers choosing a pillow that suits her to be important.

In her interview with LOFTY, she also discussed using one of the company's pillows. She shared her personal impression that her neck felt lighter the morning after she began using it.

For someone who spent much of her professional life training and travelling, choosing comfortable bedding and enjoying a peaceful sleeping environment became a meaningful part of everyday life.

Ishikawa has also mentioned enjoying gentle stretching before bed after retirement. Alongside more active forms of exercise such as running and Pilates, stretching gives her another way to move her body at her own pace at home.

Comfortable pyjamas, bedding that feels pleasant and a little gentle movement are simple everyday pleasures. What makes them particularly interesting is that Ishikawa developed her appreciation for such habits through many years of demanding international competition.

3. Diet and Favourite Drinks: Rice, Hot Pot, Onigiri and Milk

A Japanese Breakfast of Rice, Natto, Eggs and Miso Soup

Ishikawa has loved rice since childhood and has always considered food an important part of her daily life.

She has described enjoying a familiar Japanese breakfast of steamed white rice, natto (fermented soybeans), fried eggs and miso soup.

One of her favourite rice accompaniments is shiso wakame, a seasoning made with seaweed and Japanese perilla that is especially familiar in her home prefecture of Yamaguchi.

When choosing fillings for onigiri, or Japanese rice balls, she enjoys classic flavours such as salmon, kombu seaweed, spicy cod roe and tuna mayonnaise.

During her professional career, Ishikawa paid attention to combining meat, vegetables and rice in her meals. Since retiring, she has also become more conscious of adjusting the amount she eats to reflect changes in her daily activity.

She sometimes cooks for herself, while on busy days she may combine prepared dishes with food made at home.

Rather than making every meal complicated, she values an approach that fits comfortably into her lifestyle and allows her to enjoy eating.

One of her favourite dishes is Japanese hot pot, or nabe. Before major competitions, nervousness sometimes affected how comfortable her stomach felt, so she occasionally preferred boiled dishes to fried or grilled foods.

She has even recalled eating hot pot for approximately one week before an important tournament, regardless of the season. Hot pot remains one of the foods she enjoys after retirement.

Other favourites include yakiniku, Japanese grilled meat, and chawanmushi, a savoury steamed egg custard.

Her food choices reflect both the habits she developed through competitive sport and her enjoyment of familiar, satisfying meals.

Why She Took a Three-Cup Rice Cooker Overseas

One of the most memorable stories about Ishikawa's love of rice comes from her overseas competition days.

At a JA Zen-Noh rice tasting event and special discussion held on October 14, 2026, she revealed that she used to bring a small rice cooker with a three-cup capacity, suitable for overseas use, along with Japanese rice when travelling for tournaments.

Even while staying in hotels abroad, she could cook rice and prepare onigiri herself or with help from her family before a match.

The familiar taste of Japanese rice was particularly comforting before important competitions.

Ishikawa explained that eating onigiri gave her a sense of reassurance. When facing pressure in an unfamiliar overseas environment, something as simple as her usual rice balls helped her feel more at ease.

Remarkably, the tradition continued after her retirement. At the October 2026 event, she said she still sometimes eats onigiri before important work engagements when she feels nervous.

At the same event, she tasted four Japanese rice varieties: Shin-no-suke from Niigata, Kinumusume from Yamaguchi, Sainokizuna from Saitama and Koshihikari from Fukushima.

She enjoyed comparing their sweetness and texture, and said that if she had to choose one, she was particularly drawn to the pleasantly chewy texture of Koshihikari.

For Ishikawa, rice represents much more than an everyday staple. It is closely connected to memories of international tournaments, support from her family and the comforting familiarity of Japanese food.

Coffee with Milk and Her After-Bath Drink

Milk is another drink Ishikawa has enjoyed since childhood.

In an official JA Zen-Noh interview in 2024, she explained that she drank milk at school when she was young and continued to enjoy it as an adult.

She said she adds milk to her coffee every day and also sometimes drinks milk after taking a bath.

There is a family connection behind this familiar habit: her grandfather worked in the milk business, making milk a particularly familiar part of her childhood.

During a visit to a dairy farm, she learned more about the daily work involved in caring for cows and expressed renewed appreciation for the people producing the milk she enjoys.

She has also mentioned carrying a reusable water bottle when going out.

In her everyday food choices, Ishikawa tries to buy and prepare amounts she can eat, treating ingredients with care and appreciating the people who produce them.

Her relationship with food is therefore about more than personal preference. It also reflects the gratitude she has developed through meeting farmers and producers.

4. Exercise and Fitness: Running, Pilates and Her First Half Marathon

From Training to Win to Exercising for Enjoyment

During her competitive career, exercise was inseparable from Ishikawa's ambition to win table tennis matches.

She spent years following demanding training schedules and has recalled days when she exercised or trained for as long as ten hours.

Immediately after retiring in 2023, she enjoyed the freedom to travel with friends, relax at home and experience a very different daily routine.

After some time, however, she began noticing a difference in her physical stamina when climbing stairs or hurrying to catch a train.

Several months after retirement, she naturally began wanting to move her body more again and started running in the mornings.

In an interview around the end of 2023, she said she was enjoying light runs of approximately 20 minutes, three or four times a week.

She also began experimenting with a range of activities, including Pilates, walking, kickboxing and cycling.

Sometimes she visits the gym with friends and uses an exercise bike. The social side of exercising, including spending time talking with friends, has become part of the experience she enjoys.

Having spent so many years strengthening her body specifically for table tennis, Ishikawa can now choose activities simply because she finds them interesting or enjoyable.

Her meticulous preparation during her playing career was also evident in the contents of her sports bag. In a 2025 YouTube video, she showed items she once carried, including training bands for her shoulders and legs, athletic tape, rackets and shoes.

She used the resistance bands as part of her preparations before matches. She also carried spare contact lenses because one could occasionally come out during play.

Her backpack, which she had used for approximately six years, contained many small details designed to help her prepare for the unexpected while competing internationally.

Completing Her First Half Marathon in 2026

On April 26, 2026, Ishikawa took part in the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, an event associated with Olympic marathon champion Naoko Takahashi, and successfully completed her first half marathon.

Participating in a five-kilometre running event the previous year had inspired her to set a new goal.

She began training at the start of 2026, sometimes meeting friends after work to go running together.

She also reported receiving advice from Naoko Takahashi and Miho Ikeda while preparing for the event.

On race day, encouragement from spectators and fellow runners helped her reach the finish line. She celebrated the achievement with a smile and a strong sense of satisfaction.

During her professional career, running was primarily something she did to become stronger at table tennis. Today, it has become an enjoyable part of everyday life that she can share with friends.

She has spoken about valuing a comfortable pace and enjoying the process rather than constantly pushing herself harder.

After winning medals at the Olympic Games, Ishikawa found a new kind of satisfaction in becoming a beginner again and embracing a different sporting challenge.

5. Mental Wellness and Rest: Lessons from a World-Class Athlete

Changing Her Playing Style at a Turning Point in Her Career

Ishikawa became one of Japan's leading female table tennis players while still a teenager.

As she entered her twenties, however, a new generation of talented players emerged, including Miu Hirano, Mima Ito and Hina Hayata. Ishikawa gradually moved from being the young challenger to becoming the established player whom others were pursuing.

In a September 2026 interview published by Seiko, she reflected on an important turning point in her career at around the age of 25.

As table tennis tactics and playing styles continued to develop, she recognised that she needed to reconsider aspects of her own game.

Adapting meant finding the courage to incorporate new ideas and techniques while still respecting the skills she had developed over many years.

She faced especially intense competition during the 2019 selection process for the Tokyo Olympics, but continued working towards her goal and ultimately earned a place on the Japanese team.

At the Tokyo Games, she served as captain of the Japanese women's team and helped secure the silver medal.

Her willingness to keep learning, even after establishing herself among the world's leading players, became one of her defining strengths.

In the same 2026 interview, she also looked back on a painful defeat at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Over time, she came to accept that she had given everything she could in that match and developed a greater sense of peace about the experience.

Her approach of concentrating on each point and doing her best in the moment continues to have meaning beyond competitive table tennis, including in her work and new challenges after retirement.

Making Time for Rest and Moving Forward at Her Own Pace

During her playing career, Ishikawa often spent time after demanding training sessions or major competitions resting at home, sleeping and enjoying good food.

Because she cared deeply about winning, defeats could leave her feeling disappointed and emotionally exhausted.

Nevertheless, she learned to acknowledge her feelings and gradually turn her attention towards the next goal, allowing her to continue competing internationally for many years.

Since retiring, she has had more opportunities to enjoy films, watch sport and travel with friends.

In her 2023 personal essay, she reflected on how stepping away from competitive sport helped her recognise the pressure she had carried throughout her career.

Even before important work commitments today, familiar foods and routines from her playing days remain part of the way she prepares herself.

In a 2026 interview, she also described how fulfilling life had become, expressing that she was enjoying the present period of her life immensely.

The determination that once drove her towards the highest level of competition now sits alongside a more flexible, relaxed approach to new experiences.

6. Family and Childhood: The Origins of Kasumi Ishikawa's Table Tennis Career

Growing Up with Table Tennis-Loving Parents and a Younger Sister

Kasumi Ishikawa was born into a family with a strong connection to table tennis in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Her father, Kimihisa Ishikawa, and her mother, Kumi Ishikawa, both had table tennis experience. Her younger sister, Rira Ishikawa, also played the sport.

Growing up watching her parents play, Kasumi began table tennis at the age of seven.

She also tried several other childhood activities, including ballet, swimming and piano, but table tennis became the activity that captured her imagination most strongly.

After winning a national championship in the youngest elementary-school age category during second grade, her family created a dedicated training environment at home.

The house had a table tennis practice area on the ground floor and living quarters above it.

At that early stage, there was no guarantee that Ishikawa would eventually become an international champion, but her family wholeheartedly supported the path she wanted to follow.

Her father later recalled that playing table tennis had been Kasumi's own wish.

That sense of trust and encouragement from her family became an important foundation for the many years she would spend pursuing her sporting ambitions.

Choosing to Move to Osaka at the Age of Twelve

Another major turning point came when Ishikawa was in sixth grade.

Wanting to become a stronger player, she decided to leave her home prefecture and attend Shitennoji Habikigaoka Junior High School in Osaka.

Living away from her parents meant beginning a new life in which she had to manage everyday responsibilities alongside demanding table tennis practice.

In her September 2026 Seiko interview, she reflected on the decision to move to Osaka as an experience that changed the course of her life.

From a young age, she had been willing to set ambitious goals and enter unfamiliar environments to pursue them. Those experiences would later prove valuable during international competitions and long overseas tours.

Her family remained a source of support during the more difficult periods of her career, including the intense competition for places on Japan's Tokyo Olympic team.

Her mother, Kumi, had helped teach her table tennis from childhood, while her younger sister, Rira, continued to encourage her as someone who understood the sport herself.

In 2019, Rira even accompanied her sister on an overseas tour, illustrating the close involvement of the family in Kasumi's sporting life.

Behind Ishikawa's medals at three Olympic Games were her own years of dedication and the consistent support of those closest to her.

7. Marriage, Hobbies and Personal Life: Golf, Music, Books and Travel

Her Views on Marriage and an Ideal Partner

During an appearance on the Japanese television programme Poka Poka on December 1, 2025, Ishikawa spoke openly about life after retirement and her thoughts on marriage.

Throughout her athletic career, much of her time had been devoted to training and overseas competitions.

On the programme, she expressed a positive interest in marriage and mentioned a personal goal of getting married within three years.

When describing her ideal partner, she said she would appreciate someone who enjoys sport, has a calm personality and possesses a good sense of humour.

She also described herself as talkative and said she would enjoy being with someone who likes conversation.

Her remarks reflected her hopes for the future as expressed in 2025, rather than an announcement of marriage.

Golf is one of the sports she has especially enjoyed since retiring. She has mentioned playing rounds with her family during holidays such as New Year and Golden Week.

On the television programme, she also outlined an amusing idea for an ideal date: driving to a golf course while listening to music, playing a full 18 holes together and then enjoying a katsudon, a Japanese bowl of rice topped with breaded pork cutlet.

It is an easygoing, down-to-earth picture of Ishikawa that contrasts delightfully with the serious competitor fans watched at the Olympics.

Headphones, Favourite Music, Reading and Travel

Music is another important part of Ishikawa's leisure time.

In a YouTube video published in 2025, she introduced a pair of headphones that she said she used almost every day.

She often listens to music while travelling on trains or planes. At the time, she mentioned enjoying songs by the Japanese band Raisan and singer Aya Matsuura.

Ishikawa also enjoys reading and has been fond of novels by Japanese mystery writer Keigo Higashino since her junior high school years.

Retirement has given her more opportunities to enjoy films, shopping and trips with friends.

Although she travelled to many countries as a professional athlete, tournament preparation usually took priority over sightseeing. She now enjoys discovering local architecture, history and food when visiting different destinations.

In 2025, she also tried skiing for the first time, adding another experience to her growing list of interests.

Through her work, she has travelled throughout Japan while developing a greater appreciation for local food, culture and traditions.

After dedicating so many years to mastering one sport, Ishikawa is now embracing the excitement of exploring many different interests. It is a reminder of the curiosity that has always been part of her personality.

8. Life After Retirement: Her Nationwide Tour and New Challenges in 2026

Since announcing her retirement in May 2023, Ishikawa has continued working on projects that allow her to express gratitude to the people who supported her throughout her career.

One of her most significant initiatives has been the Kasumi Ishikawa 47 Prefectures Thank You Tour, which began in 2022.

Through visits around Japan, she has enjoyed playing table tennis with children and sharing both her experiences and her enthusiasm for the sport.

In December 2025, her official website announced that the tour had successfully visited all 47 Japanese prefectures.

Having received encouragement from so many people since childhood, Ishikawa now has the opportunity to introduce the next generation to the excitement of table tennis.

Her professional activities have also expanded into sports broadcasting.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she served as a special broadcaster for Japan's Fuji Television, helping tell the stories of athletes competing on the world stage.

In 2026, she continued to work on assignments connected with the Winter Olympics and Asian Games, broadening her involvement in sports beyond table tennis.

Her years as an international competitor give her a valuable perspective on the pressure, preparation and dedication experienced by athletes before major competitions.

Ishikawa has also participated in activities promoting Japanese food and agriculture as an official ambassador for JA Zen-Noh.

On October 14, 2026, she attended a tasting event featuring newly harvested Japanese rice and a special discussion with food producers.

She enjoyed sampling rice from different regions and shared memories of preparing rice during her international table tennis career.

It is particularly meaningful that something she valued so much during her playing days has become part of her work introducing the appeal of Japanese food to a wider audience.

Her successful first half marathon in 2026 is another example of her continued enthusiasm for trying new things.

Where her previous life revolved around pursuing a single competitive goal, she now explores interests across sport, food, culture, travel and personal hobbies.

She continues to value the self-awareness and discipline she developed during her years as an athlete while making room for freedom, enjoyment and new discoveries.

Conclusion: Kasumi Ishikawa's Natural Approach to Beauty and Wellness

Looking closely at Kasumi Ishikawa's beauty and wellness habits reveals how the self-discipline she developed through international table tennis has become part of a more relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle after retirement.

She values regular sleep, chooses comfortable pyjamas and bedding, and pays attention to how her body feels when she wakes in the morning.

In 2024, she also shared her experience using a scalp care product, describing how much she enjoyed scalp massage, the scent of lavender and the pleasant feeling of the treatment.

Her favourite foods include rice, natto, miso soup and Japanese hot pot, while coffee with milk and an occasional glass of milk after a bath are familiar parts of her daily life.

Her devotion to rice was so strong that she carried a rice cooker on overseas tours, showing how meaningful familiar food could be during a demanding competitive schedule.

Running has undergone an equally interesting transformation. Once a demanding part of training for table tennis, it has become an activity she enjoys sharing with friends.

In 2026, she completed her first half marathon and discovered another side of the joy that comes from taking on a new sporting challenge.

Born into a family devoted to table tennis, Ishikawa pursued her ambitions from childhood and spent many years striving to compete at the highest international level. Her journey included unwavering family support, intense Olympic selection battles and the courage to change her playing style as the sport evolved.

Today, she brings those experiences into new work while enjoying golf, travel, music, books and opportunities to learn.

Paying attention to her own needs, maintaining comfortable everyday habits and embracing new experiences have become defining features of her life after competition.

These qualities give Kasumi Ishikawa's approach to beauty, wellness and everyday living its distinctive sense of balance and authenticity.

It will be exciting to see what new interests and challenges she explores next.

References