Riho Makise Beauty & Wellness | Skincare, Fitness & NZ Study

Christmas, 1989. A young woman waiting for someone special on a railway station platform captured the hearts of viewers across Japan. That young woman was Riho Makise, whose appearance in JR Central's famous "Christmas Express" commercial brought her into the national spotlight.

Born on December 17, 1971, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, Makise is 54 years old as of October 2026. She became known for her performances in the films Tokyo Heaven (Tokyo Jōkū Irasshaimase) and Tugumi, as well as the television drama Hatachi no Yakusoku (A Promise at Twenty). More recently, she appeared in NHK's morning television dramas Manpuku and Ranman, continuing a career that has spanned from her teenage years into her fifties.

In her personal life, Makise married fashion designer NIGO in 2008. She is also known for her enthusiasm for the Japanese tea ceremony, traditional kimono, classical ballet, and Takarazuka Revue performances. Rather than treating these interests as occasional hobbies, she has made them meaningful parts of her everyday life.

A closer look at Makise's beauty and wellness habits reveals something particularly interesting: behind her glamorous acting career lies a remarkably consistent commitment to everyday self-care.

Her routines include lotion masks that she maintained for more than 30 years, a moisturising cream she used for approximately two decades, dedicated eye care, different brushes for different stages of hair care, nutritional beauty products, yoga, swimming, and relaxation through aromatherapy. Her time studying overseas in her thirties, including a short stay in New Zealand, also played an important role in shaping her independent approach to life.

Drawing on her own interviews and publicly available accounts, this article explores Riho Makise's skincare, fitness and wellness routines, alongside the career experiences, family relationships, personal interests, and turning points that make her story distinctive.

1. Riho Makise's Career and Wellness Philosophy: From Teenage Stardom to Her Fifties

Riho Makise's journey into entertainment began when she won the Miss Vitamin C Hi-C Girl Contest in 1989.

That same year, she appeared in JR Central's Christmas commercial, accompanied by Tatsuro Yamashita's enduring holiday song "Christmas Eve." Playing a young woman waiting to be reunited with someone she loved, Makise conveyed an extraordinary amount of emotion in a brief performance. Her youthful expression made the commercial a memorable part of Japanese Christmas culture.

In 1990, she took leading roles in two films: Tokyo Heaven, directed by Shinji Sōmai, and Tugumi, directed by Jun Ichikawa. Her performances earned considerable recognition and helped establish her reputation as a promising young actress.

She continued to attract attention in the 1992 television drama Hatachi no Yakusoku, becoming one of the familiar faces of Japanese youth-oriented television dramas during that period.

Over the following decades, Makise built her career through films, television productions, and stage performances. In NHK's 2018 morning drama Manpuku, she played the proprietress of a coffee shop. In the 2023 series Ranman, she portrayed Matsu Nishimura, the mother of Sueko, played by Minami Hamabe.

Having worked in the entertainment industry since her teenage years, Makise spent much of her early adulthood surrounded by professional commitments. Although her career appeared glamorous, she later reflected on how extensively other people had supported the practical details of her everyday life.

Transportation was frequently arranged for her, and she had relatively few opportunities to travel independently by train or bus. Even as she began portraying adult characters, she realised that some ordinary experiences were still unfamiliar to her.

That realisation eventually inspired her decision to study overseas around the age of thirty.

She wanted to gain experiences beyond acting, become more independent, and learn how to make everyday decisions for herself. Her time abroad would later influence the way she approached her interests, lifestyle, and personal wellbeing.

Discovering the Importance of Staying Healthy in Her Fifties

In a 2025 interview with the Japanese beauty magazine BiST, Makise described moisturising and maintaining muscle strength as two important priorities in her fifties.

Alongside her longstanding commitment to skincare, she wanted to continue moving comfortably and enjoying an active life as she grew older. This encouraged her to make regular exercise part of her routine.

She also recalled a famous saying by the late Japanese professional wrestler and public figure Antonio Inoki: "If you have energy, you can do anything."

Makise explained that the words had meant something different to her in her twenties. With age and experience, she had come to appreciate how important it was to feel healthy and energetic enough to enjoy everyday life.

After decades of acting and taking on new professional challenges, her priorities have become closely connected to feeling comfortable in her own body and continuing to enjoy the things she loves.

In a 2024 BiST interview, she also spoke positively about the changes that accompany ageing. Even the need to wear reading glasses became an opportunity to discover another aspect of personal style.

Rather than simply trying to recreate how she looked when she was younger, Makise enjoys finding new possibilities at each stage of life. That outlook provides an important foundation for understanding her beauty and wellness routines.

2. More Than 30 Years of Lotion Masks: Moisturising and Eye Care

One of the most distinctive aspects of Riho Makise's beauty routine is her longstanding dedication to lotion masks.

During a December 2021 appearance on the Japanese television programme Oshare Clip, hair and makeup artist Hiromi Yamamoto, who had known Makise professionally for approximately 30 years, described her remarkable commitment to moisturising.

Makise would soak cotton pads generously with facial lotion, separate them into thin layers, and carefully place them across her face. As the cotton began to dry, she would add more lotion.

At the time described on the programme, she followed this routine in both the morning and evening, sometimes finishing an entire bottle of lotion in just five days to a week.

Her family was astonished by how much she used. So many empty lotion bottles accumulated that family members jokingly wondered whether she was actually drinking the product.

Makise herself acknowledged the story during the television programme.

It is an amusing anecdote, but it also illustrates how consistently she made time for skincare behind the scenes of a demanding acting career.

In her 2025 BiST interview, she discussed how her approach to cleansing and moisturising had developed over time.

Her personal cleansing routine involves first rinsing away surface impurities with water before using a cleansing product. After washing her face, she prefers to gently remove moisture with soft facial tissue rather than a towel.

She also recognises that her skin can feel different during seasonal transitions, and she adjusts her care according to its condition.

For evenings when she returns home feeling particularly tired, Makise keeps an all-in-one moisturising product available so that she can complete her routine in a single step.

Her elaborate lotion masks and her convenient one-step moisturising option may seem very different, but both reflect the same practical philosophy: finding ways to maintain a skincare routine that fit the circumstances of everyday life.

A Moisturising Cream Used for Around 20 Years and Dedicated Eye Care

In September 2025, Makise shared additional details about the products she had been using in an interview with BiST.

One was Crème de la Mer, a moisturising cream that she said she had used throughout the seasons for approximately twenty years.

Her routine includes warming the cream between her hands before gently applying it to her skin. The small extra step suggests that she values the experience of skincare as well as the act of applying a product.

For the delicate area around her eyes, she also mentioned using an eye cream called Phyto Contour. She first encountered it through an aesthetic treatment and was drawn to its fragrance and the way it felt during use.

Alongside moisturising her face, she pays particular attention to her eye area and enjoys the sensory qualities of her skincare routine.

Her approach brings together longstanding favourites and newer discoveries. She appreciates products that have become familiar over many years while remaining open to incorporating something she genuinely enjoys.

These products were identified by Makise in interviews at the time and are included here to describe her personal beauty practices, rather than as product recommendations.

3. Hair Care, Makeup and Hand Care: Enjoying Beauty at Every Age

Makise's attention to daily self-care extends beyond her face to the way she looks after her hair.

In her 2025 BiST interview, she explained that she uses different brushes before washing her hair and before drying it.

Before shampooing, she uses a KOBAKO hairbrush to tidy her hair while gently stimulating her scalp. She then begins by rinsing her hair and scalp thoroughly with warm water.

Before using a hair dryer, she reaches for a ReFa Heart Brush to detangle and arrange her hair.

By selecting a brush for each stage of her routine, Makise turns an everyday activity into a small opportunity to care for herself comfortably.

As an actress who has experimented with many hairstyles throughout her career, she has experienced the relationship between hair, personal style, and professional appearance from several perspectives.

Her approach to makeup has also evolved as she has grown older.

Speaking to BiST in 2024, she explained that she enjoys adapting her makeup to her current features and personal style rather than automatically repeating the techniques she used when she was younger.

She began incorporating concealer, which had not previously been a regular part of her routine, and came to appreciate the importance of blush.

She even recalled occasions when people had asked whether she was feeling unwell simply because she was not wearing blush, despite feeling perfectly fine. It is a humorous reminder of how a small makeup choice can change the impression others receive.

Blush has since become one of the items she values in her makeup collection. She also enjoys adapting her makeup when wearing a kimono, considering colours and styles that complement traditional Japanese clothing.

Having worked with professional hair and makeup artists since her teenage years, Makise continues to learn about new cosmetics and techniques through the people she works with.

Her interest in personal care also extends to her hands.

During her 2021 appearance on Oshare Clip, it was revealed that she had worn cotton gloves beneath rubber gloves while washing dishes.

This practical habit allowed her to incorporate hand care into an ordinary household task.

Looking across her routines, a consistent pattern emerges: rather than reserving personal care for special occasions, Makise integrates small, thoughtful practices into familiar moments throughout her day.

4. Yoga, Pilates and Swimming: Building an Active Lifestyle in Her Fifties

Riho Makise has enjoyed physical activity since childhood, particularly classical ballet and swimming.

Yet in a 2023 interview with LEE, she openly admitted that extremely demanding training routines were not always suited to her personality.

In the past, seeing people who exercised with remarkable discipline sometimes made her feel discouraged because she could not imagine following exactly the same routines.

Over time, however, she came to appreciate the importance of choosing activities that matched her own lifestyle and preferences.

Yoga, Pilates, and walking became ways for her to remain active without turning exercise into an overwhelming obligation.

Her method for staying consistent is refreshingly practical.

When her schedule becomes busy, she knows that spending too much time deciding whether to exercise can make it harder to get started. Instead, she often books a session in advance, creating a commitment that naturally becomes part of her day.

In 2025, Makise spoke to BiST about her growing interest in maintaining muscle strength, using the Japanese term chokin, meaning to build up or preserve one's muscular reserves.

At the time of the interview, she described going to the gym on a daily basis as part of her routine and spending around an hour swimming or walking.

She also pays attention to how her body feels, particularly when she notices stiffness after years of work and everyday activity.

When she feels the need for additional rest, she sometimes enjoys an aromatherapy spa treatment, setting aside time to relax comfortably.

Her fitness philosophy centres on continuing to move in ways she enjoys, rather than treating every workout as an opportunity to push herself to the limit.

In her 2023 interview, she also explained that she preferred to think about exercise over a longer period, allowing herself time to develop and appreciate the changes that come with consistent activity.

For Makise, finding something sustainable is just as important as deciding to begin.

5. Inner Beauty, Aromatherapy and Staying Warm: Everyday Comfort and Self-Care

Alongside skincare and exercise, Riho Makise has shown an interest in beauty-related foods and other practices that can be incorporated into everyday life.

In a 2025 BiST interview, she introduced a beauty-related edible product called BI-SU16, which she said she had been taking for approximately five years.

Her interest began when she learned that an actress she admired used the product.

Discovering a new habit through someone she respects and then exploring whether it fits her own lifestyle reflects Makise's curiosity and openness to different approaches to personal care.

Her comments described a personal habit at the time of the interview, rather than a general recommendation for readers.

Fragrance is another important part of her home environment.

Makise enjoys placing essential oils on an aroma stone and choosing different scents according to the time of day.

In the morning, she may select fresh fragrances such as lemongrass or eucalyptus. In the evening, she sometimes prefers rose-based scents.

Changing fragrances allows her to create an atmosphere suited to the moment, whether she is beginning her day or settling into a quieter evening.

Even during periods filled with work and household responsibilities, choosing a fragrance offers a small moment that belongs entirely to her.

During her 2021 television appearance, Makise also shared some of her personal strategies for staying warm at night, including wearing a down vest and layering several pairs of socks.

These habits illustrate her willingness to experiment with practical ways of feeling comfortable during colder periods.

Tea is another familiar presence in her life, especially when she wants to enjoy a quiet moment or spend time with friends.

Having practised the Japanese tea ceremony for many years, Makise appreciates matcha and seasonal Japanese sweets. During her lessons, she also encounters traditional flower arrangements, hanging scrolls, and tea utensils that reflect the changing seasons.

In 2022, after experiencing a particularly disappointing tea ceremony lesson, she shared how she enjoyed a seasonal sweet and a bowl of matcha once she returned home.

The occasion shows how deeply tea has become woven into both the joyful and challenging moments of her everyday life.

6. Tea Ceremony, Kimono and Ballet: A Life Enriched by Longstanding Interests

Among Makise's many personal interests, the Japanese tea ceremony occupies a particularly important place.

In a 2023 interview with LEE, she explained that she had been studying tea ceremony for around ten years and tried to attend lessons approximately three times a month whenever her schedule allowed.

Her interest in traditional Japanese culture grew partly from her experiences studying overseas.

While living abroad, she encountered situations in which people asked her about Japanese traditions. Realising that she wanted to understand her own culture more deeply encouraged her to study traditional Japanese dance and kimono dressing again.

Through the tea ceremony, she has learned far more than how to perform the sequence of preparing and serving matcha.

She appreciates the way seasonal decorations are chosen, the care given to traditional utensils, and the attention paid to making guests feel welcome and comfortable.

Even the temperature and humidity can influence the way tea is prepared, making it important to observe the situation carefully and respond thoughtfully.

In her 2023 LEE interview, Makise described the tea ceremony in terms that suggested it reflected life itself, revealing how meaningful the practice had become to her.

The Tea Ceremony Lesson She Practised for Repeatedly but Still Got Wrong

Despite her years of experience, Makise has also experienced some memorable difficulties during her tea ceremony studies.

In January 2022, she described one such occasion on Instagram after attempting a particularly advanced procedure known as Daien no Shin.

The lesson had originally been scheduled for the previous December but was postponed until January because of her teacher's circumstances. This meant she had additional time to prepare.

Determined to do well, Makise repeatedly reviewed notes from previous lessons and practised the required movements at home.

Because she did not own every traditional utensil needed for the procedure, she improvised with household objects. She used a flower vase in place of a utensil stand and cooking chopsticks as substitutes for decorative fire chopsticks.

Her preparation was thorough and imaginative.

Yet when the actual lesson arrived, things did not go as she had hoped. She made so many mistakes that she was astonished by her own performance.

She felt so disappointed that she even considered giving up the tea ceremony.

After returning home, however, she enjoyed the Japanese sweet she had brought back from the lesson and prepared herself a bowl of matcha.

Her story offers a charming glimpse of a different side of the actress. She takes her interests seriously, feels genuine frustration when something goes wrong, and still finds reasons to return to an activity she loves.

Kimono is another longstanding passion.

Makise began collecting kimono in her early twenties and has carefully kept pieces passed down to her by her mother.

From around her late thirties, she learned to dress herself in kimono and began wearing them not only to tea ceremony lessons but also to meals with friends and theatre performances.

In a 2023 BiST feature, she mentioned having just under one hundred kimono, including inherited pieces, and enjoying wearing them approximately once a week at that time.

During her 2024 conversation with Nao Matsushita, she spoke about wearing kimono once or twice a month, reflecting how the frequency varies according to her plans and lifestyle.

Her familiarity with traditional clothing has also proved useful professionally. While playing a woman living in the Meiji period in NHK's Ranman, she felt that her everyday experience of wearing kimono helped her portray the character naturally.

Beyond kimono and tea ceremony, Makise continues to enjoy classical ballet and Takarazuka Revue performances.

Having studied ballet as a child, she remains fascinated by the expressiveness of dancers and the beauty of entire stage productions.

One of her favourite ballets is The Nutcracker.

She remembers seeing it in New York, where the magical world inside the theatre was complemented by the Christmas decorations and festive atmosphere outside. The combination created a particularly memorable experience.

As an actress who understands the demands of performing, Makise also appreciates the training, artistic skill, and dedication required to create an unforgettable theatrical production.

7. Studying in New Zealand and Living Abroad: Finding Independence in Her Thirties

Studying overseas became an important turning point in Riho Makise's life around the age of thirty.

Having worked in entertainment since her teenage years, she had spent much of her life with professional support for transportation and everyday arrangements.

She eventually began to feel a strong desire to experience more things independently.

She wanted to return to student life, improve her English, and, perhaps most importantly, become more confident in making decisions and handling everyday situations by herself.

She chose Vancouver, Canada, as the destination for her first extended period of study abroad.

According to a 2023 interview with LEE, Makise spent approximately three months in Vancouver, attending a language school while also enjoying horseback riding and classical ballet lessons.

Life overseas introduced her to a series of experiences that differed considerably from her familiar routine in Japan.

Sometimes a bus that was supposed to arrive only once an hour failed to appear on schedule, leaving her waiting at the stop for a long time.

On another occasion, a change in her plans required her to return temporarily to Japan. She had to negotiate directly with her language school about transferring tuition fees to a later period.

These everyday challenges helped her recognise how much assistance she had previously received and gave her opportunities to take responsibility for solving practical problems.

Riho Makise Also Studied in New Zealand for Approximately Two Weeks

New Zealand is another important destination in Makise's overseas experiences.

In her August 2023 interview with LEE, she explained that after her studies in Canada, she also undertook short study programmes in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, spending approximately two weeks in each country.

Although detailed public information about her school and exact location in New Zealand is limited, her experiences of living and studying across several countries gave her opportunities to encounter different cultures and reconsider her own values.

Reflecting on her time in Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, Makise explained that she gradually became less inclined to compare herself with others or be overly influenced by other people's opinions.

She began thinking more carefully about what she wanted to do and the kind of life she wished to lead.

Her overseas experiences also encouraged a renewed interest in Japanese traditions.

When people abroad asked her questions about Japanese culture, she realised that there was much more she wanted to learn about her own country.

After returning home, she resumed studying traditional Japanese dance and kimono dressing.

Over time, this interest developed into a deeper appreciation of the Japanese tea ceremony and the pleasure of incorporating kimono into everyday life.

Travelling abroad had unexpectedly become an opportunity to discover more about the culture of her home country.

Alongside her love of travel, Makise has always enjoyed being close to nature, particularly the sea.

In a 2024 radio conversation with Nao Matsushita, she recalled living in Saga Prefecture during elementary school and visiting the coast around Karatsu with her family during summer.

The scenery of pine trees and the sea remained a cherished childhood memory.

Makise explained that she prefers swimming in the morning, while sunset is her favourite time to sit and appreciate the view.

Looking out across the vast ocean helps her put everyday worries into perspective and enjoy a calmer frame of mind.

Making time to experience beautiful scenery and seasonal changes continues to enrich her life alongside her professional commitments.

8. Marriage to NIGO, Fellow Actors and Enjoying Life in Her Fifties

Riho Makise married fashion designer NIGO on December 16, 2008.

NIGO is internationally known as the founder of A Bathing Ape and for his work across fashion and contemporary culture.

Throughout their marriage, the couple have continued to pursue their respective professional careers and personal interests.

Their wedding anniversary falls on December 16, just one day before Makise's birthday on December 17, making December a particularly meaningful time of year for them.

In a 2023 interview with LEE, Makise spoke about the importance of allowing each other a comfortable amount of personal space within their marriage.

Both have busy schedules, and there are times when opportunities for conversation may be limited. Nevertheless, Makise values expressing appreciation whenever her husband does something thoughtful for her.

She also described enjoying playful moments of affection and humour, suggesting a relationship in which both partners can feel comfortable being themselves.

One interest they share is the Japanese tea ceremony.

In 2023, Makise wrote on Instagram about helping behind the scenes during one of NIGO's tea ceremony lessons.

She was unexpectedly asked to perform part of the tea preparation herself and found that she became more nervous than usual.

Reflecting on the experience with humour, she wondered whether she had been especially anxious because she wanted to make a good impression on her husband.

Even after years of studying tea ceremony, performing in front of someone close to her could still bring an unexpected sense of pressure.

The story reveals a warm and relatable side of their relationship.

In December 2024, Makise shared another charming episode while celebrating her 53rd birthday and sixteenth wedding anniversary.

NIGO prepared tea accompanied by traditional Japanese sweets, including a pine-needle-shaped rice cracker and a dried sweet resembling fallen leaves.

Makise initially thought the selection seemed rather subdued, but she later understood that it expressed her husband's wish for the two of them to grow older together peacefully.

There was another small surprise.

On the underside of a tea bowl NIGO had made, he had hidden a tiny heart.

It was a playful detail that reflected the couple's shared interest in art, craftsmanship, and the tea ceremony.

Makise's long acting career has also brought her into contact with many fellow performers.

One is actress and musician Nao Matsushita, with whom she appeared in NHK's Manpuku and the television drama Ren'ai Senryaku Kaigi (Love Strategy Meeting).

In 2024, Makise appeared as a guest on a TOKYO FM radio programme hosted by Matsushita. Across four weekly conversations, they discussed classical ballet, kimono, Takarazuka Revue performances, and cherished memories of the sea.

Because filming schedules had previously given them limited opportunities for lengthy personal conversations, the radio programme offered a chance to learn more about one another's interests and everyday lives.

Makise also worked with Minami Hamabe in NHK's Ranman, portraying the mother of Hamabe's character Sueko.

Having once been widely recognised as a leading actress in youthful romantic dramas, Makise now also brings her experience to roles that support younger generations of performers.

Her evolving career reflects the different possibilities that become available as an actress gains experience and moves through different stages of life.

In her fifties, Makise values both adapting to change and continuing to enjoy the interests that have remained meaningful to her for many years.

She has maintained a longstanding commitment to moisturising, adjusted her exercise routine to her current needs, and continued discovering new things through tea ceremony lessons and theatre performances.

She also appreciates time with her husband and friends, alongside quieter moments spent enjoying her personal interests.

After beginning her acting career as a teenager, studying overseas in her thirties, and deepening her hobbies and lifestyle through her forties and fifties, Makise has developed a way of living that reflects her own preferences and experiences.

Her story shows the importance she places on enjoying what she loves, maintaining familiar routines, and remaining open to new experiences.

Beauty and wellbeing are not defined by one skincare product, exercise routine, or particular activity. In Makise's everyday life, they are woven into small habits, meaningful personal interests, and warm connections with other people.

From the youthful smile that made her famous in the 1989 Christmas commercial to the relaxed confidence she displays today, Riho Makise has continued developing her own approach to life.

Her skincare and wellness routines offer an engaging example of how personal care, curiosity, and the enjoyment of everyday experiences can remain important throughout the years.