Takako Matsu's Beauty & Wellness | Skincare, Pilates, Diet & Sleep

With her graceful beauty, natural smile, and acting that has grown richer with experience, Takako Matsu has remained a prominent figure in Japanese entertainment for more than 30 years. As both an actress and a singer, she continues to be admired by audiences of different generations.

She is known for television dramas such as Long Vacation, HERO, Quartet, and My Dear Exes, as well as films including Confessions and First Kiss 1ST KISS. She also provided the Japanese voice and singing performances for Elsa in Disney's Frozen films.

Matsu turned 49 in June 2026. As she approaches her fifties, she is paying attention to how her skin and body change with age while continuing to enjoy discovering new beauty products, exercise routines, and hobbies.

Her skincare routine centres on makeup removal, cleansing, and moisturising. She also enjoys trying cosmetics recommended by makeup artists she meets at work. For physical fitness, she practises Pilates and strength training and has even returned to tennis, a sport she enjoyed during her school years.

During theatre productions, she prioritises sleep and regular meals and sometimes warms up by jogging while humming a song. At home, she enjoys preparing Korean-style chicken soup and steamed vegetables. She is also such a devoted soba noodle enthusiast that she sometimes eats soba four times a week.

Her daily pleasures also include sandalwood and hinoki incense, early-morning cleaning, sewing, and embroidery. Drawing on her own interviews and public appearances, this article explores Takako Matsu's beauty routine, wellness habits, sleep, diet, hydration, family life, and favourite ways to relax.

1. Takako Matsu's Career, Marriage, Family and Natural Approach to Beauty

Growing Up in a Kabuki Family and Building a Career as an Actress and Singer

Takako Matsu was born in Tokyo on June 10, 1977. Her father is the distinguished kabuki actor Matsumoto Hakuō II, and her mother is Noriko Fujima. Her older sister, Kiho Matsu, is an actress, while her older brother is the kabuki actor Matsumoto Kōshirō X. She grew up in a family deeply connected to Japan's performing arts.

In 1993, she made her stage debut at the Kabuki-za Theatre in Ninjōbanashi Bunshichi Mottoi. The following year, she made her television drama debut in NHK's historical series Hana no Ran. Her appearances in popular dramas such as Long Vacation, Love Generation, and HERO made her widely recognised throughout Japan.

Matsu made her recording debut in 1997 with the song Ashita, Haru ga Kitara, meaning "When Spring Comes Tomorrow." In 1998, she starred in her first leading film role in April Story. She later received the Best Actress award at the 33rd Japan Academy Film Prize for Villon's Wife.

She went on to appear in numerous films and television productions, including Confessions, The Little House, The Zen Diary, Quartet, and My Dear Exes. From intense dramatic characters to humorous and unconventional women, she has demonstrated remarkable versatility.

In Disney's Frozen, Matsu performed Elsa's Japanese dialogue and songs. In 2020, she also joined Elsa performers from different countries onstage at the 92nd Academy Awards, creating a memorable international musical performance.

In 2025, she attracted attention for the film First Kiss 1ST KISS and the television drama Shiawase na Kekkon (A Happy Marriage). In 2026, her starring film Nagi Diary brought her to the Cannes Film Festival for the first time.

She also appeared in the NHK morning drama Blossom, which began broadcasting on September 28, 2026. In her first acting role in an NHK morning drama, she plays Yuko Fujikawa, a secretary who has supported the heroine, Tama Hano, for many years. She is also scheduled to co-star with Eita Nagayama in the stage production ZURAKARU YATSURA, written by Yuji Sakamoto, in December 2026.

In her personal life, Matsu married guitarist and music producer Yoshiyuki Sahashi in December 2007. Their daughter was born in March 2015.

Alongside her career as an actress and singer, Matsu enjoys everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning, and spending time with her daughter. These glimpses of her home life reveal a warm and approachable side to a performer with an extraordinary career.

Her Skincare Essentials: Makeup Removal, Cleansing and Moisturising

Throughout her career in film, television, and theatre, Matsu has experienced many different styles of professional makeup. In her everyday skincare routine, she places particular importance on removing makeup thoroughly, cleansing her face, and keeping her skin moisturised.

In an August 2025 interview, she explained that cleansing and moisturising remain essential parts of how she cares for her skin.

Working with professional makeup artists also gives her opportunities to discover new cosmetics. When a product catches her attention, she sometimes asks the makeup artist about it and later buys it to try herself.

Hearing recommendations from colleagues and makeup professionals is one of the things she enjoys about her work. She remains curious about products and beauty trends she has not encountered before.

Her relationship with skincare products has also changed over the years.

When she was younger, she sometimes kept extra supplies of a favourite face cream to make sure she would always have it available. These days, she enjoys choosing something different when a product runs out or trying an item that interests her at the time.

In a 2026 interview, Matsu reflected on changes in her skin as she approached 50 and described how she had become more comfortable trying new things.

Her professional work has also included beauty advertising. In 2013, she appeared in advertising for Fujifilm's ASTALIFT WHITE skincare line. However, an advertising appearance should be distinguished from products that she personally chooses and uses in her everyday life.

At home, her daughter has also begun taking an interest in skincare and sunscreen.

In 2025, when her daughter was ten, Matsu described watching her apply sunscreen and sometimes repeatedly spread it over the same area. She found the experience endearing and enjoyed seeing her daughter gradually learn how to use skincare products herself.

Matsu has also imagined that they might enjoy experimenting with makeup together as her daughter grows older. The idea reflects her affectionate interest in the small changes that come with motherhood.

By maintaining her basic cleansing and moisturising routine while welcoming new discoveries, Matsu shows a flexible and relaxed attitude towards beauty as she grows older.

2. Takako Matsu's Wellness Routine: Pilates, Strength Training, Sleep and Movement

Pilates, Strength Training and Understanding Her Changing Body

Matsu has spent many years performing in theatre, where acting, singing, and physical movement can continue for long periods during rehearsals and performances.

One of her notable productions is Q: A Night At The Kabuki, directed by Hideki Noda and first performed in 2019. Before its 2022 revival, she spoke about how her body had changed during the three years between productions.

Even when returning to the same role, she recognised that her body, experiences, and abilities were different. She had come to find it increasingly interesting to discover how she could move and perform with the body she had at that particular stage of life.

At the time, she was already practising Pilates and making an effort to walk whenever possible, especially because her daily work often involved travelling by car.

During theatre productions, the schedule of arriving at the venue and preparing for performances helps create a regular daily rhythm. However, Matsu began to distinguish between using her body for work and setting aside time for exercise specifically for herself.

As a result, she started scheduling exercise sessions in advance so that physical activity would have a place in her everyday life.

In a 2025 interview, she also discussed combining Pilates with strength training. She jokingly admitted that she sometimes makes faces during exercise that she would rather other people did not see, revealing how enthusiastically she approaches her workouts.

In September 2026, she confirmed that she was still practising Pilates and continued to find new things to learn through the activity.

During an October 2026 interview with J-WAVE, she reflected on spending the year consciously building her physical fitness in preparation for an upcoming stage production and work planned for 2027.

After several particularly busy years, she had been able to devote more attention to exercise, housework, and the ordinary routines of daily life in 2026.

For Matsu, looking after her physical condition is closely connected to her desire to keep discovering interesting roles and enjoying her work onstage.

Prioritising Sleep and Meals During Theatre Runs, and Warming Up with a Song

Another fascinating aspect of Matsu's wellness habits is how she organises her life during a theatre production.

In an October 2021 interview, she explained that she tries to maintain a familiar routine during performances, making sleep and regular meals especially important.

Her approach is simple: sleep, eat, perform, and go home. Following a predictable daily rhythm allows her to concentrate on each performance while feeling comfortable in her surroundings.

She explained that unexpected changes can require additional physical and mental energy. During a theatre run, she therefore prefers to spend her time calmly and keep her attention on the work in front of her.

The theatre and dressing room can also feel like familiar, comfortable spaces. Sometimes she arrives early to settle in before a performance.

She has even made small items from leftover fabric at home and brought them to her dressing room, adding a personal touch through a hobby she enjoys.

One particularly surprising detail is her approach to warming up before going onstage.

Matsu sometimes jogs while humming a song as part of her preparation.

She particularly likes songs that allow her to move between her natural singing voice and falsetto. One example she mentioned was Uroko, a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Motohiro Hata.

She finds the shifts into higher notes suitable for the way she likes to warm up.

Interestingly, she jokingly explained that she does not choose her powerful songs from Frozen for this purpose, because singing them at full intensity requires too much energy for a warm-up.

The image of the usually composed actress jogging while humming is a charming glimpse behind the scenes, especially for someone whose career combines acting and singing.

During rehearsals for Q: A Night At The Kabuki, she also experienced an unusual exercise known as "Italian", which involves speaking lines as quickly as possible.

At first, she worried that doing the exercise just before a performance might leave her exhausted. However, she found that it helped improve the tempo of her dialogue.

In the same production, Matsu and Suzu Hirose portrayed the same character at different ages. They sat next to each other during rehearsals and spent long periods observing each other's acting, hoping that their interpretations would naturally develop shared qualities.

Matsu also has experience in traditional Japanese dance. In 2026, she discussed posture, balance, and the use of physical strength with Shizuka Ishibashi, who has a background in ballet.

Even a seemingly simple standing position can look entirely different depending on where the body's centre of gravity is placed and how tension is released. From Japanese dance and theatre movement to vocal preparation and Pilates, Matsu has spent many years exploring the possibilities of physical expression.

Returning to Tennis and Learning Physically Demanding Skills for a Film Role

Matsu belonged to a soft tennis club during junior high school and continued to enjoy watching tennis matches as an adult.

In 2025, she attended a hard-court tennis lesson with a friend.

When she picked up a racket again, she was surprised to discover that her feet did not move as quickly as she had imagined. Nevertheless, she enjoyed following the coach's instructions, becoming absorbed in the game, and learning from someone else.

Although work sometimes kept her away from lessons, she remained interested in returning whenever her schedule allowed.

For the 2026 film Nagi Diary, Matsu also learned to handle tools such as a chainsaw and chisels for her role as a sculptor.

Working with large pieces of wood required considerably more physical strength than she had expected. She learned the movements and techniques associated with the role under the guidance of local specialists.

Alongside her regular workouts, learning unfamiliar physical skills for film roles continues to give Matsu new ways to understand and use her body.

3. Takako Matsu's Diet: Soba Noodles, Chicken Soup, Steamed Vegetables and Bento

Homemade Chicken Soup, Local Ingredients and Soba Four Times a Week

Matsu's food preferences have changed as she has grown older.

In her twenties, she enjoyed eating yakiniku, or Japanese grilled meat, when she was tired. At other times, she favoured foods such as eel and horse meat. More recently, she has begun making her own version of samgyetang, the Korean-style chicken soup, at home.

Traditional samgyetang is a Korean dish featuring chicken simmered with other ingredients. Although Matsu has not publicly shared a detailed recipe for her version, preparing warm homemade chicken soup has become one of her favourite food habits.

She also enjoys cooking with ingredients she discovers while filming in different regions of Japan.

During the production of the 2022 film The Zen Diary, she had opportunities to taste dishes supervised by renowned Japanese cooking expert Yoshiharu Doi. One particularly memorable dish was sesame tofu, carefully prepared using a traditional grinding bowl. She was impressed by the flavour of food made with patience and attention.

While filming in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, she also received freshly harvested vegetables and mushrooms from local people and prepared them at home by lightly deep-frying them.

For her 2026 starring film Nagi Diary, Matsu stayed in a cottage in Nagi, Okayama Prefecture. She bought vegetables from local farm shops and meat from a neighbourhood butcher and cooked meals during her stay.

She sometimes exchanged homemade dishes and soup with her co-star Shizuka Ishibashi. Because she usually thinks about meals for her family, being able to prepare exactly what she felt like eating during filming was a refreshing experience.

Another essential part of Matsu's food preferences is her remarkable love of soba noodles.

During a radio appearance in August 2025, she revealed that she sometimes eats soba about four times a week and loves it enough to enjoy eating it every day.

She enjoys everything from traditional soba restaurants to casual chain stores and standing noodle bars. When she spots a soba restaurant while walking around town, she may simply decide to stop in.

She often chooses cold soba and sometimes adds kakiage, a type of Japanese mixed-ingredient tempura. She has even described debating whether to order a large serving of noodles.

Another amusing detail is how quickly she eats.

Japanese comedian Mikio Date, from the comedy duo Sandwichman, once described eating soba with Matsu during a location shoot. Before he realised it, she had already finished her meal.

Matsu acknowledges that she tends to eat quickly. Because soba noodles change texture as they sit, she enjoys concentrating on the bowl in front of her while the noodles are at their best.

The image of this elegant actress casually enjoying soba at a standing noodle shop reveals another wonderfully down-to-earth side of her personality.

Steamed Vegetables, Hydration and Preparing Lunchboxes for Her Daughter

Matsu enjoys simple cooking methods that make use of ingredients already available at home, particularly during the warmer months.

In August 2025, she spoke about paying attention to hydration during summer. She likes cold drinks and naturally gravitates towards them on hot days.

When she has been eating bento lunches or drinking cold beverages and feels like having something warm, she enjoys preparing vegetables in a bamboo steamer, known in Japanese as a seiro.

Her method is straightforward: place vegetables left in the refrigerator into the steamer, cook them, and enjoy them with a little salt. She appreciates being able to use ingredients already at home while preparing a simple warm meal.

She has also described this type of dish as a convenient option when she feels like eating something light. Depending on the season and her appetite, she enjoys choosing meals that suit the moment.

In August 2025, Matsu appeared on the TV Asahi cooking programme Kaji Yarou!!! and asked cooking expert Yoshiharu Doi for advice on preparing food at home.

One of her concerns was making lunchboxes for her daughter as she approached junior high school.

She wanted to know how to pack food so that it would still taste good when her daughter ate it several hours later. It was a practical question familiar to many parents.

The programme explored ways of handling rice and preparing everyday bento lunches, and Matsu listened with great interest.

Matsu herself used to bring lunch to school, where she enjoyed moving desks together with her friends so they could eat as a group. Years later, she found herself thinking about preparing lunches for her own daughter.

On the same programme, she also joined Doi in making traditional Japanese-style omurice, an omelette filled with seasoned rice. She enjoyed learning the steps and preparing the dish alongside him.

After experiencing Doi's cooking while filming The Zen Diary, she was now learning from him about a very different subject: everyday meals for her family. It is a charming example of how her professional experiences and home life sometimes come together.

4. Takako Matsu's Ways to Relax: Incense, Morning Cleaning and Walking

Sandalwood and Hinoki Incense, and Her Morning Cleaning Ritual

One of the most distinctive aspects of Matsu's daily relaxation habits is her love of incense.

In a 2025 interview, she explained that she enjoys burning incense in the quiet hours after her family has gone to bed or early in the morning before anyone else wakes up.

Her preferences have changed over time. She once enjoyed more Western-style fragrances, but in recent years she has come to favour traditional Japanese woody scents, including sandalwood, hinoki cypress, and camphorwood.

Sandalwood has a warm, distinctive woody aroma, while hinoki and camphorwood are often associated with the scent of trees and forests. Matsu enjoys introducing these natural-feeling fragrances into her home.

In a 2026 interview, she admitted that incense is also something she tends to collect. Even after organising her belongings, she may find a new fragrance she likes and add another item to the collection.

Her enjoyment of incense is closely connected to another favourite activity: cleaning in the morning.

In a 2025 interview with Orange Page, Matsu described opening the windows before the rest of the family wakes up, lighting incense, and wiping surfaces around the house.

One inspiration came from seeing people on social media enjoying a Japanese cleaning trend called fukukatsu, meaning the habit of regularly wiping and cleaning surfaces.

The idea of cleaning a little each day and gradually creating a home that feels pleasant to live in appealed to her.

With a sense of humour, she explained that what she really loves is the idea of living in a beautifully clean home. By 2025, she had been pursuing this style of daily living for around four or five years.

She can become so involved in organising that she moves objects around the house several times while deciding where everything should belong.

In the kitchen, she also makes use of the dishwasher and tries to complete the day's cleaning before going to bed. Starting the following morning with a tidy kitchen is one of the small pleasures of her routine.

Opening the windows, letting in the morning air, enjoying the scent of incense, and gently cleaning the house have become a pleasant part of Matsu's personal time as well as her family life.

Walking with Her Daughter and Enjoying Quiet Time Alone

Matsu also values time spent wandering through town on her own or having relaxed conversations with friends.

In 2022, she shared a story about visiting Jindaiji Temple in Chofu, Tokyo, with her daughter.

They happened to be in the area, decided to visit the temple, and also stopped at the nearby Kitaro Chaya, a shop associated with the popular Japanese character GeGeGe no Kitaro.

Surrounded by shady trees and pleasant breezes, Matsu rediscovered how enjoyable it can be to experience nature even in an area close to the city.

A casual outing with her daughter became a memorable opportunity to appreciate greenery and a peaceful environment.

In a September 2026 interview with VOGUE JAPAN, she described an ideal day off as one involving a leisurely walk, some shopping, tidying the house, and spending time quietly at home.

She also considers good airflow an important quality when thinking about a comfortable home.

Looking at things she loves and arranging her surroundings are simple activities that make spending time alone enjoyable.

At other times, she prepares her voice while travelling to a theatre or uses the journey home as an opportunity to shift her attention from the character she has been playing back to everyday life.

Whether she is walking outdoors, appreciating nature, or enjoying a quiet afternoon at home, Matsu finds small moments in everyday life that help her feel settled and comfortable.

5. Takako Matsu's Hobbies and Family: Sewing, Embroidery and Parenthood

From Kindergarten Bags to Children's Clothes and Smocking Embroidery

Sewing and embroidery are among Matsu's most absorbing hobbies.

She became seriously interested in sewing when she needed to make bags, placemats, and other items for her daughter's kindergarten.

She had always enjoyed looking at fabrics, so she decided to try making the items herself. Once she started, she discovered that she enjoyed sewing far more than she had expected.

Eventually, she began making clothes for her daughter, including dresses and blouses. She even created an embroidered bookmark from leftover fabric for her daughter, who enjoys reading.

As her daughter grew older, her clothing preferences changed, and she began choosing trousers more often. Nevertheless, she still liked a sailor-collar blouse that Matsu had made for her.

Over time, sewing became much more than a way of making things for her child.

In 2022, Matsu described sewing as something she enjoyed doing for herself and mentioned having a smocking embroidery kit ready to use.

Smocking is a traditional embroidery technique in which small gathers are stitched into fabric to create decorative patterns. Matsu enjoys spending quiet evenings working with a needle and concentrating on the details of the fabric.

She sometimes takes sewing materials to work so that she can continue a project during short breaks.

At a September 2026 stage greeting for Nagi Diary, she spoke again about her love of using a sewing machine to make clothes and practical items for daily life.

She described how happy she feels simply looking at fabrics and small leftover pieces of cloth. With a smile, she suggested that she would prefer to enjoy those moments quietly on her own.

During a television appearance in 2018, she also showed an enthusiastic interest in a steam iron. The way she becomes absorbed in practical tasks reveals how much she enjoys making and handling things with her hands.

What began as sewing for her family has developed into a long-lasting personal passion, giving Matsu a creative activity she can enjoy in her own time.

Her Father as a Grandfather and Watching Her Daughter Grow Up

Matsu also speaks openly about how becoming a mother has influenced her view of family life.

During a July 2025 appearance on the Japanese talk show Tetsuko's Room, she reflected on how important it had become for her to remain cheerful and comfortable in herself after the birth of her daughter.

When Matsu was growing up, she remembered her mother, Noriko Fujima, as a calm person who often smiled. Her father, Matsumoto Hakuō II, sometimes brought the tension of his demanding work home, creating a more serious atmosphere.

After Matsu's daughter was born, however, she noticed a remarkable change in her father's behaviour.

Whenever the family visits, her father gently touches his granddaughter's hands and feet to check whether she is cold. He may repeat the gesture when they leave, making sure she is comfortable.

Matsu was surprised to see this tender side of a father she had known as serious and deeply dedicated to his profession.

As her daughter has grown older, the relationship between the generations has changed again.

When she was little, her grandparents helped care for her and put her to bed. Now, she has begun taking an interest in how her grandparents are doing.

After visiting them, she may tell Matsu that her grandfather was smiling while watching television or that he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Matsu finds it touching that a child who once depended on her grandparents has gradually become someone who pays attention to their wellbeing.

Another change is that her daughter is less likely to reach for her hand naturally than she did when she was younger. These days, Matsu sometimes finds herself offering her own hand first.

She jokes that perhaps she is the one who is finding it harder to let go as her daughter grows up.

Between spending time with her family and enjoying her personal hobbies, Matsu continues to discover new ways of appreciating each stage of life.

6. Takako Matsu's Outlook on Life and Work as She Approaches 50

Life in a Freezing Rural Cottage and Beautiful Starry Nights During Nagi Diary

The 2026 film Nagi Diary became a particularly memorable experience for Matsu.

The story takes place in the fictional town of Nagi, inspired by Nagi in Okayama Prefecture. Matsu plays Yoriko, a woman who lives and works as a sculptor creating pieces from wood.

During filming, she spent approximately one month in the naturally beautiful town of Nagi. Having grown up in Tokyo, she found the slower pace of life and the surrounding landscape refreshing.

However, filming took place during an exceptionally cold period. Although Matsu had always thought she was reasonably tolerant of cold weather, she found herself turning up the heating and sleeping with her body completely covered by blankets.

At one point, she even travelled to a neighbouring town to buy additional bedding.

She and her co-star Shizuka Ishibashi stayed in neighbouring cottages. Local residents told them that the area could have noticeably different temperatures and weather conditions from other parts of the town.

The two actresses supported each other throughout the challenging stay.

Yet the cold surroundings also offered something wonderful: exceptionally beautiful night skies.

Outside the cottage where she relied on extra blankets and heating, countless stars filled the sky. The contrast between the demanding weather and the beauty of nature left a lasting impression on Matsu.

She also enjoyed the food and local hospitality. Meals and catering were provided during filming, and there were gifts of strawberry daifuku, a Japanese sweet made with mochi and strawberries. A fellow cast member also prepared homemade cake to share.

Over the course of the month, she experienced the gradual transition from winter towards spring while enjoying local ingredients, the natural surroundings, and time with the people around her.

The film was selected for the Competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, giving Matsu her first opportunity to attend the prestigious event.

Her Long Connection with Yuji Sakamoto, a Tea Commercial and the Value of Gentle Strength

Throughout her career, Matsu has maintained a long creative relationship with screenwriter Yuji Sakamoto.

They first met when she was still in her teens. Sakamoto wrote the lyrics for her 1997 debut single, Ashita, Haru ga Kitara, or "When Spring Comes Tomorrow."

In a 2026 radio interview, she jokingly wondered whether Sakamoto was responsible for giving her an image associated with spring, even though she was born in June.

They later worked together on Quartet, My Dear Exes, and the film First Kiss 1ST KISS.

On the final day of filming First Kiss 1ST KISS, Sakamoto made a remark suggesting that the work had been easy. Matsu recalled initially wanting to disagree with him.

The film had involved physically demanding scenes, including plenty of running, and she had approached each one with complete commitment. Later, however, she reconsidered his remark and wondered whether age and experience had sometimes led her to make things more complicated in her own mind.

The idea of simply approaching the task in front of her gave Matsu a different way to think about her work.

In December 2026, she is scheduled to appear alongside Eita Nagayama in ZURAKARU YATSURA, a stage production featuring a new script by Sakamoto and directed by Ryō Iwamatsu.

She is looking forward to making the production enjoyable while recognising the challenge of delivering large amounts of dialogue at every performance.

To memorise lines, Matsu repeatedly reads her script during short breaks in the morning, afternoon, and evening. She uses not only the meaning of the dialogue but also the position and arrangement of the words on the page as memory cues.

The physical feeling of turning paper pages and remembering where a passage appeared are also part of her process. It is a distinctive method developed over many years of acting.

In 2025, Matsu also appeared in commercials for Suntory's CRAFT BOSS World's TEA beverage range.

Alongside Sairi Ito, Hana Sugisaki, and Yuumi Kawai, she portrayed one of four alien sisters, playing the eldest sibling. The commercials presented a playful family story to introduce the brand's range of creatively blended teas.

In a September 2026 interview with VOGUE JAPAN, Matsu also discussed a personal value she considers important: yasashii tsuyosa, or "gentle strength."

For her, kindness and strength are closely connected.

She also explained that she values listening to other people with genuine curiosity and finding their stories interesting. Having worked with many actors and creative teams, she continues to enjoy learning from different perspectives.

Rather than planning every milestone according to a particular age, Matsu prefers to remain someone who can appreciate opportunities when they arrive.

Her approach to exercise and everyday routines reflects that outlook. By looking after her body and enjoying her home life, she hopes to remain ready for whatever new experiences and interesting roles come her way.

8 Surprising Facts About Takako Matsu

Although Matsu often appears calm and composed, her interviews and stories from family members and colleagues reveal a playful, sometimes unexpectedly impatient personality. Here are eight fascinating glimpses of her life beyond the screen.

1. She gets ready to leave filming locations remarkably quickly.
   During a 2018 appearance on NHK's Asaichi, her manager described her surprisingly impatient side. After filming, she sometimes removes her costume and makeup and gets ready to leave with astonishing speed.
2. She once prepared coffee for Santa Claus.
   When she was a child, Matsu and her siblings decided to leave coffee for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. They thought that someone travelling from overseas would probably enjoy a cup of coffee, a wonderfully imaginative childhood idea.
3. She told her nephew a secret about receiving sweets.
   Before her nephew, the kabuki actor Ichikawa Somegorō, appeared on the television programme Tetsuko's Room as a young child, Matsu reportedly suggested asking the host, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, for sweets. He received some and later recalled keeping them carefully for a while.
4. She experienced an unexpected incident while filming Confessions.
   The 2010 film Confessions included intense classroom scenes involving large numbers of students. In an interview at the time, Matsu revealed that she had secretly experienced a nosebleed during filming.
5. She loves the crispy texture of fried chicken.
   The television drama Quartet famously featured a discussion about squeezing lemon over karaage, Japanese fried chicken. Matsu herself explained that she particularly enjoys the crispy texture and would happily use lemon if it were served with the dish.
6. She has supported Japan's men's national volleyball team for years.
   In a September 2026 interview with VOGUE JAPAN, Matsu discussed her long-standing enthusiasm for men's volleyball. She was particularly moved by a comeback against Canada and admired the way the team worked together towards a shared goal.
7. She once enjoyed talking about Tatsuro Yamashita's music at a country inn.
   While filming Someday (Ōshikamura Sōdōki) in a mountainous region of Nagano in 2011, Matsu stayed at a local inn. She enjoyed an enthusiastic conversation with the host about the music of Japanese singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita.
8. She remained wonderfully down-to-earth at the Academy Awards.
   Matsu performed alongside international Elsa voice actresses at the 2020 Academy Awards. She later recalled in a television appearance that, feeling satisfied after her performance, she left relatively early. It is an amusing example of her unpretentious personality even on one of the world's most glamorous stages.

Conclusion: What Takako Matsu's Beauty and Wellness Habits Reveal About Her Lifestyle

Looking closely at Takako Matsu's beauty and wellness habits reveals someone who welcomes the changes that come with age while continuing to find enjoyment in everyday life.

Her skincare routine is built around makeup removal, cleansing, and moisturising, yet she remains curious about new cosmetics. For exercise, she practises Pilates and strength training and has returned to tennis, a sport she loved at school.

During theatre performances, she prioritises sleep and regular meals and sometimes warms up by jogging while humming a song. In 2026, she also devoted time to building fitness in preparation for upcoming stage work and projects planned for 2027.

At home, she enjoys preparing chicken soup and steamed vegetables, as well as eating her beloved soba noodles. She has also sought cooking advice for preparing lunchboxes for her daughter, finding fresh opportunities to learn through family life.

Quiet moments with sandalwood or hinoki incense, early-morning cleaning, and sewing or embroidery projects have become other meaningful parts of her routine.

She enjoys spending time with her family while preserving space for her own hobbies and new experiences. Her belief in "gentle strength" also reflects the kindness and curiosity she brings to her relationships with others.

As she approaches her fifties, Takako Matsu continues to welcome experiences she has never had before. Her ability to value everything she has learned while finding small pleasures in daily life offers a thoughtful perspective on the richness of growing older.

References and Further Reading

• STORY (Japan) — Takako Matsu on beauty, wellness and new challenges as she approaches 50 (September 2026, Japanese)
• CoCorone — Takako Matsu on skincare, cosmetics, steamed vegetables and hydration (August 2025, Japanese)
• Crank-in! — Takako Matsu on her theatre routine, sleep, meals and singing while warming up (October 2021, Japanese)
• Orange Page — Interview with Takako Matsu about First Kiss 1ST KISS, morning cleaning and daily life (2025, Japanese)
• TV Asahi POST — Takako Matsu on her daughter's growth and her father Matsumoto Hakuō as a grandfather (July 2025, Japanese)
• VOGUE JAPAN — Takako Matsu on her ideal days off, volleyball and the meaning of gentle strength (September 2026, Japanese)
• J-WAVE NEWS — Takako Matsu on fitness, her connection with Yuji Sakamoto and memorising scripts (October 2026, Japanese)

Note: This article is based on publicly available information and interviews with Takako Matsu. Some routines and personal habits reflect the time when the original interviews were conducted.