Yuriko Yoshitaka: Beauty Routine, Diet, Sleep & New Zealand Travels
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With her bright, spontaneous smile and the mysterious expression that occasionally crosses her face, Yuriko Yoshitaka is an actress known for her distinctive charm. Her candid sense of humour often makes people laugh, while her sensitive performances leave a lasting impression on audiences.
She is best known for the film Snakes and Earrings, the NHK morning drama Hanako to Anne, and television series including Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Dearest (Saiai) and On a Starry Night. In 2024, she took on the leading role of Murasaki Shikibu in the NHK historical drama Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e).
Born in Tokyo on 22 July 1988, Yoshitaka made her film debut in Noriko's Dinner Table in 2006. She attracted widespread attention with her starring role in Snakes and Earrings in 2008 and has since portrayed an impressive range of characters, from a young woman finding her place in the world to one of Japan's most celebrated historical writers.
When we look through Yoshitaka's interviews about beauty, health and everyday life, one theme becomes clear: she enjoys finding her own way of doing things and discovering pleasure in ordinary moments.
Her skincare routine has included lotion, serum and cream, while her unusual habit of keeping skincare products within reach around the house allows her to enjoy a little beauty time even while waiting for her turn during a game.
She also loves food. At 16, she spent her first earnings from a part-time job on crab. Over the years, her passion for eating has developed into a love of cooking, from crispy fried chicken and spring rolls to preparing fish and making salmon roe from scratch.
For her acting work, Yoshitaka has challenged herself with running. During the filming of Dear Radiance in 2024, she also became more conscious of sleep and daily wellbeing while working in heavy traditional Japanese costumes.
Yoshitaka also has a memorable connection with New Zealand. Her 20th-anniversary book, Shirafu, released in 2025, includes photographs and a handwritten travel diary from a New Zealand journey. She has spoken about her amazement at the Milky Way, shooting stars and an extraordinary sky filled with stars.
Drawing on interviews, official profiles and published accounts, this article explores Yuriko Yoshitaka's skincare routine, eating habits, home cooking, supplements, exercise, sleep, bathing rituals and approach to relaxation.
Along the way, we will also discover her most memorable roles, important turning points in her career, thoughts about family and friendship, and the New Zealand experience that became part of her personal story.
Yuriko Yoshitaka's Beauty and Skincare Routine: Lotion, Serum, Cream and Natural Confidence
One of the most interesting things about Yuriko Yoshitaka's approach to beauty is how much she values enjoying the process.
In a 2022 interview with VOCE, she explained that an overly complicated skincare routine could sometimes feel demanding. She preferred an approach that was comfortable and easy to incorporate into everyday life.
Her philosophy brings together two ideas: taking care of herself and appreciating the qualities she already has. Rather than following beauty routines simply because she feels she should, Yoshitaka looks for ways to make them a pleasant part of her day.
A Three-Step Skincare Routine: Lotion, Serum and Cream, Even When Travelling
In an October 2022 interview with MAQUIA, Yoshitaka introduced the lotion, serum and cream she was using at the time.
She was then serving as a Japanese ambassador for a cosmetics brand, an experience that gave her additional opportunities to learn about skincare and beauty products.
Her routine began with applying lotion using a cotton pad. She then followed with serum before finishing with cream.
Yoshitaka particularly enjoyed the lotion's slightly rich texture and floral fragrance. For her, the way a product feels on the skin and the scent it brings to the routine are part of the pleasure of using it.
She liked the serum's light texture and had grown accustomed to completing the routine with cream.
One particularly revealing detail is that she took these products with her when travelling or working away from home on location.
Even in a hotel or unfamiliar environment, using her familiar skincare products allowed her to maintain a routine she enjoyed.
In another VOCE interview from 2022, Yoshitaka described using lotion, layering serum and finishing with cream in her morning and evening routines.
She joked about being somewhat easygoing by nature and expressed surprise at how consistently she had maintained her skincare habits.
Her preferences had also changed over time. Whereas she had once liked a lighter, less dewy finish, she increasingly enjoyed the feeling of skin that was comfortably moisturised.
Skincare products come in many different formulations, from lightweight lotions and serums to richer moisturising creams. Choosing textures and fragrances that suit the season, personal preferences and individual skin needs can make a daily routine more enjoyable.
Other common skincare options include eye creams for the delicate eye area, night creams for evening moisturising routines, and facial masks for an occasional moment of self-care.
The products Yoshitaka specifically discussed in her 2022 interview were lotion, serum and cream.
Editorial note: The 2022 MAQUIA interview was published as part of a cosmetics-brand promotional collaboration. The routine described here reflects Yoshitaka's account at that time.
Skincare in the Living Room: Making the Most of Everyday Moments
One of Yoshitaka's more unusual beauty habits was revealed in a September 2022 interview with VOCE.
Rather than keeping all her skincare products together in the bathroom, she also placed them around her home, including in the living room.
Having products close at hand made it easy to enjoy a little skincare whenever she had a spare moment.
For example, she might apply a product while enjoying a drink at home. When playing games with friends, she sometimes used the time spent waiting for her turn to continue her skincare routine.
It is a surprisingly practical idea. Instead of setting aside a long, separate session for beauty, she finds opportunities within activities she already enjoys.
Yoshitaka also explained that days spent working on set could create a natural sequence of skincare steps.
After arriving home wearing makeup, she would begin by cleansing her face. This would lead into applying lotion, serum and cream.
The act of removing makeup provided a convenient starting point for the rest of her routine.
What makes her approach memorable is its flexibility. She adapts skincare to her lifestyle, keeping it accessible and pleasant rather than treating it as another demanding task.
Beauty, Lifestyle and Changing Perspectives in Her Thirties
In a 2022 MAQUIA interview, Yoshitaka mentioned that her skin could sometimes develop blemishes during particularly busy periods.
At such times, she paid attention not only to skincare but also to spending time outdoors, enjoying sunlight, moving her body, eating delicious meals and getting enough sleep.
For Yoshitaka, feeling comfortable with her appearance was connected to the wider rhythm of everyday life.
In VOCE that same year, she also spoke about wanting to continue appreciating the person she saw in the mirror as she grew older.
Maintaining small daily habits was part of that outlook, alongside recognising and accepting the good qualities she already possessed.
In a 2025 VOCE interview, Yoshitaka reflected on how her approach to work and life had changed with experience.
Earlier in her career, she sometimes struggled with the fact that she could not always control her schedule or decide how everything would unfold.
Over time, however, she discovered the value of placing trust in the people around her.
Allowing others to take responsibility for certain decisions helped her approach life with greater ease.
She also reflected on the difference between her twenties and thirties. In her twenties, she devoted considerable energy to meeting new people and collecting new experiences.
As she grew older, she found a different kind of satisfaction in deepening relationships with people and things that already mattered to her.
Her beauty philosophy reflects that same sense of balance: enjoy caring for yourself, appreciate the present moment, and remain open to change.
In interviews surrounding her 2025 book Shirafu, Yoshitaka spoke about her interest in language. She sometimes remembers words by their sound and later checks their meaning when she discovers a misunderstanding. As a teenager, she even carried a small dictionary and read it while travelling between places. It is a charming glimpse of the curiosity behind her distinctive way of speaking.
Yuriko Yoshitaka's Diet, Home Cooking and Supplements: Fried Chicken, Spring Rolls and Probiotics
Food is one of Yuriko Yoshitaka's great pleasures, and her enthusiasm is apparent whenever she discusses what she likes to eat.
In a 2024 interview with 美ST (BiST), she explained that one of the first things she looked forward to on arriving at a filming studio was checking the cafeteria menu.
She might spend the morning anticipating lunch, then begin thinking about dinner once lunch was over.
Her interest extends beyond eating. She enjoys shopping for ingredients, exploring different recipes and discovering what happens when she tries making something new.
Spending Her First Wages on Crab: A Lifelong Love of Food
In a 2022 interview with VOCE, Yoshitaka looked back on how her taste in food had changed over time.
When she was younger, she especially enjoyed meat dishes and generous servings of her favourite side dishes.
As the years passed, she began to appreciate the flavours of vegetables and rice in a new way.
Her love of food goes back to her teenage years.
In a 2023 interview with BAILA, Yoshitaka recalled spending the money she earned from her first part-time job, at around 16 years old, on a crab meal.
Being able to spend money she had earned herself on something she genuinely wanted to eat was an exciting experience.
That enthusiasm has continued into adulthood.
In a 2024 interview with 美ST, she described one of her most popular homemade dishes: Japanese-style fried chicken, known as karaage.
After experimenting with different seasonings and cooking methods, she had settled on a version that involved marinating the chicken with fish sauce and coating it in potato starch before frying.
She enjoyed chicken that was juicy inside with a crisp outer coating, and friends sometimes asked her to make it for them.
Yoshitaka also enjoys yakitori, including distinctive cuts such as liver and chochin, a traditional skewer featuring chicken reproductive organs.
Spicy curries and Chinese dishes have also caught her interest. Sometimes, simply imagining the next delicious meal is part of the fun.
During the filming of Dear Radiance, she paid additional attention to when she ate particularly spicy foods, taking the demands of spending long hours in elaborate costumes into account.
Her approach combines enthusiasm for favourite foods with practical choices based on the demands of her working day.
From Seafood to Spring Rolls and Salmon Roe: Her Adventurous Home Cooking
Yoshitaka's interest in cooking has developed over many years.
In an interview around 2017, she spoke about making garlic-based stir-fries and experimenting with ingredients she had never cooked before.
When she discovered an unfamiliar ingredient, she would look up how to prepare it and give it a try.
Learning to make a new dish brought her the satisfaction of adding another skill to her repertoire.
In a 2024 美ST interview, Yoshitaka shared a particularly amusing story about grocery shopping.
Walking through a supermarket would inspire ideas for one dish after another, and she sometimes ended up buying far more ingredients than originally intended.
Her shopping could fill two baskets, leaving her with enough ingredients to cook for days afterwards.
She sometimes bought whole fish or squid and researched how to clean and prepare them herself.
An ingredient might seem easy to cook while she was standing in the supermarket, only for the reality to prove more complicated once she got home.
Yoshitaka told these stories with her characteristic humour, treating unexpected challenges as part of the adventure.
In February 2025, she shared homemade spring rolls on social media.
Because a packet of spring-roll wrappers often left her with extras, she enjoyed inventing different fillings to use them all.
She posted a video of the rolls frying until golden and asked her followers for suggestions about other ingredients to try.
In May that year, she shared a meal of yurinchi, a Chinese-inspired fried chicken dish with a savoury sauce, alongside a vegetable salad.
In September, she also posted her first attempt at making enoki mushrooms wrapped in meat, sharing the experience with followers in her usual informal style.
In a December 2025 interview with STORY, Yoshitaka revealed a new culinary interest: preparing ikura, or salmon roe, from a whole roe sac known as sujiko.
She particularly enjoyed the delicate task of separating the individual eggs and sometimes found herself cooking late into the evening.
In the same interview, she explained why she also loved eating dishes she had prepared just for herself.
When cooking for friends, she considers their preferences. When cooking for herself, however, she can make the flavours as bold or spicy as she likes.
She laughed about making bibimbap especially spicy the previous day, saying that although she had added rather too much heat, she loved the way it tasted.
Yoshitaka also likes to use the ingredients she buys while they are still fresh, especially after one of her ambitious supermarket trips.
In July 2026, she shared another homemade dish featuring summer vegetables, including aubergine, green peppers and okra, cooked with meat.
She jokingly commented on her habit of transferring food from the frying pan to the plate in a rather generous, informal fashion.
For Yoshitaka, cooking seems to be about much more than the finished dish. The shopping, preparation, seasoning and occasional surprise are all part of the pleasure.
Probiotics, Supplements and Hydration During a Demanding Filming Schedule
In a January 2024 interview with Nikkan Sports, Yoshitaka discussed how she was approaching her daily wellbeing while filming the historical drama Dear Radiance.
The production involved a long shooting schedule and many hours in heavy traditional costumes and wigs.
During this period, she mentioned consuming lactic acid bacteria and taking supplements as part of her personal routine.
Lactic acid bacteria are microorganisms commonly associated with foods such as yoghurt, fermented products and certain probiotic drinks. Different products contain different strains and formulations.
Dietary supplements also vary widely in their ingredients, including vitamins, minerals and probiotic cultures.
When choosing a supplement, it is sensible to check the ingredient list, recommended serving information and any relevant allergy warnings, while considering overall dietary needs.
Yoshitaka's comments provide an insight into how she paid attention to her daily routine during a physically demanding period of work.
She also discussed hydration in a 2022 VOCE interview.
When enjoying alcoholic drinks, she made a point of drinking water beforehand.
Everyday beverage choices can include water and barley tea, as well as black tea, herbal infusions and rooibos tea.
Black tea and green tea usually contain caffeine, whereas plain rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free. Herbal infusions offer a wide variety of flavours and aromas depending on the plants used.
Choosing beverages according to personal taste and the time of day can be another enjoyable part of a daily routine.
Yoshitaka's approach to food and wellbeing is defined by two complementary qualities: a genuine love of delicious meals and a willingness to adapt her habits to the circumstances of her work and life.
In a 2023 BAILA interview, Yoshitaka remembered being an exceptionally curious child. If something caught her attention, she could become completely absorbed in it. Once, she thought she was holding her father's clothing, only to look up and discover that the man beside her was a stranger. She also recalled ending up at lost-child centres. It is a wonderfully vivid example of the curiosity that still shapes her love of travel and discovery.
Yuriko Yoshitaka's Exercise, Sleep and Bathing Habits: Running 7 km, Golf and Rest
Yoshitaka's approach to exercise and relaxation has evolved alongside the demands of her acting career.
She has challenged herself with running for a role, enjoyed golf outdoors and become increasingly aware of the importance of rest during long filming schedules.
At home, she has also spoken about enjoying bath salts, bathing products and other ways of spending relaxing time.
From Struggling to Run 800 Metres to Completing 7 Kilometres
In a 2022 interview with VOCE, Yoshitaka recalled taking up running as part of her preparation for an acting role.
Initially, she tried running outdoors but struggled to reach 800 metres.
She then decided to use a treadmill at the gym.
What made the treadmill appealing was its distance display. Watching the numbers gradually rise gave her something concrete to work towards.
First she reached one kilometre, then two, and eventually she was able to run seven kilometres.
Yoshitaka enjoyed the experience of discovering that something she had once found difficult was becoming more manageable with practice.
The sense of achievement, rather than simply the final distance, was what made the experience memorable.
During the same period, she also spoke about occasionally playing golf.
After spending a day outdoors, walking and playing in the sunshine, she found that she often slept particularly well that night.
Running offered the satisfaction of reaching measurable milestones, while golf allowed her to enjoy movement in an outdoor setting.
For anyone beginning a new activity, choosing a comfortable pace and gradually building experience is an important part of the process.
Yoshitaka's story illustrates the pleasure she found in setting small goals and noticing her own progress.
Why Dear Radiance Made Her Aim for Seven to Eight Hours of Sleep
In the 2024 NHK historical drama Dear Radiance, Yoshitaka portrayed Murasaki Shikibu, the celebrated Heian-period writer associated with The Tale of Genji.
The role involved wearing elaborate traditional layered robes and long wigs to recreate the appearance of a noblewoman from more than a thousand years ago.
In a January 2024 Nikkan Sports interview, Yoshitaka recalled being surprised by the weight of the costumes and wigs.
Some of the costumes weighed more than five kilograms. Maintaining their appearance required careful movement and attention to posture.
Even small movements could mean that the costume needed adjusting, and simply standing for long periods demanded considerable stamina.
Behind the elegant appearance on screen was an unusual physical challenge for the actress.
One aspect of her routine that changed during this time was her attitude towards sleep.
She explained that she had previously thought around five hours of sleep could be sufficient for her. During the historical drama's production, however, she wanted to aim for seven to eight hours.
That figure represented her personal goal at the time, rather than a claim that she slept for exactly that long every night.
It reflected her desire to make more room for rest while working on such a demanding production.
Yoshitaka has also shared interesting details about how she spends her days off.
In a 2022 MAQUIA interview, she described enjoying days when she could simply stay in bed and relax if she felt tired.
On more active days, she liked making a list of things she wanted to accomplish and working her way through it.
Finishing tasks such as cleaning, laundry or shopping gave her a satisfying sense of completion.
In a 2024 美ST interview, she also spoke fondly about the idea of staying at a hot-spring inn, enjoying a delicious dinner, sleeping soundly and looking forward to breakfast the next morning.
Good food, a comfortable night's rest and time to enjoy the day at her own pace are all part of her idea of a satisfying break.
Bath Salts, Bath Products, Saunas and Massage: Enjoying Time to Unwind
Yoshitaka discussed her bathing habits in a 2022 interview with VOCE.
At the time, she often spent her working days in air-conditioned environments and enjoyed taking warm baths, visiting saunas and having massages.
At home, she experimented with different bath products, including bath salts, bath additives and stones designed for bathing.
For many people, fragrance, colour and the sensation of warm water are enjoyable parts of a bath.
Yoshitaka recalled once trying several of her favourite bathing products together.
She found herself sweating far more than expected and described the experience humorously, comparing it to a sudden heavy downpour.
It was a personal anecdote rather than a bathing method to imitate. Bath products have different ingredients and directions for use, so it is important to follow each manufacturer's guidance.
Choosing a comfortable water temperature, allowing a suitable amount of time and remembering hydration can help make bathing a pleasant part of the day.
For Yoshitaka, selecting bath products and enjoying time in warm water were among the everyday pleasures she could look forward to.
When asked in a 2024 Nikkan Sports interview what she had in common with Murasaki Shikibu, Yoshitaka mentioned that friends had often come to her with romantic concerns during her school years. Rather than offering forceful advice, she was usually someone who listened carefully. It was a surprisingly relatable connection between a modern actress and the historical figure she portrayed.
Yuriko Yoshitaka and New Zealand: Stargazing, Travel and Her Book Shirafu
Yuriko Yoshitaka has a genuine personal connection with New Zealand, documented in interviews and material published around her 20th-anniversary book.
Released on 22 July 2025, Shirafu features photographs taken in New Zealand along with a handwritten travel diary.
For Yoshitaka, who had long been fascinated by the sky, stars and the universe, the journey became an especially memorable experience.
From Homestays to Solo Travel: Her Curiosity About Other Cultures
Yoshitaka began travelling abroad regularly when she was around 20 years old.
In a 2023 interview with BAILA, she talked about enjoying homestays and experiencing everyday life with families overseas.
She explained that even as a child, she loved visiting friends' homes and observing how other households lived.
Staying with families abroad offered a similar opportunity on a much larger scale.
Different meals, conversations, family routines and unfamiliar surroundings all became part of the experience.
Even when language was a barrier, she sometimes found a way to connect through playing games together.
She also recalled travelling alone to Paris and London, and feeling excited by the experience of crossing national borders by train.
For Yoshitaka, travelling is about more than seeing famous landmarks.
Meeting people, observing local customs and tasting unfamiliar food can be just as memorable as the scenery.
At one point, she became particularly interested in the small dishes served in Spanish bars, especially pintxos.
In a 2023 interview, she joked that even though a planned trip had changed, her desire to visit Spain and eat pintxos had remained with her for about three years.
Food can be a wonderful reason to choose a destination, and Yoshitaka has often embraced that idea.
For the creation of Shirafu, however, it was her fascination with the stars that drew her towards New Zealand.
The Milky Way, Shooting Stars and a Remarkable Sky at 5 AM
On 22 July 2025, Yoshitaka released Shirafu, a book celebrating 20 years of her career.
The publication brings together 54 pieces of writing inspired by individual Japanese kanji characters. Through these characters, Yoshitaka reflects on her memories, feelings, work and everyday experiences.
The book also includes handwritten illustrations, photographs from New Zealand and a personal travel diary.
Yoshitaka had long loved the sky, stars and outer space.
During the book's development, an editor introduced her to the beauty of New Zealand's night skies, helping inspire the choice of location for the photography.
The destination connected naturally with her personal interests and the atmosphere of the book.
During the journey, Yoshitaka saw the Milky Way and shooting stars while travelling through New Zealand's expansive landscapes.
In a July 2025 interview with with digital, she shared one of her most unforgettable memories from the trip.
It happened at approximately five o'clock in the morning on the final day.
She was preparing to leave a hotel near the mountains when she happened to look up.
Above her was a sky filled with an extraordinary number of stars.
Yoshitaka was so moved by the sight that she described it as almost too beautiful to seem real.
Although she had already enjoyed remarkable stargazing during the photo shoot, that last early-morning sky left a particularly strong impression.
She also enjoyed watching the scenery change as the team travelled between locations.
Mountains, open skies and the changing natural environment became part of the experience, giving the journey meaning beyond the photographs themselves.
For Yoshitaka, New Zealand became a place associated with wonder, friendship and memories that would stay with her.
Shirafu captures not only that journey but also her reflections on work, daily life and the people she has met throughout her career.
Reaching the milestone of 20 years in the entertainment industry gave her an opportunity to put those experiences into her own words while exploring a landscape that was new to her.
The result is a personal record of an important chapter in her life.
New Zealand is celebrated for its dramatic mountains, open landscapes and opportunities to enjoy the Southern Hemisphere's night skies.
The travel experiences described here follow Yoshitaka's published interviews and official accounts. Specific filming dates and hotel locations have not been inferred beyond the information made public.
In an official 2025 interview published by her agency Amuse, Yoshitaka shared an amusing behind-the-scenes story from the New Zealand shoot. Because the crew was small, an editor unexpectedly had to assist the photographer. The unfamiliar task led to some rather animated exchanges between the two. Watching them, Yoshitaka joked that she almost wanted to wish upon a shooting star for them to get along. It was a light-hearted moment that captured her playful sense of humour, even during a magical night under the stars.
Yuriko Yoshitaka's Career, Family and Outlook on Life: From Dearest to Dear Radiance
Since her first film appearance in 2006, Yoshitaka has built a career across films, television dramas and the stage.
Behind the celebrated performances, however, there have also been moments when she stepped away from work to reconsider what mattered most to her.
Her approach to acting, relationships and personal growth offers another perspective on the woman behind her popular characters.
Snakes and Earrings, Hanako to Anne, Dearest and Dear Radiance
Yuriko Yoshitaka was born on 22 July 1988 in Tokyo, Japan.
She made her film debut in the 2006 movie Noriko's Dinner Table and came to widespread attention through her starring performance in Snakes and Earrings in 2008.
Her work in the latter film earned her recognition including the Japan Academy Film Prize's Newcomer of the Year honour and the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Newcomer.
She went on to appear in a range of Japanese television dramas, including Galileo, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Justice Monster (Seigi no Se) and I Will Not Work Overtime, Period!.
In 2014, she starred as the heroine of the NHK morning drama Hanako to Anne. That year, she also served as a presenter for the annual NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen music programme.
In the 2021 drama Dearest, she portrayed a woman confronting complicated events from her past.
In 2023, she appeared as an obstetrician and gynaecologist in On a Starry Night.
Then, in 2024, Yoshitaka starred as Murasaki Shikibu, also known as Mahiro in the series, in the NHK historical drama Dear Radiance.
Preparing for the role involved more than learning lines and wearing elaborate historical costumes.
Yoshitaka is naturally left-handed, but certain scenes required her to write with a brush using her right hand.
She therefore began practising right-handed calligraphy approximately six months before filming.
Accounts from the calligraphy instructor working with the NHK production described how she repeatedly practised until she developed the brush movements needed for the role.
Some scenes that required many hours of preparation appeared on screen only briefly.
Yet those small details mattered in creating a convincing portrayal of a woman living in the Heian period more than a thousand years ago.
Yoshitaka also spoke about using manga and visual materials to help imagine daily life in that historical era.
What did people see when they looked out at the landscape? What might they have felt as they moved through their everyday routines?
Considering questions like these helped her explore the character of Murasaki Shikibu.
In 2025, Yoshitaka also appeared in the stage production Shining na Onnatachi (Shining Women), continuing to explore different forms of performance.
From contemporary drama to historical storytelling and theatre, her career reflects a continuing interest in learning new skills and discovering new aspects of herself through acting.
Taking Time Away from Acting: Family, Friendship and 20 Years of Experience
In interviews published around the release of Shirafu in 2025, Yoshitaka spoke about a significant turning point following her appearance in Hanako to Anne in 2014.
At the time, she had considered leaving acting.
There were differences between the way she had imagined her career developing and the responsibilities or expectations surrounding her work.
When she shared her feelings with her agency, she was encouraged to take some time away before making a final decision.
Yoshitaka subsequently spent roughly two years enjoying travel, visiting friends overseas and experiencing life outside her usual working routine.
Those experiences gave her an opportunity to think carefully about what she wanted from her life and career.
Eventually, she recognised how much acting itself still meant to her.
She contacted her agency and decided to return to work, later expressing gratitude to the people who had allowed her the space to reconsider her path.
Taking time away became an important chapter in understanding her relationship with her profession.
Her 2025 book Shirafu also includes writing about family, childhood memories and meaningful encounters.
In an interview with Real Sound, Yoshitaka explained that she reread and carefully considered the passages involving family before deciding what to include.
Her approach suggests how thoughtfully she wanted to preserve memories involving the people close to her.
The book also includes a conversation with Toru, guitarist of the Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK.
Yoshitaka and Toru have known each other since junior high school, before their respective careers in entertainment developed.
She spoke warmly about how meaningful it was that they could still share a friendship after so many years and eventually come together for a conversation in her book.
She even reflected on how surprising it would have been to tell their younger selves that they would still be friends so far into the future.
In past interviews, Yoshitaka has also expressed the view that marriage is something to approach according to the timing of one's life rather than a fixed age.
Her remarks reflect an attitude of allowing personal decisions and relationships to develop naturally alongside her work and experiences.
For the 20th-anniversary celebrations in 2025, people who had worked alongside Yoshitaka throughout her career also shared their memories.
An official feature from her agency Amuse revisited her relationships with past managers and the many people involved in her work over two decades.
In a 2025 STORY interview, Yoshitaka also discussed the nervous excitement of taking on new roles and stage performances, even after gaining considerable experience.
Each new production offers a chance to encounter emotions and perspectives she has not previously explored.
Outside work, she continues to value favourite activities such as cooking and travelling, alongside time with friends and people close to her.
These experiences, both ordinary and extraordinary, have helped shape the actress and individual she is today.
As part of Yoshitaka's 20th-anniversary celebrations in 2025, four former and current managers were invited to choose a single Japanese kanji character that represented her. One chose 惹, suggesting the power to captivate people, while a manager who supported her during Dear Radiance chose 豊, associated with richness and abundance. The project offered an affectionate glimpse of Yoshitaka through the memories of the people who had worked closely with her.
Looking back over Yuriko Yoshitaka's beauty and wellness habits, one quality stands out: her ability to find enjoyment in whatever she is doing.
She appreciates the scent and texture of favourite skincare products, enjoys experimenting with unfamiliar ingredients in the kitchen and takes satisfaction in seeing her progress when learning a new physical skill.
She also recognises the importance of making time for rest when work becomes particularly demanding.
And when travelling, she remains open to the kind of extraordinary experience that might be waiting around the next corner, or above her in a sky full of stars.
Her approach to beauty, wellbeing and her career has continued to evolve with age and experience.
Rather than holding on to one fixed idea of how she should live, Yoshitaka embraces new discoveries, meaningful relationships and the opportunity to keep learning.
Whether she is exploring a new role, cooking something delicious or admiring the night sky in New Zealand, that curiosity remains an important part of her appeal.
Perhaps her most memorable quality is the way she approaches life with warmth, humour and a willingness to enjoy its many possibilities.
Editorial note: This article draws on Yuriko Yoshitaka's published interviews, official agency materials and publicly available information about her work. Skincare, diet, supplements, bathing and exercise habits are described in the context of the interviews in which she discussed them. General information about product categories is distinguished from products she personally mentioned. Individual preferences may change over time. When choosing skincare products or supplements, always consider personal circumstances, ingredients and the manufacturer's directions.
References and Further Reading
- Amuse — Official Yuriko Yoshitaka Profile and Selected Works
- MAQUIA — 2022 Interview on Lotion, Serum, Cream and Skincare (Promotional Feature)
- VOCE — 2022 Skincare Routine, Eating Habits and Hydration
- VOCE — 2022 Beauty Philosophy, Running and Golf
- VOCE — Skincare at Home, Bathing and Relaxation
- VOCE — 2025 Interview on Work, Relationships and Life
- MAQUIA — Life in Her Thirties and Enjoying Days Off
- BAILA — First Earnings, Favourite Foods and Curiosity About Travel
- BAILA — Travel, Homestays and Childhood Memories
- BiST — 2024 Interview on Fried Chicken, Seafood and Grocery Shopping
- STORY — 2025 Home Cooking, Salmon Roe and Enjoying Her Own Recipes
- ORICON NEWS — Homemade Spring Rolls in 2025
- ORICON NEWS — Enoki Mushroom Meat Rolls in 2025
- ORICON NEWS — Summer Vegetable Cooking in 2026
- Nikkan Sports — Dear Radiance, Costumes, Sleep and Supplements
- NHK — Calligraphy Training and Character Preparation for Dear Radiance
- Amuse — 20th Anniversary, Shirafu and Behind-the-Scenes Stories from New Zealand
- Real Sound — Shirafu, Family, Friends and Personal Memories
- Modelpress / NewsCafe — Taking Time Away from Acting and Returning to Work
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