Actor Juri Juri Kosaka , who is also making waves for her role as the co-star with Ai Mikami in the NHK Asadora drama "Kaze,Kaoru " in the first half of 2026, will release her first photo book "Every Day is a Good Day" (Gentosha) on July 14th, her 20th birthday. We asked Uesaka about the highlights of the photo book and her enthusiasm for the Asadora.
◇ Costumes I've never worn before
Uesaka was born on July 14, 2005 in Kanagawa Prefecture. At the age of 12, she won the judges' special award at the Avex-sponsored contest "Kira Challenge 2017" and began her entertainment career. She also works as an exclusive model for the teen media "Seventeen" (Shueisha).
Regarding the release of her first photo book, she said with a smile, "When I saw photo books of actresses lined up in bookstores, I thought I'd like to release one myself someday, so it was one of my dreams in the entertainment industry, so I was very happy when I heard about the offer!"
The shoot took place in the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture, which she visited for the first time in her life, and she showed off a life-sized, innocent expression in her final teenage years, letting loose and showing off a seductive side that she hadn't shown much before. "As it was the last year of my teenage years, I wanted to experience places I'd never been to before, new scenery, and nature, so I shot in the Goto Islands. It was really fun, and felt like an extension of my travels (laughs)," she recalled.
The book is filled with her natural charm, including shots of her munching on sashimi of fish she caught herself and frolicking in the crystal clear ocean. "All the food was delicious, and the ocean was surprisingly clear; just looking at it was healing! I think I was able to deliver the 'real Juri Kosaka' to the viewers," she says with a smile.
She also tried out some mature shots in outfits that she hasn't worn much before. "Because it's a photobook, I tried some shots that looked a little grown-up. It's embarrassing to say it myself, but maybe I look more mature (laughs)," she said, a little shyly.
"It's a book that I treasure, created together with the people who have always helped me. It's a photobook that's packed with my current self, so I hope everyone will pick it up," she said.
◇ Now that he's been chosen to star in a Asadora , he feels like he's "entering an unknown world"
She will star alongside Ai Mikami in the Asadora"Kaze,Kaoru " to be broadcast in 2026. The drama is set in Meiji Japan and tells the story of two women who jumped into the world of nursing at a time when women's professions were not yet established. The two graduated from the same nursing school, but struggle with how to interact with patients and doctors, grow while clashing with each other, and eventually become the "strongest buddy."
Uesaka was selected from an audition in which 2,410 people took part. With the release of her photo book and her selection for a leading role in a Asadora, things have been going well for her. She said, "The Asadora was my biggest dream, and I also feel that releasing a photo book at the important turning point of turning 20 is just a series of miracles. I believe that I am who I am today thanks to the support of the people around me, so I want to never forget to be grateful."
"I don't know what's going to happen, and I feel like I'm about to enter an unknown world, but I want to become an actor who can live in the world of the drama, including the Asadora, as a person," she said enthusiastically. The photobook is B5 size, 128 pages, and costs 3,300 yen.
