Actress Juri Kosaka will play one of the two main roles in the NHK Asadora drama "Kaze,Kaoru " which will begin airing this spring. We interviewed the 20-year-old, who is attracting a lot of attention this year, at a formal wear photo shoot held by her agency, Avex Management Agency.
Last year, she continued to be active, appearing in the TBS Sunday Theatre drama " Mikami Sensei" and being cast as the heroine of JR East's "JR SKISKI" campaign, which is said to be a stepping stone for young actors. Furthermore, she was selected as one of the two leading roles in "Kaze,Kaoru" after an audition in which approximately 2,410 people participated. Looking back on the past year, she smiles and says, "It went by in a flash. I received so many kind words from my fans, family, and friends, and I was able to get through it with their support."
Filming for "Kaze,Kaoru" began in October last year. Filming is progressing smoothly, and she says, "Every day is stimulating, and I really feel the joy of acting. It's a very rewarding set," revealing a sense of fulfillment. She plays a woman who paved the way in the Meiji era, when the job of nurse had not yet been established. She has been practicing her duties, such as taking a pulse, wrapping bandages, and changing sheets, saying, "It's difficult because it's the first time I've done these things, but I'm practicing hard."
In "Kaze,Kaoru," he co-stars with Ai Mikami. Mikami is five years older than him in real life, and they become buddies in the film. In the beginning, they didn't have any scenes together, so they often missed each other, but they went out to eat together in between filming, and on their birthdays they sent each other handwritten letters.
"In his letter, he said, 'Let's work hard together, supporting each other, without worrying too much about the age difference.' I replied, 'I know I tend to rely on you a lot, but I'll do my best so that you can rely on me if anything happens.'"
When asked about his impression of Mikami, with whom he co-starred for the first time, he said, "He's as bright as the sun and brightens up the set in an instant. But when it comes to acting, he's serious and very cool." He also revealed an unexpected commonality, saying, "As we were talking, we discovered that we both hate cleaning (laughs)."
Her theme for 2026 is "carefully and boldly." "My biggest dream was to appear in a Asadora, so I want to deliver it well. I will never forget to be grateful for the environment I am blessed with, and I would like to take on bold challenges from time to time."
Now that she has achieved her dream of becoming the heroine of a Asadora, when asked what her next dream is, she smiled and said, "Every year when I watch the Academy Awards announcement on TV, I can't help but imagine, 'I wish I could stand there.' I hope that one day I can actually stand there."
Keep an eye on Uesaka in 2026 as she steadily moves towards her next big dream.
