Erika Yamakawa returns to gravure after 20-year break

Earlier this year, we wrote about the surprise yet very, very welcome return to gravure of two major stars now in their late thirties: Aya Ueto and Haruka Ayase.

Indeed, as the likes of Yoko Kumada amply demonstrate, you can continue a career in gravure into your forties.

While the industry is dominated by ladies in their twenties or late teens, we like to see veterans and survivors in there, and love a good comeback story.

But even we were surprised by the return of Erika Yamakawa to gravure after a 20-year break.

Now aged 42 and the mother of two children, the model made her gravure debut way back in 1998.

She then carved out a minor career on TV shows and drama through the early 2000s until she married a comedian 14 years her senior in 2007, after which she effectively retired.

She gave birth to their first child in 2010.

She released three photo books between 1997 and 2000, after which she seemed to leave gravure behind.

Until now. She has recently return to the fold since late last year with a couple of lavish, semi-nude gravure shoots that show off her trim body and attractive looks.

In the interim years, we’re not sure what she has been doing — other than the not inconsiderable task of raising two kids — but her social media profile lists a bevy of roles and jobs, including skincare advisor, financial planner, Dalcroze eurhythmics instructor, and diet advisor.

In conjunction with her shoots for Weekly Friday, she has also released a digital photo book called enjoy. And we certainly do.

And we are also very intrigued to know what her husband (now in his mid-fifties) and kids think about these shoots!