Ageless Yoko Kumada forgoes gravity (and clothes) in latest photo book

What magic is this? What elixir of youth has she drunk? Because veteran gravure idol Yoko Kumada does not look like a 43-year-old three-time mom.

The model continues to carve out a career well past the point at which most gradols have thrown in the towel. Not so with Yoko, who has overcome a fair few challenges in her personal life (not least, domestic violence and divorce) and stays in superb shape through pole dancing. She pumps out regular gravure DVDs that show off her athletic body.

In the latest proof of this, Kumada has released a video on Instagram showing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of her shoots. In the viral footage, she lies alluringly on a black, leather sofa, apparently naked and with her modesty covered only by carefully placed hands (the classic tebura — or hand bra — pose) and legs.

This is, in fact, the shoot for the cover of her latest photo book, Gravityless. Her 41st photo book went on sale on March 18.

With a title playing on Yoko Kumada’s pole-dancing skills, according to the blurb: “Featuring what may be Kumada’s most revealing photos to date, this is a powerful book that delves into her ever-evolving physique and overflowing eroticism.”

Marking 25 years since she made her debut in the industry, Kumada held a book launch event in Tokyo and enjoyed lavish attention from various media outlets like Sankei Sport, Nikkan Sport, Sports Nippon. These sports-focused newspapers liked to include such reports on gravure idols, since their readership is primarily men of a certain age. The fact that Kumada was wearing thigh-high books and figure-hugging, revealing hot pants surely didn’t dissuade the editors from including her in their pages.

However, the review we saw on Amazon Japan suggests the book will disappoint fans hoping to see her nude.