Gravure idols are the Japanese equivalent to FHM models. They appear on the front page of male-oriented magazines, wearing sexy lingerie or swimsuits, or they shoot videos in which they playfully tease men with suggestive moves.
They will rarely make nudes, or do pornographic movies, though some JAV actresses did start as gravure idols.
On the contrary, for the most talented and beautiful models, the final objective is to become a mainstream actress or singer. That's what happened with most of the girls listed below.
How to Meet Gravure Idols?
One thing you should know is that it is possible to meet and date famous gravure idols, for instance by using the services of an elite dating club like Universe (based in Tokyo and Singapore). Basically, this company helps you to set up dates with Japanese women, in exchange for a fee that varies between US$300 and US$1,500. Naturally, it costs more to meet the most beautiful girls.
If you want to know more about it, you can read my articles: How to Meet Japanese Girls and Sugar Babies in Tokyo.
13 Hottest Japanese Gravure Idols
These are my 13 favorite Japanese glamour models. If I forgot to mention yours, don't hesitate to leave me a comment at the end of the article.
This popular actress and model is only 21 years old, and yet her career is already remarkable. She has played in over 20 movies and series, including the main role in Werewolf Game: Inferno.
This 29-year old is only known by the name Nanoka. She was a common face of the gravure/modeling industry in Japan in the early 2010s, before switching to acting.
Born in 1987, she is one of the most popular gravure models in Japan, mainly because of the contrast between her baby face and her provocative photo shoots. She is also a singer and an actress.
I doubt you could find a cuter model than Anri Sugihara. This petite girl was born in 1982 in Hiroshima. She started her career at 21 and shot dozens of movies until her retirement in 2013.
This idol debuted before she had even turned 18! Now 25, she still shoots glamorous pictures but she is much less active than in her late teens.
This gorgeous native of Osaka (born in 1991) has been featured in several advertisements, including one for Glico. She was also an actress in various movies and Japanese TV dramas.
I didn't find much information about this slim gravure model, but you can follow her Instagram to learn more about her. She was born in Saitama in 1993 and she is 160cm.
Now an actress who has played in several famous dramas, she actually started her career posing in sexy outfits for men magazines.
This gravure model became a mainstream actress after being cast as the main heroine of the TV series Kamen Rider Drive. She was born in 1991 and she is 166cm high.
A slender model with an innocent face, she was voted among the 10 sexiest Japanese gravure models by the magazine FHM in 2010.
Born in 1992, this Japanese girl with a slim body and an angel face has made the cover of several magazines. She is also an actress for TV ads and soap operas.
She became particularly famous in Japan after marrying Ken Watabe. She started as a gravure model, then she went on to release a few songs and played in over 30 TV series/movies.
This girl modeled until later in her 30s, after giving birth to 3 children. This is old enough to be considered "mature" in Japan. Nonetheless, she still looks stunning.