Interview with JAV actresses Riho Shishido, Rena Momozono, and Uta Miyoshi

Gendai Business recently published a two-part, in-depth interview featuring three Japanese adult video stars—Riho Shishido, Rena Momozono, and Uta Miyoshi.Below are translated and edited highlights.

The article highlights three performers who graduated from prestigious universities—something that is not uncommon—but ultimately chose a different direction for their careers. Rather than entering conventional fields such as banking or trading firms, they decided to pursue work in the demanding and highly competitive AV industry.
Shishido (24) and Momozono (29) are already established in the field, while Miyoshi (23) is a newcomer whose debut we recently featured.

Q. You all graduated from well-regarded private universities. With many career options available, what led you to become a sexy actress?

Riho Shishido:
I first watched an adult video when I was in my second year of junior high school. It was just a gut feeling, but I remember thinking, “I’d like to try that—it seems kind of cool.” At the same time, I was concerned about how it might be viewed socially. I enjoyed studying, so I went on to a public high school, worked hard, and eventually entered university.

However, during college, the pandemic hit. Spending so much time at home made me reflect on what I truly wanted to do with my life, and I remembered that I had always been interested in working in AV.

At one point, I was also considering graduate school and a career as a university professor. But I realized that I could return to academia at any stage of life, whereas opportunities in AV are more limited by age. That made me feel it was now or never.

Momozono Rena:
I had a similar experience. I entered the adult video industry on a whim and didn’t feel especially attached to it, so I stepped away after just three releases. After that, I took a conventional path—working in accounting for a fairly large real estate company in the Kansai region for about two years. I even hold a real estate license.

Over time, though, I began to feel that the work was something anyone could do, and that I wasn’t fully using my abilities. Around then, I searched my name online and was surprised to see how much attention I was still getting—comments like “We want the legendary busty beauty to return!” made me realize how widely I was recognized. That motivated me to challenge myself again, to see how far I could go, so I reached out to my agency and made a comeback.

Uta Miyoshi:
After graduating, I joined a real estate company as well. I even received a rookie award in sales, and while the job had its enjoyable moments, it quickly became repetitive. I started questioning whether that routine was truly what I wanted for my life.

Deep down, I knew I didn’t want to settle for something ordinary. I was drawn to the more glamorous, expressive lifestyle of influencers. Then I discovered that one influencer I followed was actually working in the adult video industry. I had already been familiar with AV content, even watching it privately, so that revelation made the industry feel more accessible to me. In the end, that shift in perspective led me to apply to an agency myself.

Q. What did you study at university?

Shishido:
I studied arts, focusing on film and moving images. When I decided to become an AV actress, I actually wrote pages detailing why I wanted to work in the industry and brought them to my agency. I thought putting my feelings into writing would communicate better, but looking back… yeah, it was a little over the top to bring that to an interview.

Uta:
I wasn’t very ambitious academically. I chose an English course because it was my strongest subject, not because I wanted a global career. I did a six-month training program in Canada, but honestly, during my four years at university, the main thing I learned about was sex!

Momozono:
I majored in international business and wrote my graduation thesis on the 2008 financial crash. But since I could get credits without attending classes, I spent most of my time drinking and having sex instead of studying. In junior and high school, I was more studious, but university was when I really came into my own. I was in a basketball club that functioned more like a social—and romantic—club. We’d play basketball once a week and then party all night. I also worked part-time selling tequila at clubs and events.

Uta:
I did lots of extracurriculars until high school—badminton, track and field, and even soccer in college. I’ve also been studying calligraphy since I was young and earned a certificate. But in university, I quit all my extracurricular activities. Honestly, the only real physical activity I kept up was… sex.

Shishido:
I wish I had a college life like that. My part-time jobs were just tutoring and working in restaurants—pretty low-key. Because of the pandemic, I didn’t join any clubs, and I’ve never been on a group date.

Q. What kinds of reactions did you get from people around you when you decided to do porn?

Momozono:
When I debuted in the AV industry, I thought it would stay under the radar. But it quickly climbed FANZA’s charts, and within a month, everyone at my university knew. The club I belonged to had many free-spirited girls who joked openly about sexual matters, and my presence there seemed to give the club more credibility. Word about my debut spread to nearby universities too. Students from other schools would come just to see me, and whenever I was late for class, the room would buzz with chatter. Even walking around campus, people would point me out, share my LINE contact without my consent, and send flirty messages like, “Let’s grab dinner.” Some even asked me out directly.

Shishido:
I assumed my parents would be strongly opposed, so I waited until after my debut to tell them. As I expected, they were upset at first, but ultimately said, “This is what you want, and even if we object, you won’t stop.” They agreed on the condition that I complete my university studies. Regarding my friends, I confided only in my closest ones. I didn’t mention it to anyone in my seminar, though on graduation day, one of them admitted they had known. They’ve remained good friends ever since, and I feel lucky to have such supportive people around me.

Uta:
I haven’t shared it with anyone yet. Ideally, I’d like my career to speak for itself and have the news of my AV work emerge naturally. But thinking about my parents’ feelings, I’m still unsure whether it’s better to tell them directly.

Q. Did anything differ from your expectations about working in AV?

Shishido:
My understanding of AV didn’t go beyond my second year of junior high, so I was surprised when I debuted and realized that I had to perform like an idol. The AV actresses I knew back then were mostly underground—something you could only find online and pay to watch. Debuting opened my eyes to how much the industry had entered the mainstream.

Momozono:
Exactly. Being an AV actress today can feel a lot like being an idol, and it can lead to opportunities outside AV, like TV appearances, rakugo performances, taiko drumming, or acting in films. AV is also hugely popular in Taiwan. When I have events there, fans often greet me at the airport as if I were a pop star.

Uta:
I agree. Discovering that an influencer I follow online was actually an AV actress really helped me get past my initial hesitations about the industry.

Shishido:
Some AV actresses really do carry themselves like idols. It’s clear the industry is evolving.

Q. In recent few years, we’ve seen more sexy actresses in various media.

Shishido:
For example, Mana Sakura has published books, but when I was in middle school, she was only active in AV. I worried that to succeed in the industry, I might have to explore different paths like she did. I discovered I could write, so I began sharing my experiences as an AV actress. One of my debut stories went viral on social media.

Uta:
I feel the need to push myself beyond AV. I want to explore any kind of work I can.

Q. Who are your favorite JAV stars?

Shishido:
I’ve been following Airi Suzumura’s videos since junior high. Also, Tsubomi retired the year I debuted, so I always wished I could have worked with her.

Uta:
For me, Ran Kamiki is the one who inspired me to enter the AV industry.

Momozono:
Lately, I’ve been studying Akane Mitani’s work. I watch her performances to learn acting techniques and dirty talk, taking notes from her AVs that I’ve watched multiple times.

Q. What do you enjoy and find most appealing about working as an AV actress?

Shishido:
What I enjoy most is being on set. Collaborating with directors, producers, actors, and makeup artists I haven’t met before—and then seeing them again months or even years later—is really exciting for me right now.

Momozono:
I enjoy the monthly shoots as well. It’s a chance to explore different types of work. A while back, I was interviewed for a book about highly educated AV performers, which even led to an invitation to appear on someone’s YouTube channel.

Uta:
Close-ups make me nervous, but every AV shoot gives me something to look forward to.

Q. If you hadn’t pursued a career in adult entertainment, what path might you have taken?

Shishido:
I probably would have continued my studies—maybe gone to graduate school, studied abroad, and focused on film and moving images—with the goal of becoming a university professor.

Uta:
I imagine I would have explored different jobs and industries, trying to find what truly suited me.

Momozono:
I used to work for a fairly large real estate company, so I might have stayed there in accounting. Ideally, I would have married my boyfriend at the time and had two children. But that’s just a fantasy. Ultimately, I think things tend to unfold as they’re meant to. I enjoy sex, and being an AV actress is both lucrative and exciting, so even if I could start over, I would likely make the same choice.

Q. Could you see yourself returning to a different career in the future?

Momozono:
Yes. After I’ve fully explored this profession, I plan to get married. I’m currently single, though.

Shishido:
If I decide to pursue film studies, graduate school would be the next step. But after retiring as a performer, I may choose a completely different path. I don’t intend to work in apparel, open a beauty clinic, or take on a public-facing role. I think I’ll step away from the spotlight entirely. My family runs a restaurant, so that could be an option, though my perspective may change over time.