Saaya Irie’s gravure comeback

Saaya Irie, once a gravure idol, has re-entered the entertainment scene at 31.

Former gravure idol Saaya, now 31, is making a return to the entertainment scene.

In recent years, Saaya (full name Saaya Irie) has explored work outside of gravure modeling. This year, however, marks her 20th anniversary in the industry—she began modeling at just 11—and she is celebrating the milestone with a feature in the latest issue of Weekly Playboy, released on October 6.

A long-standing figure in the industry, Saaya is celebrated for her sweet, girl-next-door charm. A semi-nude photoshoot in the mid-2010s, however, showcased a more mature side of her appeal.

She tied the knot in 2022 and relocated first to Hiroshima and later to Kitakyushu, where she is raising her child. Her career shift began in 2018 when she left her agency to pursue freelance work. After producing numerous photo books and DVDs, and appearing regularly in movies and TV dramas throughout the 2000s and 2010s, her gravure activities slowed considerably. While it’s unclear if she ever formally retired, she had largely stepped back from gravure work by the 2020s.

In her Weekly Playboy shoot, Saaya highlights her charms as both a newlywed and a young mother. Picture coming home from work to find her in the kitchen, preparing a delicious meal just for you!

She’s also launched a tie-in digital photo book titled Always, More, More. Here’s hoping it becomes a hit and paves the way for more exciting shoots in her comeback.