You are the only the scriptwriter of your life, and you can do a rewrite anytime, however you want.
Guests of the RIHGA Royal Hotel:
Ahn Mika—Model, TV Personality, Actor, Singer
Ahn Mika is known for her books like Super Positive Daily Pad Calendar (Kodansha) and Positive Planner 2026: 365 Days of Good Fortune by Thinking like Ahn Mika! (Shogakukan), which propose a forward-looking approach to life and have resonated with many women. “I’m happier now than in my twenties or thirties. Whatever age you are, right now is the happiest!” she says with a radiant smile. I asked about the secret to the Ahn Mika way of life and how she developed a positive mindset.
“My mother’s teachings, the words of my priest. Love and enriching encounters built the foundation of my life”
“My mother worked for a cosmetics company, and part of her job was teaching things like comportment to brides. When she came home, she would have me and my two sisters stand in a line and teach us things like ‘Women should always keep the corners of their mouths turned up’ and ‘Improve your posture.’ Perhaps her number one lesson was ‘the magic of becoming a beautiful woman.’ She taught us that a woman’s beauty is never determined by her facial features. It’s about the beauty of your gestures and posture, making others feel comfortable when talking with you, and above all, your smile! She would say that if you never lose your smile and you are a thoughtful, caring woman, you’ll become the kind of beautiful person others will want to see again… When I was young, I suffered aftereffects from a lip injury, and while my siblings all had very fine features, I had all sorts of complexes about being the one who was different. I was always looking down. But my mother encouraged me through it all. Thanks to my mother, who was so good at praising me, I am who I am today, and I believe that the origin of my positive mindset is definitely my mother’s teachings.”
Thanks to the “magic of becoming a beautiful woman” that her mother taught her, Ahn Mika regained her confidence and grew into a woman who was not only beautiful in appearance but also mentally strong. Even so, life still had its ups and downs.
In her early childhood, her parents worked tirelessly from morning to night, struggling financially to support a large family. Her parents decided to open a ramen shop at home, and just when the business started to get on track and it seemed their lives would finally stabilize, disaster struck. A fire broke out in the shop. The family lost both their home and their shop and was scattered apart, and even Ahn Mika, who had been a Catholic from childhood, with a deep faith in God, asked the priest who helped them in a strong tone, “Why is God making us suffer through so much? Isn’t that unfair?”
Her priest at the time replied: “People are all born to be happy and live to be happy. God never gives people trials that cannot be overcome. Even when something bad happens, don’t have a victim mentality asking ‘Why only me?’ Trust even the unexpected things that happen to you.”
“The priest said: ‘Even things that appear to be misfortunes will surely nourish a person, and repeated tribulations are a sign from God that you can overcome them.’ Those words really struck home. When I realized, ‘Ah… I just need to believe,’ the unexpected stopped being frightening, or maybe I felt that being depressed about it was a waste of time, and I began devising ways to overcome obstacles. Before I knew it, I had gotten over barriers I thought I never could, and I realized that I had learned all sorts of important lessons. Those words have been a support for me ever since, through adulthood and right up to the present day.”
“A spirit that never gives up and a drive to challenge myself that’s never satisfied made me who I am today”
Her path to becoming a model wasn’t straightforward either. She tried to break into Paris Fashion Week and called 20 modeling agencies, but only managed to get appointments with three. Even with those three, she couldn’t meet with anyone in charge. At the third agency, she learned why.
“The outfit I chose that day was a white top with black pants, but I was told it didn’t suit my skin tone or bone structure at all. They said, ‘There are 200 shades of white and 300 shades of black. Why did you deliberately choose colors that don’t suit you from all those options?’ That really struck me. After returning to Japan, I did a serious study of my bone structure, skin tone, facial features, and so on, and my approach shifted to properly understanding my own individuality and presenting myself more attractively. My notorious phrase ‘there are 200 shades of white’ came from that experience (laughs).”
Later, through encounters with a highly-capable manager at an Osaka modeling agency and up-and-coming photographers, she was unexpectedly chosen to model for a British fashion magazine. That became the turning point that allowed her to fulfill her long-held dream of breaking into Paris Fashion Week.
She began participating in collections by numerous designers as a top model, but not being satisfied with such accomplishments is typical of Ahn Mika’s approach to life. Accepting the risk of putting her modeling work on hold while offers were coming in steadily, she studied abroad for a year at Yonsei University in Korea, her ancestral homeland, in order to improve her skills in the Korean language.
“I couldn’t read or write Hangul (Korean letters) at all, but I hate to lose and usually get by on just tenacity, so I studied like crazy for a year and my grades were always at the top of my class. I think I was able to stick with it thanks to my priest’s words that trials and hardships are signs from God.”
Thanks to her hard work, Ahn Mika mastered Korean. It was right around that time that the Korean Wave trend hit Japan, and she became very active on television and in magazines as a commentator and personality. She also added writing as a new venture, publishing several positivity books that connected with the mindset of women, and they have evolved into a popular series.
So many memories of the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka. A special place that taught both tangible and intangible lessons
I was surprised to learn that the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka played an important role in shaping who Ahn Mika is today. Apparently, when she was young, she worked part-time at a restaurant that was then located on a basement floor. Looking back, she says it was an unforgettable and luxurious experience to be able to learn and absorb daily lessons about table manners, cutlery handling, wine, cuisine, and other topics in the refined atmosphere of a first-class hotel restaurant.
“At the time when I couldn’t make a living from modeling alone, I also worked in the Party Department as a party companion. It was then that I truly realized that authentic first-class venues attract truly first-class people. After I was able to establish myself as a model, I had the moving experience of appearing in a Yumi Katsura bridal fashion show held at this hotel. In my private life, I’m a huge fan of the famous Shrimp with Sweet and Spicy Sauce at the Chinese Restaurant Royal Ryuho, and whenever I was in Osaka, this was my go-to place for Chinese cuisine. I always came back regularly.”
I asked about her impressions after viewing the newly renovated guest rooms at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, which has been reborn under the “Vignette Collection” concept.
“The design mindful of the river surface and the shimmer of its light reflections was wonderful, as was the contrast between the Royal Green base color and the accents of smoky pink. I realized once again that it’s not just newness, but the tradition, prestige, and elegance of this long-established hotel that supports a modern sensibility. You might call it depth, or richness… the high-quality atmosphere of the RIHGA Royal Hotel remains unchanged whenever you visit. I think that’s a rare quality unique to this place.”
This year, Ahn Mika is in high demand across a variety of fields, including hosting television and radio shows, activities with ALKAMIRE, a group of four vocalists with Japanese, American, and Korean roots, writing magazine series, making her first regular appearance in a drama series with Fuji TV’s October series If This World Were a Stage, Where Would the Dressing Room Be? and even having a dinner show scheduled for year-end.
“When I get an offer, I just give it my all!” That’s Ahn Mika’s characteristic way of life and her basic attitude.
“I always think about this, but you only live once. The scriptwriter of that precious life, a life that’s unique in all the world, is me myself, and the same is true for you too. Your life script can be rewritten, at any time and in any way you want, into the life you want it to become. After that, it’s just a question of whether you do it or not. When you arbitrarily create rigid categories for yourself—I can’t do it, it’s too scary, I’m too old, I’m a woman—the only person who can break them down is yourself!”
Ahn Mika wore a vibrant red dress that seemed to symbolize her vitality and energy. Her bright, exceptional smile gives you a boost. It’s natural, beautiful, and powerful through and through.
Text by Kori Mae
Photography by Tomoaki Kawasumi
Location / RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka,Vignette Collection
Restaurant Chambord Monarch Suite
Positive Planner 2026 (Shogakukan)
¥1,980 (tax included). Released 9/22. Now available for per-order!
Ahn Mika
Since her first Paris Collection appearance in 1993, Ahn Mika has worked extensively beyond modeling in numerous roles as a media host including on MBS Saturday Plus and NHK Radio Ahn Mika Teen-ager Club, and she has been widely active across television, radio, singing, drama, film, stage acting, and appearance in TV commercials. In 2012, she released Bitter Sweet Memories, a cover album of songs used in TV commercials, through Universal. In 2013, she sang with the long-established Glenn Miller Orchestra in its Tokyo and Nagoya performances. In 2023, she made her musical debut playing the fairy godmother role in A Cinderella Story. In 2025, she garnered major attention for her first appearance in a Mitani screenplay production, playing dancer Patra Suzuki in Fuji TV’s October season Wednesday 10 PM drama series, If This World Were a Stage, Where Would the Dressing Room Be? Capitalizing on the over 20 certifications she holds, including Vegetable Sommelier, Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Advisor, and Japan Cosmetic License Grade 1, she works as a producer for cosmetics, clothing, and jewelry. She’s known as the “Queen of Home Shopping.” Her positive lifestyle resonates with many, leading to the publication of over 15 books including the Positive Calendar and Positive Planner. She serves in numerous ambassador roles including Honorary Ambassador of Korea Tourism, the first Osaka Tourism Ambassador, Shinto Takachiho Tourism Ambassador, Come to Osaka Ambassador, and Health Pavilion Ambassador for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and in the past she previously served as a special professor at Hannan University. She consistently ranks high in popularity polls and receives support from multiple generations. This year, her music project ALKAMIRE launched, and the group’s debut song “Love Everlasting” is now streaming worldwide.
RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka,
Vignette Collection
TEL +81 (0)6-6448-1121
5-3-68 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, JAPAN
